Dance Competition Yoker Glasgow Feb 25th 2007

It was a long day yesterday, my Daughter Jennifer and son Bryan had us all out of bed at 6.30 am to get them ready for their big day out. They were both entered into the City of Glasgow Dance Competition. For Jennifer it was her 3rd competition but because she had a brand new dance suit she was very excited and even more so because I was going to watch her dance for the very first time. Bryan only took up dancing 2 months ago and it being his first competition he was so excited that he was hyper-active, after breakfast and the hour or so that it took my wife Alison to do Jennifers hair we drove the 26 miles to Yoker in Glasgow for the competition which was held in Yoker Sports Hall.

It was about 3 hours before Jennifer and Bryan got to dance, before them were Rock'n'Roll, Boogie Woogie, Line Dance and Pop Dance and of course they all danced in their age groups and classes, which are beginners, starters, intermediate and championship.

Finally they got around to the Disco freestyle solo, Bryans group the under 6s were called to the floor and the music started and all of those kids danced their little hearts out, they were amazing to watch and for their age they were very confident, there were 2 boys dancing and it didnt phase them that they were the only ones dancing with 10 girls when the music stopped Bryan came off the floor with the biggest smile on his face.

Then came Jennifers turn in the under 10s solo, the music started and I was struck dumb that was my daughter out there and I couldn't believe what I was seeing, she danced fantasticaly and so gracefully, I had a lump in my throat watching her, I may sound biased but I didn't think she had it in her, this is the little girl who can't walk 10 yards without falling over something, on that dance floor she is a completely different person.

After the rest of the age groups got up to dance it was time for the recalls first of all Bryans group, and there he was third number called out 203 the other numbers were called and then the announcer informed us that this was the finals after the dance was over all of the finalists were asked to give their names.That was to be the last of Bryans dancing for the day.

Jennifers group were next we waited only to find out that their would be 2 heats Jennifers number was called for the second heat 202. she danced again.then the other group recalls then it came to the 2nd lot of recalls for Jennifers group 202 she made the semi finals.and then 202 she was in the finals.like Bryan she had to give her name after the final dance. after the other groups had finished it was time to find out the results and the trophy presentations.

Bryan came 6th overall in his group and Jennifer came 7th in hers.

About half an hour before the Disco Freestyle Pairs Competition, another mother from Bryan and Jennifers Dance school decided that it would be good if her daughter Dionne danced in the pairs with Bryan, we asked Bryan if he wanted to and he said yes, so the dance teacher took them into the hall of the sports centre and taught them a small routine to do.

There were only five pairs in the group and they came in Third, I cant help wonder how they would have done if they had practiced for a couple of weeks together.

Jennifer had a fantastic day, along with her seventh place in the solo, she also reached the semi-finals of the slow dancehaving had 2 recalls to get there,which she has never even had a call back for before, It was a no split competition which meant that she was dancing against the best of the best from the champions group.

She also reached the semi-finals of the Hip Hop competition, another dance which she had never had a recall in before.

All in all Jennifer and Bryan had a Wonderful day they had lots of fun and were very proud of their trophies.

I had the biggest smile on my face and walked out of that dance hall at the end of the day the proudest dad in the whole world.

The only draw back is that i am out of pocket by a few pounds becaused i promised them £1.00 for a call back, £3.00 for a semi-final, and £5.00 for a trophy,but it was worth every penny. of course Robert my oldest son will get the same money too because he was very well behaved for a boy who loves football and hates dancing with a passion he was a fantastic support to his little brother and sister.