Supadance Finals 2008
Weekend 1st - 3rd November 2008, Camber Sands
Match Report
By Peter Normand
Phew! How can one weekend last so long yet be over so quickly?!
This was a weekend of mixed emotions for Wright Rhythm - over the past year we have seen rapid growth and and phenomenal success at every level and in every age group. We have embraced many new friends and become closer than ever as a school and as a team. But we can't all keep winning all the time and, as Carol so rightly quoted in her recent article "the measure of how much you love something is only truly clear when you fail" so the test of us as individuals, couples and as a school comes when the results start to go against us, as some did last weekend.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were fabulous performances and some excellent and well deserved results. Of course, one of the highlights was Kyle and Alex winning the adult 5-dance ballroom - a result they have earned through dedication, hard work, passion and not a small amount of talent. There were also some great team results - the Adult Sparklers and Juvenile Dazzlers coming second in their respective division 2 finals and the Senior Dazzlers and Adult Sparklers both coming 4th in their division 1 finals. I was particularly impressed by the Wright Rhythm couples in the Juvenile competition - Oliver & Karis, Alex & Poppy, Charlie & Nichole and Ryan and Aleesa who are progressing so fast and so confidently it's hard to believe they are the same people - they are the future of Wright Rhythm and it is clearly in safe hands. And at the other end of the age spectrum (if that's not too impolite) I thought Howard & Gillian and Steve & Carol also danced particularly well - they are finally beginning to relax and really enjoy their dancing which makes a huge difference to their performances. There were other good results as well but I'm afraid I was too exhausted to to remember them all.
The other big high for me was the fantastic support from all the parents, friends, family and even other schools, they keep us going when we're exhausted, calm us down when when we're frustrated, feed us when we're hungry and cheer for us when we win. I'm sure Wright Rhythm has the best support team in the country - A big Thank You to you all.
Finally, back to the dancing and who could forget Conner and Jemma's Jive in the final of the Adult first division match, it was not just an amazing competition dance it was a full performance that I would have been happy to pay to see, I feel privileged to have been able to watch it from the front row.
So if we feel we have under-achieved as a school, as individuals or as couples it is only in comparison to an extraordinary year and now is the time for every member of the school and particularly of the competition team to pull together to celebrate together our achievements and support each other in our disappointments. Gilli and Paula work tirelessly with only one aim - to help us achieve our full potential as dancers but they can only do that with our mutual support. The last year is going to be a tough one to follow, let's not allow the momentum to go to waste - our great strength is our team spirit, togetherness and the love of our sport and our school, I feel proud and lucky to be a part of it and to have so many great friends.