Started: Term 2
Choreography: Kate Darch & Kimberley Davis
Music: Comfort Eagle (By CAKE - From the 'Shallow Hal' Soundtrack)
Performed: Mandurah Festival Of Dance
Awards: None.
Dancers: Me, Lori McLinden, Deanne Walker, Rebekah Foster, Danielle Zink, Emily Harris, Kyla Johnson, Kimberley Davis, Kate Darch, Kristy Faulkner.
Practise: 8:10pm - 9pm Thursday nights.
This 10-person tap troupe begins with three lines of 3-4-3, with the teachers in the back row (Kate Darch - Principle; Kimberley Davis - Assistant Teacher; Kristy Faulkner - Acrobatics Teacher). After an impressive intro - beginning with a cannon of heads, a squat, and jump to the back - the dance begins with some heavy tap steps showing just what the routine will be based around. From there, the formation moves to two diagonal lines - Lori McLinden and myself in the lead.
Once in line, the two cross over and back again, before moving into a triangle. Here, they perform (among a number of other intricate steps) four double-wings in a row, before spreading out to form two circles (Kate, Kimberley and Danielle in the centre circle). The two circles move in opposite directions (as in the U/16 Tap Troupe but with different steps) before the girls somehow - amist more complicated steps - return to the triangle again. Here they perform another cannon with heavier steps, before splitting up into two groups (one which poses in the front/right corner of the stage - consisting of Kate, Kimberley, Kristy, Myself and Deanne Walker) as one takes to the centre of the stage to perform a five-person performance.
The other group joins in with a walk-like step before the music slows, introducing some well-done choreography complete with as many sounds that can fit and hands clapping. Then the second group takes over the centre of the stage, as the first strikes a pose in the back/left corner. This group shows off some interesting and airbourne steps - very appealing to do - before once again joining with the other group to create a small cluster of 3-4-3, so tight they may be just touching each other.
Here, the group performs four hip-rolling steps, before striking their finishing pose - all having the same.
This routine is a very interesting one to practise and perform, and I find it - if not my favourite - close to it. The first costume designed for it I thought was better suited than the one we ended up with, although we went through three or four designs before Lori's mum finally made one of the same for everyone and we decided we'd have it. I particularly like the hairstyle we ended up with for it (our hair was sticking up everywhere by the end of the night). Even though they're probably never going to read this, thanks to Sandra Johnson and Mima Zink for helping out with MY hair... as soon as I started spinning around it began to fall out - thank God they saw it before I went onstage and made a fool of myself :)