Irish dancing opens Portstewart Festival

THE Irish Dancing section got the Portstewart Music Festival off to a very good start last week.

A high number of entries guaranteed good audiences with the Town Hall frequently filled.

Adjudicator, Gail Johnston, had high praise for the overall standard of the dancing with winners sometimes separated by only a fraction of a mark.

Miss Johnston proved to be a wonderfully helpful adjudicator, giving the dancers useful advice on how to improve and constantly encouraging those who were not prize winners this time to strive for better next.

Though there were many delightful sessions, it was, one again, the final session that was the most entertaining. It included a number of team dances and the senior championship.

But the highlight for all concerned was the adult team dance class which attracted four entries and produced an unexpected guest appearance of a Michael Flattley not very ‘look alike’.

This produced gales of laughter and thunderous applause from the audience, ending the festival on a high note.

The Festival continues this week with the Speech and Drama section starting on Tuesday,May 4 and running till Friday, sessions starting at 9.30am, 2pm and 7pm daily, and concludes with the Music section from Thursday, May 20 to 22.

It is hoped that locals and visitors will pop in once again and support the festival. To pick the class that would most interest you the timetable can be viewed in the window of the Minor Town Hall or by visiting the website at www.portstewartfestival.co.uk

Class 131A - Reel (6 years and under)

The Sacha Laverty Cup presented by Mrs Laverty

1. Hannah Gurney; 2. Nadine McAlister, Olivia Dunbar and Zara Connor; 3. Chloe Glasgow, Hannah Mullan and Romy Orr.

Class 131B - Light, double jig (6 years and under)

1. Hannah Gurney; 2.Hannah Mullan and Olivia Dunbar; 3. Chloe Glasgow, Niamh GIlmore and Zara Connor.

Class 136 - Light Double Jig (7 and 8 years)

1. Sarah Todd; 2. Katy Gault, Tiffany Parke; 3. Anna Kate Brolly and Chloe Barkley

Class 139 - Three hand reel (7 and 8 years)

1. Graham B Team; 2.Graham C and Graham D team; 3. Graham A team.

Class 142 - Reel (9 and 10 years)

Cup presented by Mrs R Hamilton, Ballymoney

1. Zara Watton; 2. Alish Deeney, Kai McKirgan and Riona Pauling; 3. Caitlin Cosgrove and Ellen McKergan

Class 145 - Light double jig (9 and 10 years)

Shield presented by Mr and Mrs R Loughlin

1. Kai McKergan; 2. Alish Deeney, Ellen McKergan and Zara Watton; 3. Rebecca Moffat, Shannon Scott.

Class 148 - Three Hand Reel (9 and 10 years)

1. Graham C Team; 2. Laverty Team A; 3. Graham B Team.

Class 152- Treble Jig (11 and 12 years)

The Jean McDowell Trophy

1. Nikki Barkley; 2. Clara Harte; 3 Claire Finnerty, Emily Osborne, Lauren Young.

Class 155 (11 and 12 years)

Challenge Cup and money, presented by Mrs Jean Tennent

1. Claire Finnerty; 2. Clara Harte, Nikki Barkley; 3. Annie Tohill, Emily Osborne and Lauren Young

Class 158 - Three hand reel (11 and 12 years)

1. Graham A team; 2. JML team A, Dunlop Team B; 3. Dunlop Team A, Skelton Team A.

Class 163 - Reel (13 and 14 years)

1. Sophie Hunter; 2. Rachel Brown; 3. Hannah Kirkpatrick, Victoria Elliot.

Class 164 - Treble Jig (13 and 14 years)

Challenge Cup presented by the Skelton School of Irish Dance

1. Rachel Brown; 2. Sophie Hunter, Zoe Williams; 3. Katie Owens, Ruth Bleakley

Class 167 - Three Hand Reel (13 and 14 years)

1. Dominic Graham School Team B; 2. Skelton School Team A; 3. Marlene Dunlop School Team A

Class 171 - Reel (15 and 16 years)

1. Jessica Culberton; 2. Nicole Lowe; 3. Ellen Massellis, Lisa McAfee

Class 173 - Treble Jig (15 and 16 years)

1. Ellen Massells; 2. Nicole Lowe, Shauna Cooper; 3. Aileen McAlister, Lisa McAfee

Most promising in confined classes - Shannon Scott

Related topics: