This year has been particularly successful for The University of York Dance Society (UYDS) and the competition team is fuelled with high expectations for the upcoming Roses’ challenge.
The season kicked off in the autumn term at the Durham competition with a 1st prize for the Street team and a 2nd prize in Jazz. At the end of the term, the Christmas Showcase presented a high standard show loudly cheered by the crowded Lounge from which people had to be turned away as the event was a complete sell out. The society also joined the Fusion performance The Story of Man in February in a brilliant and very well choreographed scene. UYDS’ hard work was rewarded with triumph at the Loughborough competition, the biggest contest in the society’s calendar featuring 900 dancers from 26 universities. York dancers brought back five awards: 1st in Jazz, 1st in Street, 2nd in Tap, 3rd in Contemporary and best costumes in Jazz. These excellent results are a great achievement for UYDS which was propelled amongst the top best competition teams in the country thanks to high-level choreographies and impressive performances. Loughborough was also an inner challenge for UYDS as the competition took place at a very busy time of the year, just a week after the Fusion show in which most dancers were involved.
Last year was UYDS’ first participation in the Roses Tournament, at home in York. An extremely successful first shot as first prizes were won in all categories. No less than this is expected from this year’s competition! Our only regret in the coming Roses contest is the absence of a Lancaster Street Team which prevents UYDS’ own street dancers to join the competition. A difficult exclusion for the team which has managed a flawless and all 1st prizes season. Yet, UYDS has many more assets to make the looming Roses contest as expectational as last year’s.
The Roses Tournament is thus another occasion for UYDS to prove its very high level in competition and showcase the talent of its choreographers and dancers. Despite the positive foreshadow for this year Roses competition, the UYDS teams are rehearsing early and intensively to put all chances on their side and leave for Lancaster ready for the competition to begin.
Katia Di Giloramo is an all round dancer with a great technique and a noticeable presence on stage in all three pieces: Jazz, Tap and Contemporary; Laura Summers, UYDS’ previous chair, impulses an incredible energy as the ringmaster in Jazz; Heidi Jempeji offers the audience the best smile in the Tap routine which she co-choreographed with Hannah Voss; and finally one can not miss Jess Guilding’s incredible leg extension in Contemporary.