Royal Academy of Dance to present The Royal Ballet with the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) will award its highest honour – the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award (QEII Award) – to The Royal Ballet, 60 years after the award’s inauguration. The award – presented annually in recognition of outstanding services to the art of ballet by the RAD – was first conferred on The Royal Ballet founder Dame Ninette de Valois, in 1954. To celebrate this benchmark in ballet history, the award will be presented during a gala fundraising dinner for the RAD’s flagship event, the Genée International Ballet Competition (the Genée).

The QEII Award was created in honour of the 1953 coronation of the RAD’s patron, Queen Elizabeth II. The Royal Ballet will become the first ever company to receive the award usually bestowed upon individuals. The gala dinner will be held at Claridge’s in Mayfair, on 4 September 2014, the exact venue where the first QEII Award was held at a lunch on 16 July 1954. It was presented to Dame Ninette de Valois by the then RAD President Dame Adeline Genée in recognition of her outstanding contribution to ballet including her founding of The Royal Ballet in 1931 - the same year in which the Genée was first convened.

The Genée has since proved to be a launch pad for a professional career in dance, and the Academy hopes to fundraise to provide the means for a broader pool of young talent to participate. Since the year 2000, 14 Genée medallists have gone on to dance with The Royal Ballet alone – amongst them current Principal Dancers Lauren Cuthbertson (Silver Medallist, 2001) and Steven McRae (Gold Medallist, 2002). As this presentation of the QEII Award celebrates the shared history between The Royal Ballet and RAD, the gala will aim to fundraise for the next generation of young ballet talent hoping to take part in the Genée in the future.

The gala event will be hosted by RAD President and former Royal Ballet Principal dancer Darcey Bussell CBE, and the QEII Award will be accepted by Kevin O’Hare on behalf of The Royal Ballet. Dancers from The Royal Ballet will dine with the guests and the evening will feature a charity auction, where dance lovers will be able to bid for glamorous and highly sought-after prizes. The proceeds will create means tested bursaries of up to £2,500 for future Genée candidates who cannot afford the costs involved in taking part in the competition, as well to develop the competition itself further.

Kevin O’Hare, Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet, says: ‘On behalf of everyone associated with The Royal Ballet, I would like to say what a great honour it is that the Company has been chosen as recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award this year. 2014 marks the sixtieth anniversary of the presentation of the first award to our founder, Dame Ninette de Valois in 1953 and it is particularly appropriate that during the evening funds will be raised for the Genée International Ballet Competition, which does so much to discover and encourage the finest young dancers and potential stars of the future from around the world.’

Luke Rittner, CEO Royal Academy of Dance, says: ‘I am delighted that the Academy is bestowing its highest honour – The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award - on The Royal Ballet Company. The Royal Academy of Dance and The Royal Ballet have a long tradition of mutual respect and close co-operation, and these bonds of friendship will be further strengthened on 4 September when we join together to celebrate this award and to secure the future of the Genée International Ballet Competition.’

Read all about the organisations involved below:

Royal Academy of Dance

With over 14,000 members spread across 79 countries, the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is one of the largest and most influential dance education and training organisations in the world. Established in the 1920s, to improve standards and re-invigorate dance training initially within the UK, the Academy helps and encourages its teachers to perfect their teaching skills and pass on this knowledge to their students. There are currently over 1,000 students in full-time or part-time teacher training programmes with the Academy and each year the examination syllabus is taught to thousands of young people worldwide, with around a quarter of a million pupils per year going on to take our exams. http://www.rad.org.uk

The Royal Ballet
Based at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden, The Royal Ballet, led by Director Kevin O’Hare, is Britain’s largest ballet company.  The Company has a wide-ranging repertory showcasing the great classical ballets, heritage works from Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton and Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, works by Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon, as well as new works by the foremost choreographers of today. Access is a key issue for the Company and its work is seen not just at the Royal Opera House but via televised and cinematic performances, outdoor Big Screen performances, international touring and through the work of the company’s Education Department http://www.roh.org.uk/

The Genée International Ballet Competition
The Genée International Ballet Competition, named after RAD's first president Dame Adeline Genée DBE, is the Academy’s flagship annual event. Also known simply as ‘the Genée’, it is one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world, attracting the finest young dancers from around the globe all of whom are students of the RAD syllabus. Candidates receive a unique opportunity to work with renowned choreographers and teachers for five days before performing at the semi-finals, and then at the final, where they compete for a range of medals. The competition has taken place almost every year since 1931, and is now a truly global event. The ChallenGenée Fund provides funding for the annual Genée International Ballet Competition. The Challengenée Fund is a Designated Fund of the Royal Academy of Dance.
http://www.rad.org.uk/genee2014

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award
The QEII award is the RAD’s most prestigious award, bestowed for the first time 60 years ago in 1954 to Dame Ninette De Valois, at a lunch attended by - amongst others - the presidents of the four Royal Academies (Arts, Music, Dramatic Art and Dance). Since then it has been awarded nearly every year to many personalities in recognition of outstanding services to the art of ballet.
http://www.rad.org.uk/about/about-the-rad/awards-and-nominations

Dance Proms 2014 - Royal Albert Hall

Tickets are now on sale for Dance Proms 2014 at the Royal Albert Hall.

Taking place on Sunday, November 2nd at 6.30pm, this international celebration of dance, dancers and dance teachers will feature selected performances chosen by an esteemed panel of professionals.

Now in its fourth year, the Proms showcases original choreographed pieces from dance troupes and teachers from all over the world. It's a unique and exciting collaboration between three of the world's premier dance examination boards and the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, and began as an on-line virtual dance festival. Find out more about the creation of their legacy here.

Patrons for 2014 include such luminaries as Arlene Philips, Wayne Sleep, Angela Rippon and Matt Flint, with Strictly Come Dancing judges Darcey Bussell and Len Goodman, professional Anton du Beke and former contestants Lisa Riley and Chris Hollins, the Series 7 champion.

To book tickets, visit the Royal Albert Hall website.

Strictly joins Streetdance: Where dance worlds collide!

Following a successful residency in the West End in 2012 where it attracted rave reviews, a brand new production of FLASH MOB will appear in Kent as part of a national tour.

The cast for this latest production includes Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer from Strictly Come Dancing, Flawless from Britain’s Got Talent, and Dance Critic’s Choice winner and Olivier nominated Tommy Franzen from BBC1’s So You Think You Can Dance. Dubbed the modern day Romeo and Juliet by the media, contemporary duo Alleviate and Irish fusion couple Brosena, both from Sky 1’s Got To Dance, complete the impressive line-up.

If you’re new to dance, this show is the perfect introduction. FLASH MOB enables you to sample many styles from Latin to locking, from Celtic to contemporary and from street to Salsa.

The production climaxes with an exciting finale that is sure to see the entire audience on its feet, as it takes the show title to its literal conclusion when both cast and audience collectively experience the joy of dance through a shared FLASH MOB.

It will be the first theatre production to actively encourage social networking as an integral part of the show. Facebook and Twitter are used as tools to drive the storyline in the first act, so the audience will be invited to switch on their mobile phones and tweet as the show begins. It’s a hugely exciting concept to the many fans who engage with their dance heroes on social media.

Marina Blore, director of World Dance Management explains: “Many dancers work their way through weeks of competitive heats on TV with no public, live platform for their talent at the end of the programme. Whilst they may be offered A-list concert tours or West End shows, the dancers rarely get the chance to perform again in their own right.”

She added: “In this show the dancers have choreographed their own individual performances and with the help of Nick Winston, our artistic director and choreographer, we also show what can be achieved when these different dance genres are fused together. FLASH MOB enables the talent to showcase their work as part of a much bigger production.”

FLASH MOB is a celebration of dance, the art of movement, without the need to pigeon-hole or focus on any one genre, or an enforced or indulgent narrative. The intention is simply to celebrate dance as an art form that can “move” the audience emotionally.

Conceived and produced by World Dance Management, the show provides a platform for the amazing talent that has emerged from TV dance reality shows in recent years.

Kent Dates:

Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells – Saturday 21^st June 

Churchill Theatre, Bromley - Sunday, 29^th June 

Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury – Monday 7^th July 

For the rest of the tour dates, please visit http://www.flashmobtour.com/208-2/uk-tour-2014

British Troupe Championships

Entry to the 2014 British Troupe Championships is now open.

A one day event to be held at Glyndwr University in Wales on Sunday, October 19th, the closing date is Sunday, September 14th (or earlier if all the places are taken).

There are four age categories: Junior (under 9s); Intermediate (10-13) Senior (14-25) Adult (25+).

Styles vary across the age bands and range from cabaret, classical, cheer, street, disco, tap, acrobatics, lyrical and contemporary.

Visit the website here or call 01978 661059 for more information.

Jermain Jackman is The Voice!

I'll admit I was a bit worried when Will announced Jermain's first song as 'Wreckin' Ball'. WTF, I thought. But all images of Miley Cyrus were quickly expelled from the mind when Jermain started singing.

I actually didn't nearly recognise it (not being much of a Miley fan) and I loved that it became a ballad with a kick to it - nice one, Will! Followed by a favourite of mine - and a brave choice - contestant and mentor duetted in the delightfully quirky Pure Imagination from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

And then came the There It Is moment. The one I'd been waiting for since A House is Not a Home. Jermain reprised his audition song, And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going and the audience went wild - much more so than for any of the others: my head, heart and guts were all telling me victory was his.

And just for the hell of it, here's A House is Not A Home.

Real old soul, passion and emotion in everything he did. And don't lie to me and tell me you weren't also bawling when he replaced 'friend' with 'mum' in the victory song - although he still managed to sing it, choked up as hell! It didn't help that Will was practically in tears too, as much for Jermain winning, as for being such a fantastic and inspiring role model for young people.

Jamie was the first out of the competition, a solid performance of Missing You being followed by a duet with Kylie that did rather feature a lot of Ms Minogue and not much Mr Johnson, which did him no favours. Tom summed up everything I loved about Sally "The way she gets inside as song" is how he put it, and Dear Darlin' was a highlight. From Both Sides Now and the duet with Tom on Walking in Memphis were all delivered well, although she seemed a lot more nervous than previously. Christina Marie can definitely sing, and there were moments of sheer beauty in The Power of Love, which were soon overtaken by the shoutiness again. As was Fix You, and her duet with the Kaiser Chiefs, Coming Home, which I felt could have been anyone if I'm honest.

So there we are for another year. If you think you can be the next Voice, you've until May 30th to apply.
"Please only register for Open Auditions if you are an artist with real talent and an amazing voice" - so that's how they weed out the X-Factor hopefuls ...

The Voice: Hold it hold it hold it EXPLODE IT!

Our finalists are chosen! Sally, Jermain, Jamie and Christina Marie will contest next week's final, which promises to be a hugely diverse affair as all four are so completely different.

Due to family life overtaking me again last week - one child with broken toes and the other with a day off school - Mum's Taxi Service was on call and that, coupled with normal work, means last week was never blogged. So here's a quick recap:

Team Will: Jermain went through on the fast pass with an old skool proper version of Treasure - I too thought it was an old Luther song, not Bruno Mars. Sophie May grabbed the second spot on the public vote, showing off her range with Moondance, an old song made fresh. Iesher lost out with the uptempo R'n'B of I'd Rather Be, a little weak at the start.

Team Kylie: Jamie has seriously grown on me - I knew I should've been more loyal and kept the local lad in my team - and took the fast pass with A Thousand Miles, which was so strong. Lee surprised me with a quite traditional yet unique and passionate Help Me Make it Through The Night, so honest and haunting (happy, Emma?) and went through on the public vote. It was Rachael who sadly couldn't capture the magic of her first audition with an accomplished, confident performance of a quite frankly, so so pop song.

Team Tom: Sally had Tom in tears again, with To Love Somebody and a fast pass for her was a no-brainer. Looks like there's a West Ham fan there too, as an added bonus. Very moving, she takes me all the way up the A2 to welling ... Bizzie got the public on his side with Stevie Wonder's If You Really Love Me, I still don't think this was the best we've heard him. Georgia was given Money on My Mind and I think Will was probably the only person who actually liked it.

Team Ricky: He's clearly rooting for Christina Marie and it was no surprise the fast pass took her through, with the Everlong power ballad. Yes, she's got a big voice, but she fails to move me. Chris with One Day Like This deservedly went through on the public vote, it showed off his lovely voice, although I didn't think the song was particularly challenging. And Emily, who could so easily have done the power ballad number, or an Etta James track or anything, was also given an uptempo R&B track, although strong, it felt more karaoke.

It's no coincidence that the four girls who lost out did so with uptempo songs that didn't give them the opportunity to show what they could really do. I personally feel Emily, Georgia, Iesher and Rachael were all royally stitched up: Those tracks are all production numbers - I bet if you looked at the lyrics on paper, they wouldn't make sense - you'd wonder where to begin, they're so dependent on the other components in the track, like the backing vocals. So the girls weren't really able to wrap their tonsils around them. Still, Emily did get the consolation of a cuddle sandwich with Ricky and Marvin.

So we're down to two per team and it's Team Tom out first: Sally with Whole of the Moon, as wonderful as ever, rocking it out a bit this time. Bizzi's song is a favourite of mine, Everything Must Change and improved to an awesome ending. Part of me was wishing Jermain had sung it though. Dancing in the Streets with Tom got everyone on their feet, and my vote is still with Sally.

Team Ricky began with Christine Marie with Bang Bang. I find her too shouty. Just not a fan. Chris's version of Smile though, I loved and was very impressed at the way he didn't just cope with the technical malfunctions, but didn't falter for a split second. Poignant, modern spin on a classic and getting better all the time - I'm surprised he didn't get the nod over Christina actually. Loved You Really Got Me with Ricky, Chris kept my vote.

Lee was up first for Team Kylie and started off a bit mumbly for me with Strong, although he got better. Naughty Will was told off by him mum for saying a four letter word. In context though, it was good sh1t. In Jamie's yellow mini with Kylie as roadie, and I can't help wondering if Kylie will reference the Inbetweeners again if they pass a bus stop ... I Can't Make You Love Me showed further improvement, so strong and emotive. A real WOW. I wasn't overly impressed with Into the Blue with Kylie, although I was a bit concerned that they may have been wearing hot pants (the boys) during the VT trailer. My vote remains with Jamie.

The toughest choice of the night for me was always going to be Team Will, with two of my original team choices battling it out. I wasn't overly keen on Jermain's version of Without You, but I can't deny his voice, and Sophie May will have to pull out something ultra-special to get my vote. Which she only went and did, with Royals! So confident and so smooth and also down to earth. But, my vote switched back to Jermain during their Let's Dance number with Will, when he was note perfect and awesome. So that team I left to the die hard fans of each artist to decide.

The coaches quite rightly refused to say who should go through before voting closed, and I'm sure if asked afterwards, would have remained reticent. Who on earth thought to ask that in the first place?

The Big One then, next Saturday, BBC One at 7pm. See ya there x

The Voice: Knockouts

The major culling is done! The coaches jettisoned over half their teams this weekend and no-one was safe. Except, of course, their absolute favourites - they must have had them, as they got to know each singer and find out who the divas are and who's easy to work with - it's got to have an influence, hasn't it?

Team Kylie: Leo first,with I Wanna Know What Love Is which I wasn't a fan of, but that was very very good, fantastic falsetto - well done. Handing onto Jai, with Take Your Mama, she has terrific presence but I'm just not a fan of the voice. Jade next with Blue Moon, lovely tone but maybe a bit too understated? Lee made Careless Whisper all kinds of Gothic and I can't decide if I like it or not; Femi ... California Dreaming, first one to really grab me *biased* love watching him as well as hearing him, so smiley ... Rachael the best of the girls with New York, which would have seen my three from here as her, Leo and Femi ... and then up stepped Jamie with a great performance with Sex on Fire. Will and Tom in agreement: Three from Jamie, Leo, Femi and Rachael; Ricky says the boys were better than the girls. Kylie's first choice is Lee!! Shocker? Jamie safely chosen but one of my two will lose out. It's Rachael who gets the final spot. And Femi is gone *sad face*. Let's enjoy him one more time.

Team Tom: Celestine kicks them off with You Might Need Somebody, showing off her powerful voice but it went awry a couple of times. I admired the challenge of jazzing up I Love Rock'n'Roll by Melissa but it didn't work for me. Accomplished and polished, I do like Gary's soulfulness but don't think Freedom was particularly challenging. Bizzi I felt could have also chosen something more akin to the soulful Hey Jude - something he could get his tonsils stuck into - When I Need You a bit bland. Georgia surprised me with a interesting and lively version of Three Little Birds - best so far. Steven followed with another quite bonkers performance with Grace Kelly. And then came Sally with Walk on By. I'm stealing her. Utterly captivating - you only had to look at everyone else watching her, spellbound. And Tom choking back tears. A complete no brainer that she was his first choice with very little preamble. Loved how she told him he looked fantastic. A good call with Georgia next and the final spot going to Bizzi.

Team Ricky: A brave choice and a gutsy performance from Jessica but the vocal wasn't strong. Enigmatic Chris with Over the Rainbow built it up beautifully - and I didn't hate the falsetto either! Beth definitely has a future - she's fearless on stage, confident in delivering Teenage Dirtbag. Christina Marie made Visions of Love seem effortless. Jazz - my favourite so far - with a Beyonce song, Work it Out, a great package, presence and vocal. Max advised by Ricky to "show us your eyes a little bit - girls love that" never a truer word, Ricky *swoons* Home was his most complete performance yet. Unique sound. Emily with Slip - like that she's brave, and she left nothing on stage. Jessica looks close to tears already and the coaches general consensus is for Chris and Christina Marie, and Ricky duly puts them through. Major trauma for him though, choosing between Emily and Jazz. Both were picks of mine and I'd have gone with Jazz, but Ricky plumps for Emily. Two power female singers though - Jazz would've given him something a little different.

Team Will: So this is where I lose four of my team potentially! James out first with Love Hurts and it's not his best, sadly, seemed a bit strained. Iesher with Try It On My Own and while I'm still not a fan of her voice, she seems very sweet and more confidence means she's more expressive too. Callum reins in his dancing to give a good performance of Sound of the Underground. Jermain didn't need the music - A House Is Not A Home melted everyone. I'll park his album right next to my Gregory Porter. Anna's dad (I presume) was blubbing by the time she finished her soft yet strong version of Autumn. Nomakhosi has great energy and I love her voice but the song choice didn't do her any favours really. Sophie May has that fragile quality that made Moon River fresh while retaining that vintage feel. Everyone is in agreement re Jermain but Will picks Iesher first, then Jermain and then ... Sophie May bags the final spot.

I'm wondering if the coaches chose the running order or if it's just coincidence that the final singer got through in every team ... 

Team Scatty: Jermain; Emily; Sally; Sophie May; Rachael. See the coaches live round ready teams here and tune in BBC1 at 6.45pm for the live quarter final. TTFN x