Australian Dance Festival: Uniting the nation's dancers
The seventh annual Australian Dance Festival (ADF) has been and gone and we’re still reveling in the excitement and enthusiasm that comes with an event such as this. The festival unites the nation’s talent and consolidates all that we love about dance into one celebration: community, education, passion, and the chance to showcase a range of skills across all dance styles.
This year’s event saw more than 6,000 dancers converge on Sydney Olympic Park from 16 to 18 September for a weekend of dance workshops, performances and competitions, as well as the chance to shop a full range of dance products and services. The festival also acted as the auditioning ground for ten of Australia’s most prestigious full-time dance schools, giving young dancers the chance to get in front of some of the industry’s best.
Cat Santos from The Dream Dance Company teaching a jazz workshop at this year's ADF.
Events like the Australian Dance Festival are so important to the future of dance, and an exciting opportunity for the Australian dance community to come together and share their knowledge and passion. We were thrilled to be a part of the festival alongside The Dream Dance Company, and sent two of our own, David Williams and Catherine Drake, from head office to Sydney’s sunny shores to join in on the festivities.
“Connecting with the dance community, both professionally and personally, meeting new people and solidifying old relationships was the highlight of the festival for me,” said David Williams, our office manager and teacher at the event. “Teaching was incredible! I love to see the sea of people at these events work to better themselves across the board.”
Catherine echoed these sentiments and cited being at The Australian Dance Festival as being exceptional for connecting with the wider dance community.
“To be in amongst some of the countries most dedicated dancers, watching their inspiration grow in the presence of Cat [Santos] and Dave [McLean] and The Dream Dance Company, and dance alongside them for the weekend was invaluable,” she said.
For the organisers of the Australian Dance Festival, their dancers are the heart and soul of the festival and are the driving force behind the whole event.
“To see your faces shining with the love of dance, to watch you putting 110 percent into every workshop and to see you dance on stage, this is pure joy and to be able to create that joy is why the Australian Dance Festival exists,” said Angela Lau, managing director of the Australian Dance Festival.
“I've had so many people coming to me, telling me how their kids were so thrilled to meet their idols, how inspired they are to keep dancing, and how they can't wait to come back next year.”
Lauren Seymour from The Dream Dance Company finishing her workshop with hands in the air!
The weekend ended with a special performance of The Dream Dance Company’s latest production, The Secret Society, giving aspiring young dancers the opportunity to see where hard work, determination and talent can take them.
Reflecting on the event it was clear to Catherine that community is still firmly at the core of what we do at Energetiks.
“Energetiks is dancewear by dancers for dancers and there is no better way to grow with today’s dance community than being in amongst it at The Australian Dance Festival,” she said.
The 2017 Australian Dance Festival will be held from 15 to 17 September at Sydney Olympic Park. For more information on the event and to secure you tickets early, register your interest at www.australiandancefestival.com.au
Article by Sarah Fennell.
