For those of you who are not in the know, the BBC launched the first Young Dancer of the Year award this year. This brand new award showcases the very best of young British dance talent between the ages of 16-20. The programmes have certainly highlighted that the UK can boast of many talented dancers in that age group.
Over the last four weeks we have watched, no … we have been riveted to the TV watching performances by young dancers in the finals of four dance categories, ballet, contemporary, hip hop and South Asian Dance on BBC 4.
Tonight – can’t wait – the BBC Young Dancer 2015 draws to a close with the grand final at Sadler’s Wells, when the best dancers in each category will dance against each other for the title and the finalist are:
HARRY BARNES is from the Wirral, Merseyside began attending street dance classes at the age of 12.
JACOB O’CONNELL started contemporary dance at Swindon Dance CAT scheme when he was 11.
KIERAN LAI is from Essex and started learning to dance at the age of 13 from YouTube dance videos that inspired him.
VIDYA PATEL is from Birmingham, where she participated in classical Indian dance styles from an early age with the support of her parents and two older sisters.
CONNOR SCOTT – from Northumberland started dancing Latin and Ballroom when he was three but moved on to other styles including break dancing, street, house and locking.
ARCHIE SULLIVAN is from Streatham in London. He attended the Arts Educational School in London where he learned tap, modern/jazz, hip hop and musical theatre.
The final will be hosted by Zoe Ball, Clemency Burton-Hill and Darcey Bussell at 19.00hrs tonight and the judges will be:
| Judge | Matthew Bourne – Artistic Director of New Adventures, Choreographer and Director |
| Judge | Mavin Khoo – Artistic Director of ZFin Malta Dance Ensemble
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| Judge | Wayne McGregor – Choreographer and Director |
| Judge | Tamara Rojo – English National Ballet Artistic Director |
| Judge | Kenrick Sandy – Dancer and Choreographer |
| Judge | Alistair Spalding – Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sadler’s Wells |
And what an extraordinarily difficult job it is going to be for them.