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NewslettersTalent show packs 'em into Waterfront Park
Thu, 2008-07-17 02:35 — Anonymous
The grass was barely visible for the people at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park as friends and family showed up to cheer on competitors in the Water Festival's Talent Show on Wednesday evening. Read the story here.
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Well it sounded busy as well were the local businesses I have heard
I enjoyed the talent but it was nothing more than a recital for the dance school . I would have prefered the whole school didnt have there recital and subtract from the true talent of the others . They should have put all of that dance school at the end or only allowed 2 or 3 entries but every other performance was a bit extreme, I won't bother next year
More schools and instructors could take a lesson from Ally and her schools. She and her other instructors work tirelessly with their students year round to prepare them for showcases such as Talent Night. They take their kids seriously and I don't see any fault with those kids getting these opportunities. They all work very hard to perform and excel at these shows. If other schools worked as hard, perhaps there would be a broader variety. In the meantime, those kids put on a great show as did all of the performers last night!
Momof10 - This has and continues to be the norm. Somewhere the Water Festival Talent Night became the Beaufort Academy of Dance Recital Show Extravaganza. I'm not taking anything away from these kids. They work hard but they do have their own venue. I pay every year to attend and fund my granddaughters recitals. I really don't want to see the same thing again at the park. The committee should look at limiting the number of entrants from any one organization. Show us the best..period. Ever notice how many people leave at intermission? The little kids are done (bless their hearts) and now we get to watch the teenagers strut. The festival has the audacity to throw in a couple of alternate talents in between. This just distract from the swan moves and sequined outfits. How rude!! There was some great talent out there and there is a lot more than hip hop and modern dancing in Beaufort. Bring it on I say.
Speaking of bring it on. That Beaufort Shag Club brought the house down. They got "Honorable Mention". What the heck !! They showed the kids that even the 50+ crowd can shake and grind a bit.
Maybe next year we will be a bit more diversified. There's always hope.
I agree w/ the above comments regarding the overwhelming number of dance routines in the Talent Show. I enjoy dance numbers, but doesn't the studio have its own recital? There used to be a lot more diversity in the Talent Show as I recall, and it was much more enjoyable.
Perhaps more needs to be done to solicit various types of acts. There are lots of talented folks out there, especially in the High Schools, but I know of several who have declined to participate in the TS because it has mostly just become one long dance routine.
Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but I'd love to see some baton twirlers, jugglers, dramatic readings, or amateur magicians (my husband said he was going to saw me in half next year!).
I am sorry for not leaving this alone. When I posted this morning, I thought that I actually had slept on it and gave things a lot of thought so that when I posted that I would have it all said. I think maybe I should have slept on it one more night because there is a lot more that I need to add.
First, to jjdayner-- as I said before, anyone performing in the talent show went to auditions over a month ago in front of a Water Festival Committee. Not only did this committee see the dances before they performed Wednesday night but they also approved the costumes!
Second, to beaufortriver -- there is a lot of talent out there! To say that they do not perform because the talent show is one long dance routine makes me laugh!! They do not perform because they do not have the nerve or guts to get up in front of their peers at water festival!! If more talent came out then the committee at that time would probably have to limit how many dancers, or singers, or baton twirlers or etc. were in the show! Those little girls/boys and teenagers have more nerve than most grown adults!! In fact, the competition dancers perform for thousands of people at a time. One of the dances Wednesday night actually was selected out of over 500 dances to perform for Paula Abdul and two of the top finalists (Benji and Heidi) from the show "Think You Can Dance" in Orlando last week. And some of the dancers were selected last year out of over 500 dances to perform for Liza Minnelli, Ben Vereen and Christina Applegate!! It was a great honor for them. And not one of the dancers was nervous! They were so excited that they could not sit still. But to perform for Water Festival they get butterflies! I ask my daughter WHY?? You danced for LIZA and BEN and CHRISTINA!!! But the reason is because she is now dancing in front of her peers and being judged on a whole different basis. Not only do they have to put up with the ridicule that kids can say at school but now they are also putting up with derogatory comments like the ones that have been posted here by grown adults!! It takes a lot of guts and nerve to get on that little Beaufort Water Festival Stage!!
Third, to FLTRider -- I am so sick of defending the fact that my daughter dances other places than "her venue"!! When she goes to the nursing home and dances-- no one complains! When she goes to the Relay of Life and dances-- no one complains! When she spent 2 hours on Sunday dancing for Kids day -- no one complains!! But lord help us!! Let her dance the one time a year that her friends a family can see it --and it's a crime! And I know what the response will be...that's what recital if for! Well, the people that I work with, the teachers that teach her, the people we go to church with and many others...recitals do not fit into everyone's schedule!
In closing (I am sure many of you are say thank goodness right now!) to momof10, FLTRider and so many others-- I agree with Stoneype (am I nuts??) if you want diversity...either
A) join the Water Festival Talent Show Committee
B) Start recruiting talent now for next year!! Go to the high schools, the churches, the elementary schools, the Girl Scouts, Brownies, Boy Scouts or whatever floats your boat and start recruiting!
C) Get a petition started to ban all dance for next years Water Festival
D) Just step back and look at all these talented children and say THANK YOU for doing something constructive with your life instead of being involved with all the bad things of our world!
YES I JUST PULLED A KTOGP AND POSTED THE SAME THING TWICE....
This is a reply to alot of bloggers.
And soooooooooo disappointed...we will miss you next year!
Yes, you are right...nine out of the 30 presentations from the talent show were from the Beaufort Academy of Dance. To be in the talent show, you are required to audition. Auditions are opened to the public and ANYONE can audition to be in the show. As I was growing up, the talent show was to me the best night of the Water Festival. And as I have gotten older (not that I am old!!) the talent show is the main event that I look forward to during the Water Festival. You get to see old friends and some good and sometimes great talent! For many years the talent show had so many participants that we would not leave before 11 or later. This year I believe we were done by ten or a little later. Can you imagine if nine of those presentations were not there? (This reply is not just to you but to other comments made on a different blog about the talent show) So what if those nine dances that were in the talent show were from three different studios...would that had made a difference to you? So are you bothered that there were nine dances or that there were nine dances from the same school? Maybe next year we should tell our children that they can dance but just not tell what school that they are from?
The Beaufort Academy of Dance offers a variety of dance classes and has alot of students. Some are recreational dancers and some are competition dancers. Both work really hard and put alot of time and effort into what they do. The competition teams usually have classes at least four if not five days a week for hours at a time. Competition dancers travel and compete with other dance studios from all over. They just got back from Orlando where they competed against dance teams from as far away as Texas, Costa Rica and Cananda to just name a few. They are used to a dance environment. So their scantilly costumes and their butt shaking is part of that dance environment and they do not see that unsavory as you do. They see it as art and they love it. I am sorry that it offended you. I have thought all night before responding to this and the other comments I have seen. I am trying to put myself in your shoes and see things the way that you have seen them. And the best way I can put it...there are outfits that I would wear to a ballgame, or out with the girls, or downtown for talent show that I would not wear to the office or to church. So maybe the outfits the dancers had on were made just to be seen in the dancing environment such as recital or competition. Those girls wanted to share a little of themselves with the community and did not realize that the water festival stage was any different than any other stage that they dance on. Thanks for pointing that out to them and for making something that they love seem bad.
As far as your comment about comparing us to Jon Benet and teaching our children right??? How dare you!!! I actually feel more sorry for the Ramseys right this moment that I have ever since that horrible night happened! I just realized that we as a society are very ugly and critical when we do not understand a situation. Because I was never in the beauty pageant world I looked at those pictures and was sad. But today I realize that those were just pictures! Those were acts for the beauty pageant but was probably not a part of her real world!
My daughter was one of those girls on stage and as you say shaking her butt in one of those scantilly clad costumes. Teaching my child right?? She is a 13 year old girl. She spends at least 15 hours if not closer to 20 hours a week with dance. Either taking classes or helping student teach younger classes. She is also is a straight A student. She has never had a B in her whole school career. And most of her classes are honor classes. She has won numerous awards at school for her writing, for her grades, and for her art. She also has played soccer and softball for the county rec. department. She has chosen dance over soccer for many years now and this past year was the first year that she did not play softball due to dance schedules. We are going to work hopefully on her dance schedule for this next softball season because not only does she love dance but she also loves the game of softball! She has respect for her elders and has respect from her peers. Every where I go, I receive compliments about what a nice mannered young lady she is or how well rounded she is in ball, dance and school! I am telling you all this so that you can see that my child is not only a dancer but a very well rounded teenager! BABY GIRL---I AM PROUD OF YOU!!!
So to say Nothing like teaching our children right? Look around you at the kids that are in our society today. No respect for the people around them. That is a whole other blog that I do not want to get started on here and I have taken up too much of your time already!
And for "your things that make you go hmmmmmmmm"...if you watched the video you would realize it was just a video of clips from the first part of the show! The Beaufort Shag club was in the second part of the show and the video does not show anypart of the second part of the show.
Again, sorry the dancers offended you. Enjoy Fripp!
Posted by nomarypoppins - Fri, 2008-07-18 11:56
Where has he and all his multiple screen names/multiple personalities...ooops...I mean all the people who agree with him been lately?
What happened to Haynesworth and getsomecommonsense?
Or did all three of them just become lighteningRod?
They've all condensed into LighteningRod. What's wierd is, I went on vacation, and came back to find that Shadows and Lisa2 both returned while I was gone.
momof10, your implication could not be more wrong. Whoever was in the talent show auditioned to be in it. It wasn't first come first served and thus leaving good acts out because they were last in line. Maybe dance is not your cup of tea and that's why you find yourself attacking a dance studio and all the children from the dance studio who participated in the talent show. I will say it again. They did not take someone else's spot. They tried out for their spot and the judges considered their act worthy of the talent show. You can do one of two things. Somehow join the committee and see if you can do a better job with the talent show than they did, or you can start recruiting the kind of talent you like and prepare them for next year's show so that the show will be just the way you like it. Otherwise you're just complaining for the sake of complaining.
What I hear coming from you is that since we don't have enough singers, contortionists, sword swallowers, yodelers, animal trainers, baton twirlers, jugglers, dramatic readings, amateur magicians or whatever talent you can think of in the talent show, we shouldn't have dancers either.
Sounds just like another case of "my way or the highway".
I know...let's get Beaufort City Council to ban dancing. They'll ban anything.
Waterfestival Talent Night has been an event our dancers and teachers have looked forward to for the past 12 years. It is a time for our recreational and competitive dancers to perform for family, friends and neighbors. Our main goal is to give these children confidence and pride in what they do.
We teach what they need to know to be competitive in the dance world if they choose to do dance as a career. We take pride in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in college scholarships our past students have been awarded by having excellent grades, community participation and dance technique. We expect all of our students to get good grades and we teach them to support our community by participating in local events such as the Waterfestival and Make a Wish.
We do not mean to upset anyone and yes we do have a recital at the end of every year. We have 4 completely different shows. If we did all of our dances for Waterfestival it would literally take 9 hours because we have over 300 students.
Before auditions we ask the children if they would like to participate. We then select one recreational and one competitive dance group per age group and make it optional. Our dancers are required to audition in June where our costumes, dance routine and music must be approved. In addition each act is required to pay a fee to participate. Our dance school provides this fee and works with all of the dancers at no cost to the parents. We feel that the parents have put in enough time and money the previous dance year and it is our gift to the participating families.
I hope you enjoyed some of our dances because the kids enjoyed dancing for you. We are looking forward to dancing for you again next year.
Miss Alli and the staff at
Beaufort Academy of Dance
Maybe next year producers could utilize a big projection screen and microphones with volume. These are standard at events, but not here. You couldn't see the performers or hear them. I'm glad my tickets were given to me.
WOW , all I did was comment I thought it was a bit much all the beaufort academy dance spots , Than you felt it necessary to attack me you dont know me , I love dance , my kids love dance . I pay to go to their recitals and my neices and nephews too! I just didnt want to see a recital at the park that night I. I didnt say you could not perform , I just said I wont be there next year so what you wont miss me nor I you . You all sound like you are defensive about a comment from 1 individual . I speak for me that's all and if a few agree so what , we live in a free society. Your kids can dance and I can choose not to watch. Enjoy Its all good and there is no need to be so vicious.
Can you say sore subject? How much do they charge over there at the dance academy? Or is there some other reasons why yall just went off on this lady. I didnt go to the talent show but some said 9 out of 30 were from the dance academy than yeah I would probably have wished for some more diversity. That doesnt mean your hard earned/spent dollars went no where. I didnt see any other comments that anyone should be furious over. No one was attacked except for MOMOF10 by several longwinded people. Yeah yeah your proud of your kids we all get it, but does that mean they get to own the talent show every year.
this was just one of a few blogs on this site. The dancers at B.A.D. were referred to as Beaufort's version of JonBenet Ramsey... NOT by momof10, but by someone else. There have been comments about their "butt-shaking" and skimpy costumes. And a couple of the comments have made the parents out to be some terrible parents. I believe that the responses to momof10 were a build up of all of these issues.
yes, all of us would like to see more diversity in the talent show. Unfortunately, no one else ever shows up for the auditions. I think if the audition date was other than a Monday at 6 or 7 and it was really advertised, maybe there WOULD be more people "auditioning". But that's not the case. As a result, there are alot of dances (not all by Beaufort Academy of Dance)that are in the show. If you know of anyone with a different talent, encourage them to enter the show. Or better yet... YOU enter the show... but don't take away from the kids.
momof10-- It's just quite possible that the reactions from the dance moms come not just because of the comment of 1 person's opinion, as you say. I've been reading the blogs on here today and I know I was furious by some of the comments. We have basically been called bad parents who do not know how to raise our kids properly. Now, I know YOU did not say that. But its just one more comment onto many mean ones... ie- our girls are Beaufort's version of JonBenet Ramsey.
Donna Pine
So some old peeps can shag. Who cares. I can do the twist better than Chubby Checkers ever dreamed but you don't see my old butt up there with 20 others doing the twist. Talent night has always and hopefully always will be about young talent. It has had years when singers were the main attraction, as well as poetry, acting, and comedy.
So I'm entering next year. I'll be performing my personal rendition of Freebird (the 9 min version) on the harmonica, while riding a unicycle, dressed like Elvis, juggling chainsaws, while being pelted by water balloons.
I'd say that about 30 seconds into this act and you all will be begging for some kids to come out and dance.
lol adracer1! They want diversity... they'll get it, huh?
hmmm... maybe I'll have to get my plus-sized butt out there and do something... the hula, maybe? I have a whole year to learn how to play the ukeleile!
Wow, I can't believe people can't share their opinions without others making nasty, personal comments. Why not just state your opinion, defending why you liked or disliked the Talent Show, instead of being nasty?
I have family members who dance, and I enjoy their recitals, but I agree that there were too many dance routines from the same studio. They seemed to all do the same thing to a different song. There were different ages, but it was the same stuff. Maybe if the committe in charge of Talent Night advertised more for the event prior to auditions, then it would bring more folks out. I was born and raised here, and I recall many Talent Nights with much more diversity.
The Shag Club definitely did a great job - they didn't do the twist. Instead, there were several couples who all did a routine that was flawless. The SC Dance demonstrated perfectly by fully-clothed adults.
It was nice that the committee mixed up the singing and dancing, but just too many from the same studio.
Again, the emcee was bad. Guess he got his point across that he's a Realtor!