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Cygnet Folk Festival 11 - 13 January 2008 Kids and Youth |
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This year the next generation of performers were represented on Cygnet's stages to a greater degree than ever before. It's gratifying to see more and more young people participating in the festival events, especially considering the high quality of their performances and their maturity and dedication to their art.
This year also saw another great program of kids events that were rapturously recieved by everyone; from the youngest festival goers all the way up to their parents.
Young Performers' Blackboard Competition
The the judges at this Cygnet Festival were delighted to present the Young Persons' Blackboard Comp awards to Joanne Thompson and Lindsay Meldrum.
Joanne, (14) of Geeveston, gave a very fine performance on the tin whistle and Lindsay (16) sang and accompanied herself on the guitar.
Other competitors who entertained the crowd as well as impressing the judges was Campbell Martin Simpson, Rennee Pepper, Jarrah Forrer Korne, Eva Dudley, Moire Gilligan, Eleanor Meredith, Aster and Sophie Binnie, Anna Wall and Tom Collins.
Below are pictures of just some of the outstanding young performers on stage at Cygnet in 2008 and some of the great shows and workshops for kids.
Bust A Move Dance - Briget Nicklason-King
Bridget Nicklason-King has been actively involved in contemporary dance since 1997. She has been performing, choreographing and teaching in Stepping Out, Streets Alive, Youth Week, Dance Day, The Fringe Festival, 10 Days on the Island, Tasdance’s Summer School and Is theatre ltd’s Flip Top Heart and she is a driving force in creating an energetic dance community in Tasmania. This year she gave two great workshops
for 5 – 11yrs at 10.15am and 11- 25 years which gave kids experience in creating a dance piece for a group.
the Bruny SeeDragon - Bradfield Dumpleton
An introduction to the Ancient Art of HOOM-SHA!
A hypnotic, invigorating and enlivening experience of group hythm & movement, drawing on primitive traditions of voice, rhythm & movement.
The participants learned simple polyrhythmic chants to create powerful, mesmerising "rhythm songs" and created part of a pulsing human polyrhythmic tapestry that culminated on Sunday with a Hoom-Sha procession through the festival, led by the glorious Bruny SeeDragon, and accompanied by the Tribal Dancers & drummers from Cygnet Primary.
Funny Green Smelly Things - Lucy Lastic and Simon
Everyone knows how hysterical things like poo, farts, toilets and snot are to kids and the Funny Green Smelly Things serve it all up in jokes and songs that, believe it or not, even parents can laugh at. Both the FGST shows were packed with people of all ages ready to laugh and sing and shout and who were not afraid to be grossed out.
Jugularity for Kids
Jugularity are four talented musicians and multi-instrumentalists, Bruce Stevens, Gavan McCarthy, Ernie Gruner and Peter Vadiveloo, are regulars on Australian festival stages. This year in Cygnet they delivered a madcap, colourful show full of clever humour and polished showmanship. Their shows for grown ups as well as their kids shows are always jam-packed with appreciative audiences of all ages.
Lotsi’s Spell Young folks’ dance - Dave Wanless
Lotsi Dragonslayer had never actually slain a dragon. In fact, he’d never even seen one. That was, until the day he found an old jug, learnt to dance, held hands with a beautiful princess and faced a real dragon. Little workshoppers danced their way through the magical and quirky adventures of Lotsi learning dances strung together with an exciting narrative.
Kings and Queens, Horses and Dragons
Nicole Murray and John Thompson took little workshopsters on a fantastical tour through a fairy tale world and helped John compose his song as Nicole drew the scenes of this wonderful ballad right before their eyes. Kids were entranced by the song, the story and the skillfully wrought pictures.
