11 May 2014 - Leicester

This live blog is now closed.

So, that's all folks we're finally going home! See you all for more around June time for Starlight's own competition.

17:28  Whoo-hoo, Starlights "Circle Of Life" came 3rd.

17:27  Ok here we go, where will Starlights' come???

17:25  Nearly there, the last of the Senior dance groups is doing their thing and then we'll be into the Dance Group Awards. Starlights' "Circle Of Life" was loads of fun.

16:10  The finished article!

16:00  Frantic backcombing...

15:50  The Starlights places for the OC Pairs section are:

Junior OC Pairs: Now't
Inter OC Pairs: 3rd - Billie Stanton & Grace Watford
Senior OC Pairs: 1st - Chloe Taylor and Megan Glaholm, 2nd - Scarlett Galea & Molly Shipley

Now it's the Groups and the first public performance of Starlights' new routine "Circle Of Life"

15:38  Hmm, we thought Emy's and Jenna's OC Pairs routine was one of the most creative in their section but the judges seemed to spend most of their time looking at the other side of the floor. They've not been called back for the second heat.

15:30  Emy with her OC Pairs partner, Jenna.

15:20  Now Starlights awards for the Inter and Senior Choreographed Pairs:

Inter Choreographed Pairs 11-12 y.o: 2nd - Ellie Thorpe & Media Billingham, 4th - Tayla Jade Sherman & Sophie Conlon
Inter Choreographed Pairs 13-14 y.o: 1st - Ellie-Rose Green & Molly Shipley
Senior Choreographed Pairs: 2nd - Chloe Taylor & Megan Glaholm

Next is the Open Choreography section for Juniors, Inters and Seniors. Emy is dancing in the Inters section with Jenna Churchman.

14:46  Things seem to be going quite quickly since lunch. We are already through the second group of the first heat Senior Choreographed Pairs. Now we're be going back for the second heats, finals and awards. It looks like we're nearly half an hour ahead of schedule.

Emy and Lucy have not received a call back for the second heat.

14:35  Here are the Starlights results for the Junior and Baby Pairs sections:

Junior Pairs 7-8 y.o: Now't
Junior Pairs 9-10 y.o: Now't
Baby Pairs: 4th - Ella Marsh & Cydnee-Mae Sherman

Emy and Lucy Lightfoot are up now for their Inter Pairs 11-12 y.o. Go Girls!

13:50  Well that was a quick section. The Starlights results for the Frestyle Solos are:

Baby Freestyle Solos 5 y.o and under: 1st - Cydnee-Mae Sherman, 2nd - Ella Marsh
Baby Freestyle Solos 6 y.o: Now't

13:40  The afternoon session kicks off with the cutesie Baby Freestyle Solos before we get into the Choreographed and Open Choreography Pairs sections. These will take most of the next 3 hours at which point we'll be starting on the Groups section.

Emy's not due to be called to the dance floor until about 14:45. Before then though I'll post any Starlights success in the Baby Freestyle and Junior Pairs sections.

13:13  Ok, that's the Solos and their awards done at last.

Starlights results are as follows:

Junior Solos 7 y.o: 4th - Freya Rockall
Junior Solos 8 y.o: No Starlight entries
Baby Solos 5 y.o. and under: 1st - Cydnee-Mae Sherman, 2nd - Ella Marsh, 3rd - Imogen Corby, Honours - Tilly Avery & Maya Wilson
Baby Solos 6 y.o: Honours - Tamara Coulson & Tianna Coulson
Junior Solos 9 y.o: No Starlight entries
Junior Solos 10 y.o: No Starlight entries
Inter Solos 11 y.o: Now't ..bad luck Em :(
Inter Solos 12 y.o: 1st - Ellie Thorpe, 4th - Media Billingham
Inter Solos 13 y.o: 4th - Billy Stanton
Inter Solos 14 y.o: 1st - Ellie-Rose Green, 2nd - Molly Shipley, 3rd - Megan Centrella
Senior Solos 15 y.o: 4th - Chloe Taylor, Honours - Scarlett Galea
Senior Solos 16 y.o and over: No Starlight entries

We're into a lunch break for half an hour now so see you back here in a short while.

12:27  Whoo-hoo, Emy got a call back for the Solo finals.

12:12 I didn't mention earlier that disappointingly there are no other Fowler girls taking part today so I'm afraid Emy's probably your own real interest here today. I'll still post the results of the other Starlights girls though.

12:05 That's the second heats all out of the way and we're going into the final heats. Emy says she doesn't like the judge looking at her - it makes her go blank.

11:38  Yay, Emy got her call back and from where I'm standing she looked brilliant. Mega high-kicks and very balanced in her spins - also Emy was doing 720deg spins where everyone else was doing 360s.

11:33  10 y.o. Solo call backs at the moment - I'm getting fed up of Kesha :(

11:10  Right, the call backs are starting for the second heats.

11:00  Normally we'd have expected to have had the call backs for the second heats for each section by now but each school runs these events slightly differently. Today they're running through the entire Solo first heats before returning for the second heats. Right now we have a 5 minute break before we go into the call backs.

10:45  I'm having a go at adding an auto-refresh to this blog so hopefully you won't have to keep hitting the Refresh button on your browser - it should do it all itself ...how convenient :)

10:40  Emy's just done her first Inter Solo Heat and she forgot a bit first time through. I think the judge was looking the other way at the time but he had a looonnnng watch of her second time through and wrote something on his sheet so fingers crossed for a call back.

10:35  While we wait for the Baby and Junior Solos to go through, here's a photo of Emy in all her finest - complete with tan!

11 May 2014  Good morning viewers! Today marks the start of the Starlights 2014 dance calender with the annual Modern Disco Dance Competition at Beauchamp College in Oadby, Leicester. I'm not sure which dance school hosts this competition. This event back in 2010 was Emy's very first dance competition - 4 years ago! ...I can't belive that this is the 5th time we've done this competition - how time flies. Emy is competing in 4 elements today: 11 y.o. Inter Solos; 11-12 y.o Choreographed Inter Pairs; Open/Own Choreography Inter Pairs; and Groups. Emy's itinerary starts at about 10:50am but the day's events start in any minute with 7 y.o. Junior Solos.

Emy has been flat out with rehearsals for a few weeks now starting during her Easter holidays so fingers crossed this time. We actually haven't seen a great deal of her routines so we don't know what's coming.

As usual I'll keep posting updates at the top of the page so you don't have to keep scrolling to the bottom.

Wish her luck!

13 October 2013 - Nottingham

This live blog has now closed!

16:10 Emy's not taking part in the Troupes section and because we've got a long drive and a lot to do when we get home tonight we're heading off so That's All Folks! I hope you've enjoyed today's updates. For me this format seems to have worked quite well so I'll keep it going for next time - maybe with a few more "action" photos! TTFN.

16:05 The Starlights results for the Open Choreography section are:

Babies OC: Now't
Junior OC: 3rd - Tayla Jade Sherman & Nadiyah Namruti
Inter OC: 2nd - Ellie Rose Green & Megan Centrella
Senior OC: 4th - Chloe Taylor & Megan Glaholm

16:00 Here is a photo of Emy and Jenna:

15:48 Unless I've got myself very confused it doesn't look like any of the Fowler girls have been called back for second heats. How disappointing :(

15:35 Lucy and Emy have just danced their Open Choreography first heats with their partners and Josie is up now with Billie.

15:18 Starlights results for the Inter and Senior Set Choreography Pairs are:

Inter SC Pairs 11/12y.o.: 2nd - Media Billingham & Ellie Thorpe
Inter SC Pairs 13/14y.o.: 1st - Molly Shipley & Ellie Rose Green
Senior SC Pairs 15+y.o.: Now't

A 5min toilet break before we come back to the Open Choreography section.

15:10 They're breaking the heats down into a lot of groups. Unfortunately Josie and Billie haven't made it through to the final round :(

15:05 You know, I should judge this... Josie and Billie have been called back for their second heat.

14:50 Josie and Billie are dancing now. I think they should be safe for the next round.

14:45 Josie and Billie will be up in about 5mins.

14:39 The Starlights results from the Baby and Junior Set Choreography Pairs are:

Baby SC Pairs (6y.o. and under): 2nd - Freya Rockall & Sophie Green, 4th - Ella Marsh & Cydnee Mae Sherman
Junior SC Pairs 7/8y.o.: Now't
Junior SC Pairs 9/10y.o.: Now't

14:26 Still going with the 7/8y.o. and 9/10y.o. Set Choreography Pairs but it doesn't look like Lucy and Mia have made it through. In fact not may Starlights girls have - tells a story.

14:09 Lucy and Mia have made it through to the second heat. Emy and Lucy Lightfoot haven't though - can't say I'm surprised :( There are still 3 groups of 6 pairs in the second heat.

13:54 Where on earth do they find 50 dance pairs from?!

13:47 Emy and Lucy are up! Emy and Lucy Lightfoot aren't as tight as I'd like to see them - probably because of the lack of rehearsal time.

13:30 A few photos of the girls all set for this afternoon's pairs sessions...

Now the afternoon session starts with Baby Pairs ...bring it on!

13:00 Here we go with the Starlights results of the Inter and Senior (11y.o. - 16y.o.) Solos:

Inter Solos 11y.o.: 3rd - Media Billingham, Honours - Ellie Thorpe
Inter Solos 12y.o.: 2nd - JOSIE FOWLER!!!!
Inter Solos 13y.o.: 1st - Molly Shipley
Inter Solos 14y.o.: Now't
Senior Solos 15y.o.: Now't
Senior Solos 16y.o.: Now't

It's lunch break now through 'til 1:30pm when we return with the Pairs heats.

Lucy and Emelia are competing next in the Inter 9/10y.o. Set Choreography Pairs with their partners Mia Bosworth and Lucy Lightfoot (resp.)
Josie is competing next in the Inter 13/14y.o. Set Choreography Pairs with her partner Billie Stanton.
Then they all compete again in the Open Choreography Sections for which Emy and Josie both swap partners. Emy dances with Jenna Churchman and Josie dances with Freya Dobin.

12:30 Going through the Inter and Senior Solos to 16y.o. at the moment. Several Starlights girls are dancing but no Fowler girls so the blog's gone a bit quiet for updates for a few minutes. Check back at about 12:45pm.

12:10 Josie's through to the finals for the 12y.o. Solos. Sheesh! That 4 times she's had to dance in 12 minutes. Still looking great though - respect!

12:06 Josie's been called back for the 12y.o. Solos second heat - and so she should!

12:03 All 12y.o. Solos were called back to dance again. Not sure if it was a second heat or just a re-run but all the girls were looking shattered when they came off.

11:58 Josie's up right now ...looking really good :)

11:42 Right then, let's reel off the Starlights results in Solos up to 10y.o.:

Baby Solos 5y.o. and under: 1st - Cydnee Mae Sherman, Honours - Phoebe Hammond
Baby Solos 6y.o.: Honours - Freya Rockall
Junior Solos 7y.o.: Now't
Junior Solos 8y.o.: Honours - Emilia Hammond
Junior Solos 9y.o.: Now't
Junior Solos 10y.o.: Honours - Nadiyah Namruti
Baby Freestyle 6y.o. and under: 2nd - Cydnee Mae Sherman, 3rd - Ella Marsh

Now we move on to the Inter Solos. Josie will be up shortly. Emy and Lucy won't be up again until their Pairs heats after lunch - probably about 1:30pm.

11:31 In a correction to what I wrote earlier, Josie won't be on for her first heat until about 11:50. It looks like it will be the presentation of the awards for the heats so far next.

11:18 The final heat of the 10y.o. Solos has just been called. Emy didn't make it through but there were a couple of Starlights girls up there.

11:15 The final heat of the 9y.o. Solos was called but I didn't recognise any of the girls as Starlights girls.

11:10 ...and Emy's one of them - she's through to the second heat. There are so many of them, Emy looks lost in the crowd.

11:06 Ooh, competition's hard. Lucy didn't get called back for the second heat in her solos - she's obviously upset :( There's a few Starlights girls still going though.

11:02 ...and now it's Emy's turn.

10:56 Lucy's up now... GO GIRL!

10:40 Yay! The announcement has just gone out that there are to be no photos taken in the dance arena because some freaked out paranoid parents don't want their girls caught in other people's photos - spoil it for everyone why don't you! Sorry, I may not get to post photos of any of our girls collecting prizes.

10:37 Josie Fowler (niece), #10, will be on for her first solo heat at about 11:20.

10:02 Lucy Fowler (niece), #27, will be on for her first solo heat at about 11:00.

09:54 We're all seated, I'm ready with my tablet to keep you all updated. It's stupidly cosy in here, we're all sitting on top of each other. The day is due to start at 10am. Emy is number 55 in her solos so she's got some competition. Emy is due on at about 11:10-ish. Before her we have all the solos from Baby's 5 and Under through the age groups up to hers.

13 October 2013 Good morning all, here we are at Emy's second dance competition of 2013. Hosted by the Tracey Quaife Dance School, this event is part of the East Midlands Freestyle Disco Dance Championships and is being staged at the Clifton Leisure Centre in Nottingham. Normally held in early September, apparently due to booking issues with the leisure centre, this time the event is being held over a month later in mid October. This does mean though that we will likely have two events in quick succession as usually the final dance competition of the year is held in just a few weeks time, in early December, in Hinckley.

Emy is competing in three elements today: 10y.o. Choreographed Solos, 10y.o. Choreographed Pairs and 10y.o. Freestyle Pairs. Due to the scheduling of rehearsals clashing with her training for her next gymnastics competition in a few weeks we had to pull her from the dance troupes element. We honestly aren't expecting her to do so well today as, though the event is over a month later than usual, Emy's dance school, Starlights, didn't get themselves organised and so Emy's only had two weeks to rehearse.

As you can see, this time around instead of trying to run a commentary via Facebook comments I'm trying out a different format - a live blog. Hopefully this will allow me to post live in-stream photos. I'll be posting from the bottom-up so refreshing the page will bring new updates in at the top of the page so you don't have to keep scrolling all the way to the bottom.

I'm not sure how well this works so let me know via comments here or on Facebook if you have any problems.

So ...here goes!