Sydney Eisteddfod back on stage after COVID cancellation

The 2021 Sydney Eisteddfod will go ahead this year with its usual flair and upwards of 35,000 entrants competing in 300 events.

Cellena Mouawad and Ciena Abdou are only seven years old. Rosie Mouawad is only six. But already the young dancers are practising hard at Parramatta’s Dance Worx Academy, and hoping to perform in this year’s Sydney Eisteddfod.

A Sydney cultural institution since 1933, the Eisteddfod has helped launch countless famous performers from Matt Lee — who is currently appearing in Frozen the Musical — and pianist Simon Tedeschi, to Australia's Got Talent winner Mark Vincent and Royal Ballet principal dancer Alexander Campbell.

“I competed in it from the age of nine or 10 and it was a real highlight of the year,” Campbell said from London.

Rosie Mouawad, 6, Ciena Abdou, 7, and Cellena Mouawad, 7, rehearse at the Dance Worx Academy in Parramatta. PictureJustin Lloyd

The girls practice their moves. Picture:Justin Lloyd

Last year the Eisteddfod was cancelled due to Covid. But CEO Piroozi Desai-Keane said the 2021 event will go ahead with its usual flair, with upwards of 35,000 entrants competing in 300 events at around 15 venues across Sydney.

Entries are open until March 22. Prizes and scholarships worth $400,000 are up for grabs.

All categories of competition will offer live competition except choirs and instrumental groups who will compete by video.

“We are hoping to have some audience for most of the events,” Ms Desai-Keane said.

Many of the entrants will be tiny, like the Dance Worx Academy tots. Others are school aged, while some are older adults.

“We have literally any age,” Ms Desai-Keane said.

Cellena Mouawad, 7, Rosie Mouawad, 6, and Ciena Abdou, 7 love to dance. Picture:Justin Lloyd

The trio is made up of budding young performers. Picture:Justin Lloyd

The Eisteddfod offers an important launch pad for many performing artists, Alexander Campbell said.

He said the $12,000 scholarship the Eisteddfod awarded him made it possible for him to join the Royal Ballet School in London.

“It wouldn’t have been possible to attend without it,” Campbell said.

Other former competitors in the Sydney Eisteddfod include former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, entertainer Rhonda Burchmore, former Hi-5 member Nathan Foley and Paul Knobloch, who has danced in ballet all over the world and is now a ballet master at The Australian Ballet.

The Sydney Eisteddfod will take place across multiple venues from May to October.