Young dancers to grace the stage at Southern Tasmanian Dancing Eisteddfod

For this sprightly trio of dancers, the Southern Tasmanian Dance Eisteddfod is an unmissable event on their competition calendar. Their stories.

Ava Griffith 12 from Danceworks, Griffin Cunningham 11 from The Hutchins School, Lucille Rayner 14 from Industrie Performing Arts. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

For these three dancers, the Southern Tasmanian Dance Eisteddfod is an unmissable event on their competition calendars.

Griffin Cunningham, Lucille Rayner and Ava Griffith have been dancing their whole lives.

And despite being in competition with one another, the eisteddfod offers a chance to connect.

“It so fun,” Lucille, 14, said.

“It can be a little bit stressful because you’re performing on the big stage and there’s all these dance schools there but because I’m with all my friends I’m just having a blast.”

While admitting to some pre-show jitters, Ava, 11, said she loved the people she danced with.

“I’m really excited but at the same time a little bit nervous, so I just tell myself I can do it and get support from my friends who are dancing,” she said.

The same went for Griffin, 11, who in performing for the second time is among 150 boys representing the Hutchins School.

Dance teacher Jacquie Coad said seeing her students on stage was so rewarding.

“Wrangling everyone can be organised chaos sometimes, but I love it,” she said.

“Their little faces on stage … that’s the best part of watching them when they come off and they’re just buzzing.”

The event is believed to be the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, with last year’s event having drawn more than 18000 people across its nine day program.

13 schools and nine dance schools will compete this year, with over 2180 acts to grace the stage.

The Southern Tasmanian Dance Eisteddfod starts Friday, July 4 and runs until Saturday, July 12 at Wrest Point, Sandy Bay.

Originally published as Young dancers to grace the stage at Southern Tasmanian Dancing Eisteddfod