Amanda Jennings reports from the Genée Finals, Saturday 19th September 2015, at Sadlers Wells Theatre, UK.
The first time I saw the Genée 2015 contestants in class with Lynn Wallis, I thought to myself: “if Leroy doesn’t win the Audience Choice Award, I’ll eat my hat.”
A knitted-beanie-with-faux-fur-trim sandwich being decidedly unappealing to the palate, I’m delighted to report that the award was indeed won by Leroy Mokgatle, aged 15, of South Africa. He also won the gold medal, having given near-faultless performances in all three categories: Dancer’s Own, Classical Variation (he chose the Principal Variation from MacMillan’s Danses Concertantes) and Charlotte Edmonds’s beautifully-constructed piece for the Commissioned Choreography section. Small in stature but large on technique and charm, it will be fascinating to see how he develops. The silver medal went to the lovely Lania Atkins from Sydney, also 15; her pliant long limbs suited Edmonds’s choreography well, as they did her Dancer's Own variation, but what pleased me most was her pure classicism in the Raymonda Act I variation which requires control, musicality and style. Fellow Australian Makensie Henson, 15, winner of the bronze medal, deserved an extra award for greatest development; at the beginning of the week she seemed excessively shy and retiring, but on the Sadlers Wells stage she glowed.
It has been an intense but rewarding experience for these youngsters. Now they can all make their way home for a brief rest before their classes begin again and life returns to normal—until the next time! Sydney 2016 awaits.
- Amanda Jennings
See Amanda's earlier reports here: http://www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/genee-awards-day-2
Look out for our full report in the Dec/Jan issue of Dance Australia!