Disco and strobe lights were in full effect at the Great Hall on Saturday 14 May as the judges of the Can Rhodes Dance? Competition concentrated on the tireless execution of the dances. At the end, there could only be one winner – or, in this case, one pair of winners – Matthew Roche and Sam Hultum.
Disco and strobe lights were in full effect at the Great Hall on Saturday 14 May as the judges of the Can Rhodes Dance? Competition concentrated on the tireless execution of the dances. At the end, there could only be one winner – or, in this case, one pair of winners – Matthew Roche and Sam Hultum.
The largest annual fundraising event for the Rhodes Dance Society (DanceSoc) – for which the proceeds will go towards transport for dancers competing at August’s national competition in Port Elizabeth – featured breath-taking hip-hop freestyles; graceful Latin pairs; and awe-inspiring ballet from six individual competitors, as well as Roche and Hultum.
Hultum was humble in victory and opted to praise the organisation of the event, rather than gloat about her success.
“It was great having so many different styles of dancing taking part. It showed the range of talent that Rhodes actually has and it was amazing to watch,” she said.
Roche expressed his delight at having won the competition, stating: “Every year, I’ve choreographed. Someone else has danced and they’ve won. So this year, it was my chance.”
With Rhodes DanceSport – a separate club from the Rhodes Dance Society – having held the Game of Rhodes competition four days earlier, DanceSoc showed the variety in Rhodes’s dancing scene.
Although their chairman, Aidan Whitaker, described DanceSoc as “more social” than Rhodes DanceSport, they will look to challenge larger, more competitive clubs at nationals.
Having won four medals last year, they will be trying to find ways to cause an even bigger splash this time around.
