Dancers to grace the stage as West Gippsland festival proceeds

Local dancers will grace the stage after the West Gippsland Dance Festival was given the green light to proceed in Warragul this long weekend.

Festival president Chloe Smethurst announced solos, duos and troupe events would go ahead for regional dancers only over a reduced four-day program. 

She said the committee had worked through some tight restrictions with the West Gippsland Arts Centre before making the decision.

However, this year’s festival will look different to those in the past with no audience permitted.

Troupe competition, which can feature groups of more than 20 dancers on stage together, is also unable to go ahead.  Ms Smethurst said a troupe weekend in term four “is still a possibility, (but) who knows what will happen”.

Ms Smethurst said the decision to proceed with only regional dancers would impact about 50 per cent of entrants who live in metropolitan areas.

“It’s disappointing but not unexpected at the same time,” she said. 

That figure also incorporates dancers from the Bunyip and Garfield areas who attend Warragul-based dance schools.

“It’s really tough.  It’s obviously affected the Warragul schools that have troupes.”

Ms Smethurst, who herself is based in Bunyip and will be unable to attend, said the metropolitan rules would also see many committee members unable to volunteer in running the festival. 

However, after cancelling last year’s event and with dancers impacted by lockdowns over the past 18 months, the positive is dancers being able to perform up on stage.

“It has been really difficult for the students and a lot have been doing their classes from home, but that doesn’t work for everybody.  But the (dance) schools have been really creative in finding ways to work through COVID.  They’ve really had the best interests of the kids at heart.”

She said many had taken on a wellbeing focus as well as teaching technique whilst making online classes engaging, creative and fun.

“There has been a lot of missed opportunities, but I think all the dance schools have done a terrific job.”

The West Gippsland Dance Festival will attract an estimated 200 to 300 dancers from across Gippsland, with many from West Gippsland, Bass Coast, South Gippsland and even as far as East Gippsland.