The judging panel was chaired by Miss Jean Bedells, daughter of Phyllis Bedells and this year she was joined by Miss Valerie Aitken, who studied with Phyllis Bedells and is a member of the Academy’s Executive Committee and Miss Elaine Rea, Programme Leader for the Academy’s Teaching Certificate Programme and for the Professional Dancer's Teaching Diploma. They decided to commend three other candidates, Alicia Beck, (16, Great Britain) Laura-Jane Gibson, (17, Great Britain) Delia Mathews (15, New Zealand).

Sarah Gregory, a graduate of the Academy’s PDTC took the taught Class; The candidates were put through their paces and most importantly were allowed to ‘dance’ and demonstrate their technical proficiency. Curtis Probel accompanied the class and Martin Cleave accompanied the variations that followed.

Each of the candidates received a personalised keepsake from Miss Bedells.

Notes for Editors

The Phyllis Bedells Bursary was instituted in 1979 to encourage highly talented young dancers to further their career in classical ballet. It is open to members of the RAD who have passed their Advanced 1 Examination with Distinction. Candidates must e under 17 years of age on Monday 21 February 2005 and must not have entered for the Advanced 2 Examination. Past winners have gone on to the bronze, silver and gold medalists of the Genée International Ballet Competition and to dance with international companies including The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Bèjart Ballet, London City Ballet and the Dutch National Ballet.

Criteria For Judging

Candidates are judged throughout the Class and Variations on their ability to show the following interrelated elements, all of which make up the complete dancer.

Technique incorporating co-ordination, control, line, spatial awareness and dynamic values

In Pointe work, female candidates will be judged on their ability to perform a varied range of movements with strength and ease

Music incorporating correct timing, rhythmical accuracy, response to phrasing, dynamics and atmosphere

Performance incorporating expression, interpretation, communication and projection

Biographies

Leyna Magbutay

Born in Tokyo, Japan Leyna began training under Miss Ana Keats and at age nine enrolled at Tokyo school of Ballet. Leyna joined the lower school of Elmhurst School of Dance in the year 2000. She also attended summer courses in the United States and Prague. Leyna is currently in her first year of sixth form at Elmhurst School of Dance in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Alicia Beck
Alicia trained at The Rawle School of Dance, Macclesfield, later attending lessons, as a mid-associate, at The Royal Ballet School and Staffordshire Youth Ballet. Summer schools include Yorkshire Ballet Seminars, John Field Ballet Seminars and Horsforth Dance Seminar where Alicia won the Louise Browne Scholarship. Alicia commenced at Elmhurst School for Dance in 2001 where she continues her studies as a first year sixth form student.

Laura-Jane Gibson
Laura-Jane was a pupil at Dansarena Studios Ltd in Ayr, Scotland from 1993 - 2004 and her teachers were Kerry Bolland and Penny Withers. She was also a Junior Associate and a Senior Associate of Scottish Ballet where she was taught by Penny Withers. Laura-Jane commenced her full time vocational training at Elmhurst School for Dance in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet in October 2004.

Delia Mathews
Delia Mathews has studied ballet, jazz and contemporary at The Dance Education Center, Tauranga, New Zealand under Prue and Deborah Gooch. In 2004 she was awarded Distinction in the RAD Advanced I examination, was a finalist in the RAD Dance Scholarship and won the Espinosa Dance Theatre Award (2003 and 2004). She hopes to pursue her career in classical dance overseas.

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