MCDONALD'S DANCE OF THE CHAMPIONS

With television cranes cruising the rafters and a capacity crowd cheering non-stop, McDonald’s Dance of the Champions brought the 2010 Sydney Eisteddfod to a rousing end at the Science Theatre, UNSW, on Sunday night.
The show was such a success, it will probably live on as the most successful event ever presented in Australian eisteddfod history. Joel (JD) De Carteret, whom many will remember from the first series of So You Think You Can Dance, made an engaging compere and, with twenty winning groups from the recent competition dancing all styles, the momentum never slackened.
An impartial jury and the audience judged the performances and at the end of the night, while volunteers counted the votes, a talented combo from Jazz Workshops Australia kept the music playing and JD showed everyone just how well he can dance by performing one of the most stylish lyrical hip-hop routines ever seen in Australia.
The jury and audience failed to agree, but both selected their favourites and with prizes of $5,000 (first), $3,000 (second) and $2,000 (third) awarded by each, six groups went home happy.
A team of whimsical, bowler-hatted clowns from Select Dance Co (Moorebank) won the heart of the panel and captured the jury vote, while a tip-top tap troupe from Dance Junction (Glendenning) finished second and a fantastic flock of Furious Angels from Ev & Bow Fulltime Training (Kirrawee) third.
All Starz Performing Arts Studio (Peakhurst) won the audience vote with a scintillating jazz routine. Mosman Dance Academy claimed second place with a contemporary number and an outstanding school dance team from Brigidine College (St Ives) finished third.
McDonald’s Dance of the Champions will screen across the nation in a 90-minute television special on Network Ten at 2pm on 28 November.