Fat Chance - Rained Off!

Right now I should have been reviewing Hype Dance Company's contribution to Chance to Dance. It would have been my chance to reciprocate the support that Mel showed me and my classmates at Northern Ballet Academy when we performed in the end of year show three weeks ago (see "The Time of My Life" 28 June 2014 and Mel's generous review "The Dance DID go on - Northern Ballet Academy Show 2014" 29 June 2014). It would have been a great show and I can say that with some conviction because I took part in the rehearsals for both Fiona Noonan's Sugar Plum Fairy and Lucy's Stay with Me. Fiona and Lucy and their students, Andrew, Blessing, Mel, Rose, Verity, and all the others whose names I can't recall just now worked so hard for the show.

The show was called off because the weather in Sheffield yesterday was like the storm scene in La Fille mal gardée - only worse.  The dancers were understandably disappointed. Andrew tweeted

A bit peeved not have taken part in @ctdsheffield today but very nice to enjoy lunch and blether with @nipclaw. Thankyou for the invite x
— Melony Klein (@MelonyKlein) July 19, 2014

Mel added

@strawbini @MelonyKlein It's so crappy! Weeks of rehearsals for nothing :/ Performing it in a studio in Hype just won't be the same
— MelSkydancer (@MelMAOW) July 19, 2014

And it was a real cri de coeur because she plans to start her advanced training in London soon:

@strawbini @MelonyKlein And it was my last @ctdsheffield event since I'm leaving in September :/
— MelSkydancer (@MelMAOW) July 19, 2014

The organizers, who must be just as disappointed, have promised to do what they can:

@nipclaw @finoonan04 thanks Jane we will regroup and work out what we can do next - I will be sending a letter to all groups soon - Mark
— Chance to Dance (@ctdsheffield) July 19, 2014

I make no criticism of their decision to cancel the festival. There were probably public liability, health and safety or other considerations that left them with little choice. I did criticize them on twitter a few minutes ago for not making contingency plans for the weather because thunder storms in summer are by no means unusual in North West Europe - that's part of the plot of the oldest ballet in the modern repertoire for goodness sake - but, on reflection, that criticism was unkind and I withdraw it.  I have the advantage of hindsight which is always 20/20. But I do think that the organizers of Chance to Dance and other outdoor dance festivals can learn from yesterday by making wet weather contingency plans of some kind and I hope that they do.

If there is another chance to dance this year and Mel can't take part then I shall take her place if the choreographer and other dancers will have me.