Beautiful Moments in Time: TCDA's 2025 Competitive Season

Term 2 at Tamworth City Dance Academy pulses with a distinctive energy. Our four troupes—Mini, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior—transform from individual dancers into collective forces, traveling across regional New South Wales to test themselves against the best competition the eisteddfod circuit offers. The 2025 competitive season brought triumphs, challenges, growth, and countless memories that will define this year for our 47 troupe members.

The Pieces: A Season of Diverse Artistry

Each troupe brought unique repertoire to the 2025 season, showcasing the breadth of styles and choreographic vision at TCDA:

Mini Troupe (12 dancers):

• Hip Hop: "Lose My Mind" (Choreographed by Miss Kellie)

Junior Troupe (9 dancers):

• Contemporary: "Syren" (Choreographed by Miss Lily)

• Jazz: "Gentleman" - Combined piece with Intermediate Troupe (Choreographed by Miss Lily)

Intermediate Troupe (11 dancers):

• Lyrical: "Alien" (Choreographed by Miss Kellie)

• Jazz: "Gentleman" - Combined piece with Junior Troupe (Choreographed by Miss Lily)

Senior Troupe (15 dancers):

• Hip Hop: "Let's Go" (Choreographed by Miss Lily)

• Contemporary: "Hi Ren" (Choreographed by Miss Meg)

• Jazz: "Talk Like That" (Choreographed by Miss Lily)

• Lyrical: "I'm Telling You" (Choreographed by Miss Lily)

The decision to blend Junior and Intermediate troupes for "Gentleman" represented a departure from TCDA's typical grouping patterns. Rather than pairing Mini with Junior or Senior with Intermediate as we've done previously, this combination positioned our Intermediate dancers as mentors to younger troupe members. The result was an incredibly fun dance that strengthened bonds across age groups and gave our Inters valuable leadership experience.

The Journey: From Audition to Performance

The competitive season begins long before the first eisteddfod. Troupes are auditioned and selected at the beginning of Term 1 each year, with choreography commencing almost immediately. This early start allows months of refinement—learning formations, perfecting synchronisation, building stamina, and developing the artistic maturity that transforms steps into storytelling.

Unlike many studios that repeat competition choreography across multiple seasons, TCDA treats each year's pieces as beautiful moments in time. At season's end, these dances are retired, becoming memories rather than repeated repertoire. This philosophy keeps our choreography fresh, challenges our teachers to continuously create, and ensures each troupe cohort has pieces uniquely theirs.

The Circuit: Four Eisteddfods, Four Distinct Experiences

Inverell Eisteddfod

The season opened at Inverell with Mini, Junior, and Intermediate troupes competing. Notably absent: our Senior Troupe, many of whom were on school excursions to Uluru during the competition dates.

This situation presented a choice: penalise seniors for choosing a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience, or recognise that TCDA develops whole people, not just dancers. We chose the latter. Life experiences like visiting Uluru contribute to the well-rounded individuals we aim to develop, and we refused to force students to choose between dance commitment and transformative life opportunities.

The younger troupes represented TCDA beautifully, earning two second places and a first place—a strong start to the season.

Armidale Eisteddfod

A couple of weeks after Inverell, all four troupes descended on Armidale with full force. This eisteddfod delivered the results every competitive program dreams of: a clean sweep. First place in every single item entered.

The collective success validated months of preparation, demonstrated the strength of our choreography and training, and gave every troupe member—from our youngest Minis to our most experienced Seniors—the confidence boost that comes from standing atop the podium.

Coffs Harbour Eisteddfod

Coffs Harbour brought reality checks and resilience-building in equal measure. The competition sections swelled with incredible talent, including many dancers from selective pre-professional schools with intensive daily training schedules. The level of competition was extraordinary.

TCDA earned two highly commended awards, a fourth place, and a second place—results that might seem modest compared to Armidale's sweep but represented strong performances against significantly elevated competition. These placements taught valuable lessons about benchmarking ourselves against top-tier competitors and finding satisfaction in strong performances even when not standing in first position.

But Coffs Harbour offered something beyond competition results: tradition. Several years ago, our Senior Troupe established a ritual of running into the ocean following their performances. In mid-year, the water remains decidedly brisk, but this tradition has become something our seniors eagerly anticipate—a rite of passage, a moment of collective joy, and a memory-making experience that defines what it means to finally make Senior Troupe. The ocean run matters as much as any placement.

Port Macquarie Eisteddfod - First-Time Venue, Post Season

TCDA attended Port Macquarie Eisteddfod for the first time, sending only our Senior Troupe. The timing was strategic: we wanted to give seniors an opportunity to make up for the Inverell eisteddfod they'd missed due to Uluru excursions.

However, the late-season timing created challenges. Competition season officially ends after Coffs Harbour, meaning Port Macquarie required re-staging pieces to accommodate troupe members who were unavailable. This logistical puzzle tested our seniors' adaptability and problem-solving skills.

The results validated their efforts: second place in Hip Hop and, more significantly, the Overall Opens Showmanship Award for their contemporary piece "Hi Ren." This special recognition honored not just technical execution but the emotional connection, performance quality, and artistic impact that define truly exceptional dance.

Like Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie featured large sections with many pre-professional school competitors, making every placement and recognition meaningful.

Beyond Scores: The Real Victories

While placements and trophies provide tangible recognition, the true value of competitive season extends far beyond results:

Benchmarking Excellence: Competing against pre-professional schools and intensive training programs shows our students what's possible with dedicated training. Rather than only measuring ourselves against regional competitors, these larger eisteddfods expose our troupes to national-level talent, raising our standards and aspirations.

Team Bonding: Away eisteddfods transform troupes into families. Traveling together, supporting each other through pre-performance nerves, celebrating successes, and processing disappointing results create bonds that transcend the studio. Students forge friendships strengthened by shared experiences and mutual support.

Family Connection: These competition trips extend beyond student bonding. Parents traveling together develop their own friendships, supporting each other through the logistics, costs, and emotional investment of raising competitive dancers. Many families book accommodations a year in advance, treating these weekends as family holidays where dance competition is the centrepiece of a broader adventure.

The timing means many birthdays fall during competition trips, creating opportunities to celebrate with extended dance family rather than just immediate relatives. These shared birthday parties become cherished memories—friends singing happy birthday in hotel lobbies, impromptu celebrations between competition sessions, and the recognition that your dance community shows up for life's milestones.

Character Development: Competition teaches lessons textbooks cannot. Students learn to handle disappointment gracefully, to celebrate peers' successes genuinely, to maintain composure under pressure, and to find meaning in strong performances even when placements don't reflect their effort. These are life skills disguised as dance education.

Problem-Solving Under Pressure: From last-minute costume repairs to navigating restaging challenges like those at Port Macquarie, competition season demands adaptability. Students learn to solve problems quickly, support teammates through difficulties, and maintain professional standards despite imperfect circumstances.

The TCDA Difference: We Move as One

At the heart of TCDA's competitive philosophy lies a fundamental belief: we are not four separate troupes but a collective team. Mini, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior don't compete against each other—they represent TCDA together, each troupe contributing to our overall reputation and supporting the others' successes.

This philosophy manifests in our choreographic approach. We don't choreograph for the many to frame our best dancers. There are no "featured" performers surrounded by supporting cast. Everyone works equally hard, and we move as one. We function as teams, not groups of soloists.

This egalitarian approach might not produce the dramatic star performances that some competitive programs cultivate, but it develops something more valuable: dancers who understand their individual excellence contributes to collective achievement, who celebrate shared success over personal spotlight, and who carry teamwork skills into every future endeavour.

Troupes will change—history has shown us they always do. Dancers age up, move on, or shift focus. But our DNA remains constant. The values we cultivate, the approach we take, and the character we develop through competitive dance transcend any single season's lineup.

Balance and Perspective: Life Beyond Dance

The decision not to penalise seniors for choosing Uluru over Inverell exemplifies TCDA's broader philosophy. We are competitive. We work hard. We take our training seriously. But we recognise that developing whole people sometimes means supporting choices that temporarily conflict with competitive commitments.

A student who misses competition to experience Australia's spiritual heart, to bond with classmates on educational excursions, or to pursue other passions becomes a more interesting, well-rounded person. These experiences enrich their artistry, broaden their perspectives, and remind them that dance, while important, is part of a larger life.

This balance distinguishes TCDA from programs where competitive success requires total sacrifice of everything else. We believe young people can pursue excellence in dance while also experiencing transformative travel, maintaining academic standards, nurturing non-dance friendships, and developing interests beyond the studio. The goal isn't just creating great dancers—it's developing exceptional humans who happen to dance beautifully.

Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond

As the 2025 competitive season concludes, thoughts turn to next year. Troupe selections for 2026 haven't been finalised—those auditions await Term 1, continuing our annual cycle of renewal and opportunity.

We look forward to keeping our competitive season contained to Term 2, a schedule that prevents year-round competition pressure while allowing focused intensive work during a defined period. This structure gives students mental and physical recovery time, prevents burnout, and maintains competitive dance as one element of comprehensive dance education rather than the all-consuming focus.

The eisteddfod circuit will likely evolve. Venues may change, competition may intensify or shift, and new opportunities may emerge. But TCDA's approach remains consistent: we'll continue creating beautiful moments in time through annually refreshed choreography, developing teamwork over individual stardom, balancing competitive commitment with whole-person development, and measuring success by character growth as much as placement results.

Gratitude and Recognition

To Miss Kellie, Miss Lily, and Miss Meg: your choreographic vision, technical expertise, and countless hours of refinement created pieces worthy of our dancers' dedication. Each dance told a story, showcased our students beautifully, and represented TCDA's artistic standards.

To our 47 troupe members: you represented TCDA with skill, professionalism, and grace. Whether standing in first position or processing difficult placements, you demonstrated character that makes us proud. Your hard work, mutual support, and commitment to moving as one embodied everything we value.

To families who traveled, supported, photographed, cheered, and processed both victories and disappointments alongside your dancers: thank you. Your investment in these experiences—financial, temporal, and emotional—makes competitive dance possible and meaningful.

To competition organisers, adjudicators, and fellow competitors: thank you for creating opportunities to test ourselves, for providing constructive feedback, and for raising the standard against which we measure our progress.

The Season in Perspective

Looking back on 2025's competitive season, the placements tell one story: clean sweep at Armidale, strong results at Inverell, character-building challenges at Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie, and special recognition with the Overall Opens Showmanship Award.

But the complete story includes: friendships deepened through shared hotel rooms and pre-competition nerves, seniors running into brisk ocean water while laughing and screaming, birthdays celebrated with extended dance family, younger dancers mentored by older troupe members in "Gentleman," the decision to prioritize Uluru over Inverell, problem-solving through Port Macquarie re-staging, and countless small moments of support, celebration, and growth.

These pieces—"Lose My Mind," "Syren," "Gentleman," "Alien," "Let's Go," "Hi Ren," "Talk Like That," and "I'm Telling You"—are now retired, beautiful moments in time that belong uniquely to the 2025 troupes. Next year will bring new choreography, possibly different lineups, and certainly fresh challenges and opportunities.

But the lessons learned, friendships forged, and character developed through this season will endure far beyond any individual placement or performance. That's the real victory of competitive dance—not the trophies on shelves, but the growth in hearts, the confidence in spirits, and the understanding that excellence achieved together matters more than individual glory.

Here's to our 2025 troupes, to beautiful moments in time, and to moving as one. The season has concluded, but the impact continues.

To learn more about TCDA's troupe program and competitive opportunities, visit www.tamworthcitydance.com.au or contact our Principal directly at kellie@tamworthcitydance.com.au.