Style of a winner

Press, 10 December 1983, Page 9

Style of a winner

Neil Gudsell, who dances under the name, Miyaki, shows some of the style that won him the 1983 national “Flashdance” championship in Dunedin.

Eight finalists from throughout New Zealand were chosen from heats in each of the four main centres.

Dancers were judged on their technique, presentation, and the degree of difficulty of their routine. Points were also given for any “bop-hopping” (back spins) attempted. The competition was based on the film, “Flash-

dance,” and contestants were expected to perform similar high-energy dance routines to those in the film. The contest was held at Regines Nightclub, Dunedin, and a prize of $lOOO was offered to the winner.

Mr Gudsell spent three months training for the competition, practising six days a week. His rigid workouts, which took anything from three to eight hours a day, included gymnastics, ballet, weight-train-ing, and “bop-hopping.”

He is the artistic director and choreographer of the “Miyaki Produktion Com-

pany,” based at Mooneys Food Emporium in Manchester Street, Christchurch. In 1980, he was the South Island disco champion.

His routines for the contest were not choreographed, but were improvised while he was dancing, as in the film.

The other Christchurch finalist was Lee-Anne Plunkett, a member of the Christchurch dance group, “The Moving Company.” Second and third placings in the competition went to the Dunedin entrants, Kerry Dougherty and Kathryn Mowat.