Image: Mercy College Eisteddfod winners Lily Wardrop, Zoe Wardrop and Kayli Vormister with St Patrick’s/Mercy College principal and Mackay Eisteddfod Association President Janelle Agius
Mercy College students achieved a wave of success across all platforms at this year’s 75th Annual Mackay Eisteddfod.
The performing arts students claimed multiple ribbons in the Dance, Music, Speech and Drama categories – earning high praise from experienced judges as well as Mercy/St Patrick’s College Principal Janelle Agius, who is the widely respected President of the Mackay Eisteddfod Association.
Talented 15-year-old dancer and vocalist Sophie Reilly received the Mackay Discount Drug Store $200 Bursary for the Most Promising Performer 18 Years & Under in the Eisteddfod’s Vocal Section.
Sophie capped a memorable Eisteddfod by also winning the 14 Years Girls Vocal Solo as well as the 13- & 14-Years Song and Dance Solo categories.
She was the winner of Miss GTB Entertainment at this year’s Get the Beat Competition in Mackay; attended the Brisbane Performing Arts Challenge and was a finalist in the Musical Theatre Scholarships.
At the annual Queensland Asia-Pacific Grand Internationals National Cheer and Dance Competition held recently in Brisbane, Sophie was part of the Mercy/St Patrick’s College team that were crowned National champions in the Junior Lyrical category and also brought home the Highest Points Scoring for a School trophy.
Year 10 dancer KAYLI VORMISTER picked up the 13-14yrs Lucy Bishop Encouragement Award after impressive performances in jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary and duo.
She featured in ten solos, finished runner up in Jazz and Duo and a Highly Commended in lyrical.
Kayli has performed at local Eisteddfods since 2013 when aged six and is a promising student of Demi Reck at Dance Avenue.
EVA BISHOP won Most Outstanding Jazz Solo in 11yrs and under plus the Jazz Modern Aggregate for 11-12yrs.
She competed in 14 solos in jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary, lyrical and Championship Jazz and won the Ballet and Jazz solos, Waltz Tap, Speed Tap, Dance Improvisations and Demi Character.
Year 7 student Eva has honed her skills at the Leisa Payne School of Dance in Mackay since the age of 4.
Siblings ZOE WARDROP, 14 and LILY WARDROP, 15 turned in classic performances and brought home a swag of awards in Contemporary, jazz, ballet, National and Championship.
Zoe won the Jazz Modern Aggregate Award as well as Contemporary and Jazz sections and impressed in the Teams events.
Lily won the Mary Haughton Memorial Trophy for 15yrs-18yrs Impromptu Story Telling and achieved top two placings in Lyrical, Drama, Characterisation, Mime, Shakespeare,Verse, Verse by Australian and Prose Reading.
She also received the Venebles Trudgion Encouragement Award.
MACKENZIE WOTHERSPOON impressed in solo Dance – tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and won the Modern Championship and collected four top places in jazz solo, lyrical solo, tap and ballet improvisation.
She also gained second place in speed tap and five thirds in Waltz tap, Classic Tap, Ballet solo, tap solo and jazz.
MYAH ROKIC won the Joyce Caldwell Memorial Perpetual Trophy with top performances in the 12-14ys Piano and Forte.
Talented Irish Dancer AVA PEARL continued her superb achievements at competition level with brilliant displays at this year’s Eisteddfod.
Ava – who has danced since she was aged 4 – has joined a new dance school and is currently performing with International Dance Affair.
Despite having to learn all new dances this year and considering she had a six-month restyling ban from competition, Ava has risen to the challenge.
Her team have been super proud of her resilience and placings this year with superb results at the NQ Premierships, IDA Feis and Eisteddfod.
ADYSON BAYLISS shone in the Piano category – finishing second in the 13yrs Modern and third in the 14yrs Modern.
By Chris Karas
