Christ Church dancers part of Oxford’s winning team
Christ Church undergraduates Holly Culhane and Mimi Barsham were part of the Oxford University Competition Dance (OUCD) team that was named Best Overall University at the Loughborough University Dance Competition, a national event bringing together around 30 universities from across the UK.
Both students have been dancing since early childhood and train several times a week alongside their studies, competing across a range of styles including ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary. Holly is a third-year Engineering student and Mimi is in her first year studying French and German.
The Loughborough competition is a highlight of the university dance calendar, featuring eight styles and hundreds of performances across a full weekend. The Oxford dancers travelled early on Saturday morning – departing at 5am – to begin competing from around 9am. Holly and Mimi performed in ballet, jazz and the ‘Wildcard’ category on Saturday, with Mimi also dancing in the tap routine on Sunday. The team stayed overnight in Loughborough between the two days of competition.
They performed in front of an experienced panel of judges, including Strictly Come Dancing professional Gorka Márquez, and alongside dancers from universities across the country.
Among the team’s successes, OUCD placed third in the Wildcard category with a Maleficent-inspired jazz routine set to an eerie version of Toxic. Individual dancers were also recognised, with awards for Best Sunday Dancer (from around 1,400 competitors) and Best Choreography for an advanced contemporary piece.
Holly said: ‘It was so inspiring to see so much talent in university dance, and I am over the moon that Oxford won Best Overall University. We all put in so much work week in and week out, and it was such a wonderful way to round off our dance season.’
Mimi added: ‘The competition was an amazing experience with so much talent on display! The results reflect the hard work of the entire team and I feel incredibly grateful to have shared the stage with such talented dancers.’
OUCD is Oxford’s leading all-round competition dance team and a Half-Blue sport, with around 30 dancers performing and competing in a wide variety of styles. Alongside competitions, the group stages an annual sell-out show and competes in Varsity against Cambridge.
Holly and Mimi also recently performed in a showcase in Oxford, supported by funding from the Christ Church JCR Arts, Drama and Culture Fund.
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