Looking down from the stands on Sunday at the BJP physie girls rehearsing for the Easter Show, I felt proud to belong to such a great sport. Downstairs in the Hall of Legends, a ballroom dancing competition was in full swing and backstage there were as many tantrums as there were sequins – a bit like a set from “Dance Moms”…
But in the auditorium the physie girls just got on with it. Every one of the 274 performers did their bit, gave it their all, made their lines straight, learned new choreography, danced their hearts out, nailed their transitions, did it over and over and over again and did it all with a smile. The teachers didn’t need to shout and no-one needed to get stressed – it all just went like clockwork and the girls were a credit to their clubs and to BJP.
Watching the day unfold and come together it’s easy to see what our girls are learning at physie – how to work together, how to push through and have stamina, how to trust in leadership when you can’t see the big picture – and how to have fun when it’s not just about “me” but it’s about “us”.
During the lunch break, there was a log jam on the stairs – the ballroom dancers were going down and the physie girls were going up. The security guard threw his hands in the air – he was out of ideas. No problem – one of our teachers just called out “Ok physie girls, two lines, into line, up we go!” No drama…
Performing Art Gallery
Photography by Heidi Boardman
PHYSIE HACKS!
Here is a weekly series to help you perfect some key Physie positions. Watch the video to see
TIP OF THE WEEK
UPWARD STRETCH Arms stretched upwards, shoulder width apart Palms in Keep your shoulders pressed down Arms should be
Why do we love to dance?
Physie is often described as people's "happy place" and is a time to forget everything else that is
Heidi Boardman Performing Art Gallery
Photography: Heidi Boardman