I am in the middle of attending a regional comp for the first time and just thought I'd see what other people thought. Neither my daughter nor her studio are competing- we're supporting a friend of hers and just watchin, really.

I'm in Hobart and our main eisteddfod is in June so I must say I've seen most of the items before. A studio from Launceston has brought a few dancers down and there are three mainland studios here with varying numbers of competitors.

Given the point system for entry to the national comp, I'm wondering why the mainland schools have come. Not that I'm sorry they're here -it's a chance for me to see an otherwise unknown, and I'm nothing if not a sticky beak. Is it to test themselves against other regions? To have a 'better' chance of becoming regional champion (given that only three or four Hobart schools are competing) than in their own region? Or to have a holiday in Tassie? (less likely, seeing as they're stuck inside a performing arts centre from 8:15 am to 9:30 pm.) Or another reason?

The comp seems to be very slickly run, but there doesn't seem a lot of time for the judges to deliberate.

So anyway, any one got any thoughts, explanations, ideas, answers? All gratefully received!

C.