MUDIAD Meithrin and the Urdd are delighted to announce that Siân Elin Williams from Pencarreg near Llanybydder is the first winner of a competition to find new talent to entertain young children between 2-4 years-old and their parents.
On Saturday it was announced on the Pavilion stage at the 2019 Urdd Eisteddfod that Siân Elin, 23, had scooped the £300 prize and the chance to perform in a show as part of Mudiad Meithrin’s 2019 Dewin and Doti Festival.
Siân Elin, who is a Development Officer with Menter Sir Gâr, said: “I love being on stage entertaining children and young people and I hope this will be my career in the long run. It’s wonderful to perform live and see the children’s response when I entertain them. Thanks to Mudiad Meithrin and the Urdd for this amazing opportunity.’
Runner-up, Lois Glain Postle, 19, of Bodedern, Anglesey received the second prize of £200.
Lois Glain, who is studying Musical Theatre in London, said: “I am always delighted to work and play with young children and they provide me with so much energy. Performing live with young children is a wonderful experience and every show is completely different.”
Iola Jones, Mudiad Meithrin’s Head of Communication and Partnership Team, said: “Mudiad Meithrin was eager to unearth new talent to entertain very young children, in the hope of finding new talent that could take on the three-week-long Dewi and Doti Festival Tour in the future. Consequently we went into partnership with the Urdd to jointly run this competition. Both Sian Elin and Lois Glain are very talented young people, and we were extremely pleased with the high standard of their performances. ”
The ‘Meithrin Talent – Talent Meithrin’ competition is open to Urdd members between 18-24 years old. The competition process ran between September and December last year with candidates completing an application form, sending off a portfolio outlining their experience, and creating a 5 minute video clip of themselves providing some background information and highlighting their performing talents.
At the end of April, the two applicants who reached the short-list, Siân Elin and Lois Glain both spent a day’s training and mentoring at the Urdd Centre in Cardiff Bay in the company of Martyn Geraint, the doyen of performing for young children in Wales.
The end of the journey for the short-listed competitors was an opportunity to perform at various locations at the 2019 Urdd National Eisteddfod field in Cardiff Bay on Saturday 1
June, with the judging panel adjudicating the quality of their performance and their understanding of the needs of the target audience.
Aled Siôn, Urdd National Eisteddfod Director, said “The Urdd Eisteddfod allows many young people to take their first performing steps, so we were very happy to be able to hold this new competition at this year’s Eisteddfod.”
The competition is planned to continue as a joint venture between Mudiad Meithrin and the Urdd next year.
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