The 1980 EMI Yorkshire Television Disco Dancing Championship was filmed at Romeo and Juliet's in Doncaster and broadcast by Yorkshire television. It is an excellent example of the disco dancing scene that was a major part of the cultural zeitgeist during this period of time. This quasi studio production is presented Simon Bates, who in the early 1980s would have been a disc jockey on BBC Radio 1. The film also features twelve disco dancing finalists who made it through various heats all...

The 1980 EMI Yorkshire Television Disco Dancing Championship was filmed at Romeo and Juliet's in Doncaster and broadcast by Yorkshire television. It is an excellent example of the disco dancing scene that was a major part of the cultural zeitgeist during this period of time. This quasi studio production is presented Simon Bates, who in the early 1980s would have been a disc jockey on BBC Radio 1. The film also features twelve disco dancing finalists who made it through various heats all over Yorkshire, and this regional final will see the winner go on to compete for the UK title. Title - Yorkshire Television Colour production. Title - The Yorkshire disco dancing championships. Title - From Romeo and Juliet's Doncaster. Title - Introduced by Simon Bates. The opening shot of this film shows a dance stage decorated in typical disco fashion with multi-coloured bits of ribbon. Simon bates (the presenter) explains the competition before introducing the competitors, who emerge one at a time from backstage and dance to '80s disco music, which is provided by a live off-screen band featuring Mike Moran - a prolific songwriter and session musician. The competitors' names are listed below and each competitor wears striking outfits epitomizing the disco fashions of the early '80s. Title - 1 Wilfred Barry. Huddersfield. Title - 2 Raymond Wilkes. Leeds. Title - 3 Robert Scott. Scarborough. Title - 4 Robert Chalmers. Cleethorpes. Title - 5 Harry Bisset. York. Title - 6 Alan Collier. Doncaster. Title - 7 Julie Stockdale. Castleford. Title - 8 David Bacon. Sheffield. Title - 9 Gillian Barker. Scunthorpe. Title - 10 Sylvia Murphy. Hull. Title - 11 Emmanuel Adebowale. Gainsborough. Title - 12 Charles Beach. Skegness. The audience applaud the dancers after they finish their initial renditions and Simon Bates introduces the experts who will be judging the competition. The judges include Judie Sylvester (Theatre dance director for the constant grants school Sheffield), Julie Brown (UK & World disco dancing champion, 1979), Kelly Temple (Radio Hallam), Yakour (Finnish disco dancing champion), John Preen (Doncaster entertainment director) and Joy Weller (British Ballroom dancing association). Simon Bates states that the competition will be marked under the International skating rules. He then introduces two disco and club singers from Liverpool called Harding and Brown, who, sporting flares and large afros, perform a cover version of Bill Withers 'Lovely Day'. Once the song is over, Simon Bates sits among the audience and announces the first six dancers who have made the preliminary round. As each name is called the dancer rushes on stage, and there is clearly some miscommunication as one dancer takes a very long time to realise his name has been called. After a break, Simon Bates is back on stage and runs through the prizes of the competition, which include a TV, Hi-Fi and a chance to go on to be the UK disco dancing champion. The competition gets underway and Raymond Wilkes is the first dancer to perform his routine, followed by Alan collier, David Bacon, Gillian Barker, Sylvia Murphy and Emanuel Adebowale. Each routine involves different variations on traditional disco dancing moves and there are some gymnastics, body popping and even some attempts at 'the Robot'. As the performers dance, Simon Bates adds some details about the dancers Hobbies and aspiration. Following this, Gary Jones and Beverly Nicholson from Yorkshire perform a disco dancing duet in shiny blue leotards, and their set includes lots of synchronised choreography. Ted Brunt (presumably a sponsor affiliate) is presented on stage by Simon Bates, who then announces the winners: 3rd David Bacon, 2nd Gillian Barker, 1st Alan Collier. Alan steps onto the stage in a reflective gold jump suit, receives his prize and performs a final dance. Title - Yorkshire television. Outside broadcast in colour.