With the final technical rehearsal run-through on Thursday, we saw more of the costumes, but more importantly more of the guests. Armenian popstar and highest position scorer at Eurovision for Armenia, Sirusho took centre stage for her first rehearsal. Performing as the first part of interval entertainment for the JESC 2011, her staging features a silver version of the tassel dress she wore to the original contest, and scores of traditional male backing dancers filling the floor.
In addition, we learned that Molly Sanden, winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2006, would appear as the special international guest… (the gap I’ve left is in tribute to those of the press who were visibly disappointed when it was obvious Eric Saade would not be joining us). But if one stops and considers this, Junior Eurovision is its own event, and showcasing its own winners, seeing how they have grown and developed, is a very good way to demonstrate its own strength to produce great and lasting acts. Sanden will be participating for the first time at the Swedish Eurovision selction process Melodifestivalen; and having her face screened across Europe as part of the Eurovision machine certainly couldn’t hurt her chances for the more senior contest should she be the national winner.
Georgias' entries cause media buzz
Back in the press centre, more people have started to arrive from the official broadcasters and local press of the competitors. Television cameras in the centre of the room have been set up to capture any impromptu press conferences, or indeed performances from the entries. Georgia caused the closest to a Eurovision-esque press rumble in the room, coming to show us that the extent of their talent far outweighs the song Candy Music which they perform in the contest. Meanwhile, the likes of Femke from Belgium and Lidiya from Belarus, had a more subdued time amongst the interviewers answering questions about their favourite acts and their chances of winning.
Around in Yerevan town, press interest is also building, with large feature pieces on the local news programs screening footage from within the rehearsals and also interviewing the acts and press in attendance. It was hard not to spot the likes of the escXtra crew with their branded hoodies on the late news, or indeed, the Georgian winners from 2008 – Bzekebi, whose surprise appearance brought a real buzz to the arena even despite not performing.
Late into the afternoon following the wrap up of all the entry rehearsals, the press were given a taste of the opening to the 2011 show. In a word, its Riverdance. Or maybe its Mountaindance? Either way, we are lead to believe that Armenia have an incredibly similar dance to the Irish, saved late in the day by some skilled drummers and a touch of more expected cultural references. It looks spectacular.
Spectacular is also a word that can be applied to the arena which now is flying the Junior Eurovision logo across the bannisters of every stair in this place, of which there seems to be hundreds and hundreds of stairs. It adds a spark of colour and party atmosphere to the normally subdued marble halls of this ice palace. There are also banners representing each country in stick drawings, balloons hanging from the ceiling, and the souvenir stores are being erected as we speak. Its warming up, in regards to the show coming soon, the weather and the atmosphere of the Hamalir complex. We are almost there.