Dancers are reigning for their movie star parade
RUISLIP dancers who won £6,000 for Hillingdon Mayor’s Charity Appeal for performing in the rain-hit London New Year’s Day Parade 2017 (LNYDP) were recognised for their achievement at a special awards ceremony.
Hillingdon mayor John Hensley presented medals to the 45 JAM2000 Performing Arts’ performers, as well as to a small army of volunteers who had helped behind the scenes.
The ceremony, held at Uxbridge Civic Centre on February 13, also saw the mayor get a prize for the group finishing fifth in the parade’s London borough competition.
LNYDP executive director Robert Bone presented the cheque, together with a trophy, to Judy McPhee, director of JAM2000, who produced and choreographed Hillingdon’s movie-inspired parade theme, Lights, Camera, Action.
Judy said: “It was wonderful for everyone that was involved in Hillingdon’s entry to be rewarded for putting on such a fantastic show in such horrendous weather conditions.
“The show must go on, as they say, and I’m proud to say that ours did in spectacular style without a single word of complaint from anyone, not even our youngest performers.”
Despite it raining on their parade, the JAM2000 cast did not allow the conditions to dampen their spirits as they sang, danced, waved and smiled for two hours from Green Park to Parliament Square, with crowds of more than 500,000 cheering them on along the route.
The performers were dressed as characters from some of the biggest and best-known Hollywood classics, with the actual Batmobile that was driven by Michael Keaton in 1989 film providing a spectacular centrepiece to Hillingdon’s entry.
Called Hillingdon Boulevard, the borough’s entry included the characters Batman, Robin, Mr Freeze, Penguin, Joker and Catwoman.
A group of young girls played Keystone Cops, with older girls portraying the likes of Ginger Rogers, The Matrix characters and tango-dancing Hollywood showgirls. There were also four characters from The Wizard of Oz – Dorothy (and Toto), Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion.
Little orphan Annie made an appearance, as did The Blues Brothers, together with characters from Chicago.
There were also characters from Cabaret, with music from the 1972 classic movie accompanying Hillingdon’s action-packed end of parade showpiece.
The JAM2000 performers were among more than 10,000 participants who were watched by a TV audience of more than 350 million across the world.