Squads in national finals of Great Big Dance Off
TWO squads from East Leake Academy have danced their way into the National Finals of the Great Big Dance Off following the East Midlands heats held at the Albert Hall in Nottingham on Monday, March 5.
East Leake Academy entered three teams into the regionals with two of those going on to scoop both first and second place in the secondary school category, beating fierce competition from 12 other schools. They will now go on to compete against secondary schools from across the country as they qualify for the National Finals to be held in Cheltenham in July.
The Big Great Big Dance Off is a national competition for schools aimed at encouraging anyone to get involved in dance, whatever their age or level of experience. The East Leake students were crowned regional winners by an independent judging panel based on their delivery and synchronisation of the group performance, overall dance skills and originality.
The first placed winners were all year 9 students and performed a piece based on The Greatest Showman, with students Rosie Ingham and Isabella Scanlon acting as lead choreographers.
Rosie said: “It felt amazing to win the regional heats, especially as some of the other teams had professional choreographers or dance teachers to help them. Putting together our dance was a real team effort and we all got involved in choosing the theme and style.
“We’re all close friends and so proud of each other that it felt great to share the win as a team.”
Principal of East Leake Academy, Mrs Kathy Hardy, said: “All the girls who took part in the competition have been amazing ambassadors for the academy and I am both thrilled and proud that two of our teams will be going on to represent ELA at the National Finals in July. Extra-curricular activities such as these are an important part of academy life and, as well as being fun, help our students develop confidence and team working skills which they can rely on in future life.”