Capital trip inspires OBA dance students
EIGHT dance students from a Runcorn high school headed to London for an actionpacked weekend
The Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy (OBA) group was accompanied by Kirsty Barker, head of dance, and a PGDE trainee for the Move It dance and performing show at Excel London, the biggest event of its kind in the UK.
An OBA spokeswoman said the weekend comprised dance classes and workshops led by industry professionals over three days.
There were also exhibitions from UK dance colleges and universities, information stalls, shops, fitness and wellbeing instructors, miniature performance stages and competitions.
Students also visited Covent Garden, took photographs outside Pineapple Dance Studios and attended the Prince Edward Theatre in the Westend to watch Disney’s Aladdin, where they were reported to be spellbound by the performance.
They returned to Move It to take part in four more dance classes: hip-hop, lindy hop, Bollywood and commercial jazz, even taking on some challenging advanced classes, before treating themselves to a closer look around the exhibition stands before watching more performances on the main stage.
Year 9 students Molly Roberts and Ellie Rae were thrilled to meet Jonny Labey, winner of ITV’s Dance, Dance, Dance series, while Year 12 students Megan Hawkins, Lauren Mather and Kennedy Doyle were delighted to meet Twist And Pulse, runners-up from Britain’s Got Talent 2010.
The students are now looking forward to putting their skills to practice in their individual and group performances in OBA’s dance show on April 25-26.
Mrs Barker said: “The in ● students participated in two different dance classes.
“One group did the contemporary and contemporary-jazz class, whilst the other group took part in commercial and hip-hop choreography classes.
“The students also watched live performances on the main stage and were in awe of the talent that Move It displayed.
“The place was buzzing with trainee and professional dancers and the atmosphere was electric.
“Over 25,000 people attended the event and Leah Bentley was thrilled when she met her favourite dancers Chris and Wes from the Sky Ones series Got To Dance and she had great fun getting a group selfie with them.
“On the train home, it was lovely to hear the students talking about how enthused they had been by the talented dancers from across the UK and how they intended to use what they had learnt to improve their own skills.”