Woodham Academy’s Dance Academy have been working exceptionally hard to prepare for a very busy half-term.
They rehearse every Wednesday after school and dedicate time over lunch to prepare.
The Dance Academy travelled to Halifax to compete in ‘The Great Big Dance Off’ earlier this month.
This prestigious competition holds regional heats across the country where many schools and dance clubs compete to gain a place in the finals.
With many performers showcasing their talents, the level of competition was exceptionally high. With Woodham’s pieces falling into the KS4/KS5 category, they showed determination to perform both pieces to a very high standard.
The first dance the students performed was ‘Adiemus’. This is a powerful piece that includes everyone from the dance academy and was the largest group performance of the night, comprising all 49 students on stage at once.
Choreographed by Hannah Kent, the piece is to highlight the different strengths of the Dance Academy, bringing together the full age range of Year 7 to Year 10.
The second piece choreographed by Kay Clarey of Joanne Banks Dancers was to a lively ‘Can’t hold us’. Another piece that brought together all ages with complex skill and technique. The formations within this piece scored particularly well with the judges along with creativity and dynamics.