By Mr Trafford, Artistic Director
Each year, our whole school dance show is themed to respond to a different element of the school curriculum: ‘Sixty’ was an energetic response to British history, whilst ‘The Carnival of the Animals’ explored conservation and ecological issues through movement and music.
‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ took a series of fine art masterpieces as starting points for depictions of stories and emotions, with famous works such as ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘Guernica’, ‘Starry Night’ and ‘Man in a Bowler Hat’ inspiring beautiful and dynamic responses. The set involved six large, gilt picture frames, which house dancers who emerged to tell their stories. Additionally, a further three picture frames housed projections, first of the famous artworks, but then cross-fading to live-streamed footage of the dancers on the stage! The overall effect was to merge great artworks with great dance to reveal the way all artists approach themes and messages using their own special forms of expression.
A cast of approximately eighty dancers from across the whole school collaborated beautifully: technical and dress rehearsals passed calmly and each performance was delivered with artistry, enthusiasm, and most importantly, huge fun!
Show director, Miss Buckingham, was especially delighted at the way the older students work as wonderful role models for the younger dancers, and hopefully the show also demonstrated the way skills and performance develop through the curriculum to shape dancers of the highest calibre.
The Performing Arts Faculty work together to create productions of the highest quality, but we are always hugely grateful to the many other staff members who contribute time and effort backstage and front of house to make such enjoyable experiences for students and audiences alike!
