Chesterfield celebrates dance
Over 120 young people took part in ‘UDance’ showcase celebrating dance in Chesterfield at the end of November.
The event, held in the Winding Wheel, was the 12th staging of the platform and a real opportunity to showcase and celebrate the talent and creativity or the young dancers.
UDance is a programme run by One Dance England which seeks to increase the number of youth dance performances and support those who organise them.
A packed out audience watched 17 dance routines from students from across 6 secondary schools and 1 community dance organisation.
The dance festival was opened by Netherthorpe School with their KS3 Pom Team performance. Their excellent and energetic performance was a great opening for the event. Outstanding performances followed from Brookfield Community School, Outwood Academy Newbold, Springwell Community College and St Mary’s Catholic High School.
Local company Crystal Cheer and Dance opened the second half of the evening with a mash up of different street dance pieces. An excellent display of talent from all the secondary schools followed during the second half, including a beautiful duet performance from St Mary’s Catholic High School.
A final solo performance from Netherthorpe School ‘Goodbyes’ drew the evening to a close. A wonderful contemporary piece beautifully demonstrated by a GCSE student drew a large applause from the audience. All the performers returned to the stage for the grand finale, taking the much deserved applause from the crowd.
Clare Limb, Head of Dance Development and Learning for Derbyshire Youth Dance Company said:-
“Dance is a cultural entitlement for all young people. These young people are the future of dance in and out of school, young choreographers in their own right. I encourage them to run their own clubs, make their own dancers and find ways of performing them.”
Mayor of Chesterfield, Councillor Maureen Davenport described how proud she was adding:-
“I’m particularly pleased to see so many schools are taking part, almost every secondary school in the borough has been involved and it’s brilliant.”
