Bedales showcases best local dance talent

 
PETERSFIELD, U.K. - March 13, 2014 - PRLog -- Bedales Olivier Theatre played host to a stunning display of local dance talent at the school’s Youth Dance Platform this month. The annual showcase of creative and imaginative contemporary dance saw students from Bedales and Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, programmed alongside groups from other local schools and colleges and independent dance companies including the Karen Blackburn Academy of Dance, Amesbury School, Churcher’s College, Petersfield Academy of Dance and the Hampshire Youth Dance Company who all impressed with their creativity, inventiveness, energy and technical abilities.

The event gave young people both the opportunity to perform on stage themselves and also to see other performances with the overall aim of celebrating and developing dance style and talent.

Bedales Prep, Dunhurst Block 1 and 2 pupils (Years 7 & 8) performed a piece to a mix of songs from Walk on By to Walking on Sunshine. This reflected the day to day hustle and bustle of getting somewhere on time - Street, Ballet, Modern and Tap were all included.

The Bedales students’ choreography comprised a piece by Block 5 student (Year 11), Daisy Nielsen in a fast-moving Charlston duet with 6.2 (upper sixth) student Daniel Rasbash. This was part of an assessed piece for her Bedales Assessed Course (BAC), the school’s unique alternative to GCSEs. Students from Bedales Block 4 (Year 10) performed a piece to music by Danny Elfman, who wrote the musical score to ‘Planet of the Apes’. At the beginning of the choreographic process, Bedales Dance teacher Liz Richards asked the students to listen to the music and say the first words that came to them. Without knowing the music’s link with ‘Planet of the Apes’, the students used words such a ‘animalistic’, ‘tribal’ and ‘energetic’, words that later influenced the style of the dance.

Their performance at the Youth Dance Platform acted as a perfect public rehearsal for their next performance at an event in the school’s Theatre two days later, entitled ‘Bedales Dance Performs’, which featured choreography by students studying Dance at BAC and A Level. While performing they were also being examined by their teacher. The event gave the audience a chance to see budding and leading choreography and dance talent. Students had the opportunity to put their pieces in a professional setting and experience the thrill of a live performance.

The evening featured 17 performances, which coincidentally showcased dance styles inspired by several different cultures. Some students displayed elements of Kathak, Thai or ballet in their pieces, while others mixed contemporary with traditional, such as a street dance inspired by the story of Icarus in Greek mythology. Other pieces explored dances that were site specific, such as a film of a student dancing in woodland to represent winter. Milestones in history were portrayed in a piece entitled ‘Fallen Man’ showing the journey of men and women through WW2.

Keith Budge, Headmaster of Bedales Schools, said:

“The Bedales Assessed Course in Dance enables our students to push the boundaries in their interpretations of genres and this was very evident on stage in the high quality of the performances. The Youth Dance Platform is a wonderful example of young people sharing ideas and concepts. The event provides a glimpse into what we can expect from dancers in the future, which is why it is such a pleasure for us to host the event at Bedales. "

Contact
Bedales School
***@bedales.org.uk
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