Performances to be screened as an evening of Dance Live! TV
Determined that the show will go on for young people this year, The Guildhall Trust is taking its hugely popular dance competition event for schools and colleges, Dance Live! on the road to record pupil’s performances and then screen them as an evening of Dance Live! TV.
Liaising closely with the schools and colleges that were registered to perform in the competition’s heats in March and finals in April at Portsmouth Guildhall, the Dance Live! team has worked to secure an option that meets the challenges posed by Covid-19 restrictions whilst ensuring the event can still go ahead for the young people who have already missed out on so much over the last year.
The plan to take an LED screen, backdrop, dance floor and filming equipment into each school or college at the end of May (when hopefully restrictions will allow) will give participants the opportunity to record their performances within their bubbles and produce their ‘Journey to Dance Live!’ and ‘Screen Content’ videos as planned, which will then be judged and brought together to be live streamed in a final for all to see in early June.
Dance Live! Producer Cherry Lambert said, “It would have been easy to cancel our events for this year, but we know how much work teachers and their pupils have put into preparing their performances and adapting to the changing Covid guidelines since September, so we really wanted to find a safe way for the event to happen and not be another disappointment! We are putting extensive plans in place to minimise any contact or risk in visiting schools with the option of settings recording their own performances if necessary”.
Candice Doughty, a teacher at Mayville High School said, “Considering the challenges over the last year, it is fantastic for our pupils to have such a wonderful experience to look forward to. The team spirit that Dance Live! provides is a welcome break from the solitude that Covid has inflicted. Performing arts is a vital form of expression for all and is a very positive platform for improving motivation, with the physical and creative aspects beneficial for mental health. We are very excited to welcome the Dance Live! team to Mayville”.
The following comments were made by participating Year 6 pupils at Rowner Junior School:
“I am glad that I am a part of Dance Live! It makes me feel like all my worries just disappear. It brings me happiness when we can just have fun and pretend for a while that bad things don’t exist”
“I find when I am dancing, I’m in the zone and it’s fun. it is very involving, everyone joins in, it just clears my mind”
“I’m glad to take part because it loses my worries about lockdown”
“The happiest time of my day is Dance Live!”
Local businesses have been approached by the charitable Guildhall Trust to support the initiative and help reduce the costs of participation for young people.
Dance Live! Creative Producer, Benjamin Clabon said, “The charitable Guildhall Trust is looking for contributions of £150 from local businesses that want to support young people in our community. We know it’s been a tough year for most businesses, but we hope that by coming together we can meet the increased costs associated with filming on location and reduce the costs to the young people participating and give them something positive to look forward to this year. Please get in touch with me on the contact details below if you would like to help make it happen!”
It is anticipated that Dance Live! will return to its normal format in 2022 with expressions of interest likely to open shortly after the Dance Live! TV final in the summer term.
Schools and colleges that would like to know more or are considering participating in future years can find out more here or can get in touch at: dancelive@portsmouthguildhall.org.uk or 023 9387 0193.