Dance Live!

Dance Live! is an exciting dance event for schools and colleges brought to you by The Guildhall Trust.

Dance Live!

Dance Live! is an exciting dance event for schools and colleges brought to you by The Guildhall Trust.

Embracing an ever-evolving digital world and how this is changing the face of modern performance, Dance Live! sees those in KS2-4 and Further Education compete with choreographed routines to the backdrop of a giant digital screen with pupils showcasing a range of skills from dance, performance and off-stage technical skills to creative design.

With a focus on raising aspirations and developing skills for creative career choices, Dance Live! also delivers a range of supportive workshop opportunities for schools.

Following the overwhelming success of Dance Live! we are now also pleased to launch Dance Live – Studio Edition, for dance schools, studios and youth dance companies. Head to the Studio Edition page for more details of this event.

® Dance Live! is a registered trade mark of The Guildhall Trust

Dance Live! Portsmouth 2023

Expression of interest for Dance Live! Portsmouth 2023 is now open!

Express Interest for Dance Live! Portsmouth 2023

Express interest for your School or College to compete in Dance Live! 2023 here!

Over 4,000 pupils from 68 schools and colleges, from as far away as Cumbria, have registered for our Dance Live! Portsmouth 2022 event and a further event that has been added in Poole due to the overwhelming success. With high levels of interest across the country, further locations are set to be added in 2023.

To find out more about the Dance Live! Portsmouth event, please read our Dance Live! 2022 Information Pack.

There is no financial commitment at the point of registering. Please don’t hesitate to contact the Dance Live! Team if you have any queries.

Dance Live! 2021 Judges

Check out the judges line-up for this year’s online TV format of the popular, annual Dance competition for schools and colleges below.

Mark Smith

Head Judge

Dance Live’s first Patron and Head Judge, Mark Smith, is a Choreographer, Movement Director, Dance Teacher, Workshop Leader and Director, Founder and Artistic Director of Deaf Men Dancing, Patron for The Imperial Society of Teachers and Dancing (ISTD) and was nominated as Best Choreographer in the Off-West End Awards and the Broadway World UK Awards for Ace of Clubs, Call Me Madam & Iolanthe and Live Theatre & British Theatre for Tommy.

Sally Garner-Gibbons

Stage Manager and Lecturer in Technical Theatre Studies, Sally Garner-Gibbons has worked in West End and regional theatres throughout the UK and has held the position of Company and Stage Manager at Chichester Festival Theatre for over 25 years. Sally enjoys her work in Production Arts education where she trains the next generation of theatre technicians in lighting, sound and stagecraft.

Jamie Kluckers

Technical Consultant for Stage Electrics, Jamie Kluckers, trained in Production at Guildford School of Acting and has worked in the industry as a Production Manager, Technical Manager and Stage Manager with theatre credits including the Olivier award-winning Showstoppers (Apollo), Uncle Vantage and Three Sisters (Wyndham’s Theatre) and Guys & Dolls and Gypsy (Chichester Festival Theatre).

Ben Derham

New to the judging team for this year is professional Dancer, Ben Derham. A graduate of The Royal Ballet School and Bird College, Ben has danced internationally for music videos, film, TV and on stage with his credits including Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures’ World Premiere production of Romeo and Juliet, Christmas on Ice Niagara Falls and London Musical Theatre Orchestra’s ‘Mack and Mabel’.

Dance Live! is expanding...

Express Your Interest Today!

Want Dance Live! to come to a town or city near you?

Following interest from schools and colleges up and down the country we are looking to expand Dance Live! to new areas so that even more young people can experience the benefits of this exciting competition.

To find out more Dance Live! please take a look at our brochure or watch our video below.

We are now asking Schools and Colleges across the country to formally give an Expression of Interest so we can determine if there is enough interest in your area to proceed with events.

An Expression of Interest is an indication of your intent, not a binding agreement to participate. If enough interest is received for your area, we will confirm events and open a formal registration process.

Express Your Interest Here!

Please read the Information Pack before Expressing your Interest so you have a good understanding of the requirements of the event.

New To Dance Live?

If you haven't heard of Dance Live! before, or want to know more about our brilliant event, you can watch our video below or download our 'Introduction to Dance Live!' e-resource, available here.