Spellbinding Dance Showcase sees performances back with a bang at St Mary’s

Following months of preparation and hard work, parents, staff and students at St Mary’s School in Cambridge were treated to an evening of dazzling dance performances from Senior School and Sixth Form dance students and scholars – marking a return to live visual performances for the school.

The Dance Showcase was held just before the February half term and celebrated many different dance disciplines. The evening was filled with high kicks, fouttés, mudras and split leaps and the student performances were varied with many self-choreographed pieces – all of which reflected each pupil’s own dance styles and personalities.

The show opened with three Year 10 students delivering an upbeat performance of their version of Shine – Years on Years. This was followed by an emotionally charged interpretation of Counting Stars by a Year 11 student. The tempo then increased with a trio of boarding students from Year 9 dancing to Steady Me. Three Year 7 students then treated guests to a rousing and fun version of Dynamite! followed by a dance choreographed by the school’s specialist Dance Coordinator Miss Baldock, which was set to Castles.

Further performances included:

• Year 12 students setting the stage alight to Lute Variation, ACT 1 Raymonda
• A mature interpretation of Rome from two Year 10 pupils wearing black and white costumes
• A staggering interpretation of Alarippu from a year 10 pupil
• An elegant and considered performance to John Rutter’s Prelude – Suite Antique from a Year 9 student
• An upbeat pop style version of Dance the Night Away by a group of Year 8 pupils.

To conclude the evening:

• A Year 9 Dance Scholar captivated the audience with a stunning and emotive, self-choreographed lyrical performance of Favourite Crime
• Year 12’s delivered a perfectly coordinated routine to Easy on Me
• Year 11’s danced to Dalla Dalla – a funky, electropop style dance
• Year 10’s danced to Just got paid, getting the whole audience moving in their seats.

Louise Powell, Director of Sport at St Mary’s School, Cambridge, said:

“Our specialist Dance Coordinator, Miss Baldock, oversees dance classes for girls from our Junior School up to our Sixth Form, in a variety of styles, including tap, ballet and lyrical. She is also responsible for supporting our Dance Scholars and ensuring they help promote opportunities for girls across the school to be involved in the performing arts. I was so impressed with all of the girls on the night. You could easily see all of the hard work and dedication they have shown to get to the point of putting on a show of such an exceptionally high standard. Well done everyone!”

Dance is an important part of life at St Mary’s School. With a bespoke dance studio in the Sixth Form; a dedicated sound and light technician; a full-size stage with professional lighting and sound; a biennial dance showcase and musical production; and GCSE Dance available as an extra-curricular programme, St Mary’s is the ideal setting for any budding dancer to pursue their dancing career, alongside their studies, with the support of the local dance schools that many St Mary’s students attend for their graded and vocational lessons.