The Royal Festival Hall was the prestigious venue for Uxbridge College students to dance in a show featuring a huge audience of around 2,000.
Step LIVE! was the end-of-year showcase for Step into Dance, a year-round programme of dance opportunities for young people from London and Essex. Step LIVE! involved young people from 70 schools, but only a small number of them, including students from Uxbridge College, took part in the public evening show at the venue on London’s Southbank.
The group of 11 College students danced to the song ‘Happy’ by C2C (feat. Derek Martin) in a piece choreographed by their teacher Ana Borges, as part of the show featuring half a dozen schools and the four official Step into Dance youth companies. The performance followed an afternoon of dance workshops for all the participants.
Chrissie Viney, Dance and Drama Lecturer at Uxbridge College, said: “The students worked with Ana over the year in Urban Dance classes, and in addition to the Step into Dance competition and show also worked on other pieces with her for college shows and assessments. We were delighted that they had the opportunity to perform on the Royal Festival Hall stage and it was the perfect send off for our second year students who are moving on to Higher Education and Apprenticeships in September.”
The dancers from the College included seven first years on the UAL Level 3 Diploma in Performing and Production Arts (Dance) course, and four second years on the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts (Dance).
The courses enable students to complete a nationally recognised qualification and go on to Higher Education, Apprenticeships or into work.
Step into Dance is a partnership between the Jack Petchey Foundation and the Royal Academy of Dance providing dance opportunities to young people.
For photos from the event see https://www.facebook.com/pg/uxbridgecollege/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155449205315283