Toy Stories Dance Showcase

This year’s Dance Showcase was set in Betty’s bedroom, where her imagination takes her and her favourite toys off on adventures. As Betty sleeps, her toys spring into action to have some fun of their own!

The narrative was threaded throughout the show, performed wonderfully by Reception, Year 1, and Year 2. Their creative dances included traditional toys such as Jack in the boxes bursting out of their boxes, cuddly teddy bears and floppy ragdolls, toy soldiers with a street dance vibe, and the ballet classes brought wind up dolls on a music box and graceful flower fairies to the stage! Our set, created by our brilliant theatre tech team, included a huge glittery silver crescent moon which hung over the charming bedroom below.

Toy Stories included guest appearances from pupils in Years 5-8. The newly formed boys Propulsion Dance Company have been committed, enthusiastic and hardworking and certainly earned a spot performing their dance inspired by toy planes. Betty was danced beautifully by Year 6 pupil Emily C-R, who was onstage throughout the show. This added to the children’s excitement, as they didn’t want to wake her up!

In addition, it was superb to incorporate dances by pupils who took on this year’s Dance Challenge. Running for the second year, the idea of the challenge is to encourage pupils to work on their own pieces, developing their ideas and skills in keeping with the theme and providing an opportunity to showcase them. Their toys included more modern favourites such as Barbie and Robots, Racing Cars, and a cowgirl.

It was a brilliant team effort with choreography and costumes by teachers Zoe Thompson and Caroline Ticktum and support from Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 Teachers, TAs, Nicola Dominy, Izzy Beardsall. There was a fantastic buzz of excitement backstage, and everyone danced their hearts out onstage, to rapturous applause and glowing feedback from our audiences.

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