The Guildhall Trust’s Dance Live! team has this week been hitting the road to bring a virtual edition of the popular dance competition for Schools and Colleges to fruition this summer.
Following an earlier decision that the in-person event at Portsmouth Guildhall, due to take place in March, would not be able to go ahead due to Covid restrictions, the Trust was determined that the show would go on and worked with teachers to agree a Covid safe option that ensured all was not lost for the young people who had already missed out on so much in the last year.
Taking an LED screen, backdrop, dance floor and filming equipment into each participating school and college, the team is recreating the Dance Live! stage for pupils to perform the routines they have been rehearsing remotely and in their bubbles as guidelines have dictated, which will then be recorded and brought together in a live streamed Dance Live! TV final available for all to view on Saturday 19th June.
Competing schools from across Portsmouth, Southampton, Dorset, West Sussex and Isle of Wight will all have their performances judged by a panel of industry professionals including Dance Live! Patron and Head Judge, Mark Smith, Founder & Artistic Director of Deaf Men Dancing.
Dance Live! Producer Cherry Lambert said, “It would have been easy to cancel events for this year but the compelling feedback we were getting from the young people and their teachers was that Dance Live! was giving them a key focus away from Covid with the opportunity to connect with each other, stay active and be creative at a time when most other activities had been suspended. Taking our set to all the participating schools and colleges across such a wide area with a rigorous set of Covid safety measures in place is not without its challenges, but now we are here, seeing the performances and the joy we have brought to the young people involved, it is all worth it!”
“Just wanted to say on behalf of everyone at Rowner a huge thank you to the Dance Live team – the kids were absolutely buzzing and we do not underestimate the work and time that has gone in to make it happen for them – so thank you.” – Rowner Junior School
“It brought me closer to my classmates. It taught me a new form of creativity. As the video editor in this project, Dance Live! was very challenging and I learned new skills in this field.” – Itchen Sixth Form Student
Businesses and organisations in the region have also given their support to ensure the initiative could go ahead including Hornpipe Theatre Company, Wightlink, Isle of Wight Ferries, Becketts of Southsea and returning sponsor, Wave 105 FM.
Wave 105 FM said, ““Wave 105 is the region’s market leading commercial radio station. We have enjoyed over 20 years of working in partnership with many businesses, events and organisations across the city and we are extremely proud to support Dance Live! 2021. Reflecting the culture, creativity and passion of the places we broadcast to is at our core and we are excited to be part of this inspirational event“.
Dance Live! will return to its normal format in 2022 with a socially distanced and digital launch event taking place at 5pm on Thursday 27th May, where interested schools, colleges and organisations can find out more. If you would like to attend the launch, virtually or in person, please contact [email protected] or 023 9387 0193 to secure your place.
Tickets for the Dance Live TV! digital final on 19th June will be on sale soon at: www.portsmouthguildhall.org.uk
