Twinkletoes show will go on - but when? Dancers keeping busy in lockdown

Dancers from one of the Fylde Coast’s oldest and largest theatre schools have produced a moving video tribute to their friends and teachers during lockdown.
The costumes were all ready for the Twinkletoes show, which has been postponed due to the lockdownThe costumes were all ready for the Twinkletoes show, which has been postponed due to the lockdown
The costumes were all ready for the Twinkletoes show, which has been postponed due to the lockdown

Youngsters from the Elevate competition team at the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre responded to a challenge from their teachers to create their own dance video, keeping their dancing feet busy as they continue to prepare for their now-postponed show.

Each choreographed and filmed their own dance to a section of Andra Day’s Rise Up and performed in their gardens and living rooms. Footage was then stitched together by one of the parents.

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It opens with the words: “Spring 2020 we were parted. Our homes became our stage, but dance brought us together.

Teachers from the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts CentreTeachers from the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre
Teachers from the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre

Lorraine Hill, principal of the 65-year-old school which is based in Fleetwood, said: “The children have done an amazing job with the video.

“It’s such a beautiful showcase of their talent and it is a joy to watch.”

It is especially poignant as pupils from the school should have been wowing audiences with the bi-annual Twinkletoes show at the Winter Gardens over the Easter break.

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But the popular extravaganza, which last time featured more than 2,000 costume changes and dazzled around 3,200 people over five shows, had to be cancelled due to lockdown restrictions leaving the 350 dancers and their teachers devastated.

But that’s not stopping the talented tappers and beautiful ballerinas from keeping up with rehearsals and staying in touch with their friends.

Teachers are hosting lessons using the video conferencing app Zoom and encouraging youngsters to get creative with videos of their own.

Lorraine is fully supportive of the postponement due to the public health crisis. But she is also hugely impressed with how determined everyone is to get back on track as soon as lockdown ends.

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She said: “We have a cast of more than 350 disappointed youngsters who have been rehearsing for six months and who simply can’t wait to get back onto that stage.

“There’s no question of cancelling, the show absolutely will go on, it’s just a matter of when.

“In the meantime we’re focusing on exam practice using online sessions and doing as much show prep as we can.

“It’s not ideal obviously but the children are just getting on with it. I’m so proud of how they and their teachers have

adapted.”