Organisers delighted at response from Portsmouth schools and colleges as registration opens for Dance Live 2022

With official registration for Dance Live 2022 now open, The Guildhall Trust was flooded with entries as 26 schools and colleges signed up within 24 hours.

A successful launch event was attended by almost 100 people in person and via Zoom, with dancers excited to get involved for another year’s competition.

In 2020, 39 schools and colleges participated in the heats of the event before the final and 2021 events were forced online due to Covid-19.

Organisers are set to expand the event in 2022, with up to 4,500 young people from up to 90 schools anticipated to take part at the Portsmouth Guildhall.

Cherry Lambert, producer of Dance Live, said: ‘The response to the opening of registration for Dance Live! Portsmouth 2022 has been amazing! We know there is a lot of interest out there and we are expecting about 90 schools to sign up for our Portsmouth event next year.

‘We are not restricting the numbers that can register as we want as many young people as possible to experience this fantastic opportunity, but we do encourage schools and colleges to register as soon as they can to aid our planning.

‘The future for Dance Live is looking incredibly bright and I’m excited to see the event’s development over the next year.’

Routines are choreographed to the backdrop of a giant LED screen, with pupils from Key Stage Two through to further education showcasing a range of skills from dance and performance to off-stage technical skills and creative design.

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For Dance Live 2022, the team will also be launching a Dance for Film Solo Platform to give 16 to 18 year olds an insight into creating dance for the camera, delivering school holiday enrichment activities, developing volunteer and placement opportunities.

Organisers will be encouraging increased participation amongst boys and special educational needs and disabilities schools.

Following interest from throughout the country Dance Live! is also looking to expand to new areas and launch a Studio Edition for dance schools, studios and youth dance companies.

Registration is open until 5pm on September 24. Visit portsmouthguildhall.org.uk/get-involved/schools-colleges/dance-live for more or phone (023) 9387 0193.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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