The O events are a marvellous vehicle to showcase the dancing and creative talent of the region’s dance and performing arts groups.
This year’s programme continues at the Regent Theatre until February 11th and, with the subtitle of Our Planet channels the energies of our young people as they are able to express their concerns for Planet Earth and their own mindfulness through the medium of dance and movement.
Hosted by the City’s own star performer Caroline Sherratt and with a beautifully visual performance from the Regent Theatre Academy to begin proceedings, the stage was set for the local groups to strut their stuff in highly entertaining fashion for the rest of the evening.
Sandy Lane Dancers got the show off to a punchy start with Elements on Fire choreographed by Olivia Corden and Eli Kara. The dance studio runs alongside a charity that helps with the costs of being a member of the group meaning that all local youngsters have the chance to participate regardless of circumstances. The organisers should feel proud of how wisely their money has been spent as the performers created lovely images of tight choreography. It is never easy to kick off a show but this group famously filled their role.
Next up were Danceline which gives performing opportunities to 6 to 14 year olds and the younger element were given their chance to shine in a thought-provoking piece of movement. Entitled Uplifting and choreographed by Rebecca Jones the performance highlighted the need for communication to overcome the mental health issues and stigmas faced by our youth. The lead dancer performed admirably in a dance set where she was very well supported by some acrobatic moves by her fellow dancers.
Act 1 concluded with a wide-ranging performance by Rooftop Studios that continued after the interval to move the audience into Act 2. This group chose the topic Mother Nature and with the guidance of Antonia Hayley Bennett, Chloe Oakley and Verity Caddy produced an act that represented the four elements of nature. The students chose their own music and how to interpret it and the performance showed that those involved were proud to own the outcome. A beautifully graceful opening scene showed off the costumes to great effect but the performance soon turned edgier and the cast was able to show its talent through a range of musical genres.
Abbey Hill College and Helping Angels Indi Club captured the joy that can be gained by being involved in dance. Their piece was called Our Wonderful Planet and – guided by Angela Beardmore and Megan Baddeley – they owned the stage and captivated an appreciative audience as they boogied their way through a medley of disco hits. The beaming smiles on the performers’ faces were more than matched by the onlookers.
The penultimate act was Stagecoach Uttoxeter whose performance was supervised by Sophie Toft and Lucy Palmer. They chose the subject of Fantastic Forests and the group of 4 to 16-year olds performed with energy and sophistication as the routine progressed. There was a very good use of props to begin the sequence and costumes were well-designed. This was a fast-paced performance with the younger element being delightfully involved and the finale of a reverse conga involving the whole troupe will linger long in the memory.
The show was closed by a piece called Elemental performed by Blythe Bridge High School and Sixth Form College. Aaliyah Chamberlain-Keeling and Paige Reason assisted teacher Miss Housley in producing a haunting performance that contained many sinuous sensual moves that were punctuated by a delightful Latin section. This group have been in huge demand to perform in the area and it is easy to see why.
This was a night of pure joy. It was an honour to be a member of an audience captivated by young people who conquered their fears and disabilities to produce an evening of entertainment that was the perfect antidote to the troubles in the wider world.
O23 continues with different performing arts groups until Saturday 11th February, For ticket information contact atgtickets.com/stoke
