Local Dancers Perform At The Albert Hall

ArtEd students praised at Dance Proms show

Eighteen dance students from ArtsEd Youth Dance Company in Chiswick performed on stage at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the annual Dance Proms spectacular. The talented students joined over 400 of the worlds most talented young dancers on the iconic stage and performed a Contemporary number called The Club.

The evening was hosted by Ian Waite and the students shared the stage with five top dance guest acts, including The Royal Ballet’s Alexander Campbell and First Soloist Akane Takada and World Champions Tap Attack. The show culminated in a finale performance featuring all dancers and guest acts, in which the students thanked their dance teacher for his hard work.

Dance Proms was established to celebrate dance in all its forms and the unique relationship between students and their dance teachers. Dance Proms is managed by three of the UK’s leading dance organisations: the International Dance Teachers’ Association (IDTA), the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), together with Britain’s most iconic venue, the Royal Albert Hall working together in celebration of dance and inspiring creativity.

Artistic Director of ArtsED, Christopher Reynolds commented: ‘It has been fantastic to see ArtsEd Youth Dance Company performing at such a prestigious event. They have made me very proud as well as their school.’

The Royal Ballet’s First Soloist Akane Takada added: ‘We were delighted to be invited to take part in Dance Proms. It’s great to see such a variety of young talent on display all together. Having the opportunity to perform at the Royal Albert Hall is a unique experience that all the participants will cherish’.

Wayne Sleep, OBE, added: ‘Every year, I’m astounded by the talent of the Dance Proms youth company and the dedication and passion of their teachers. This year saw some incredible performances and it was a pleasure to watch these young stars enjoying their moment on the Royal Albert Hall stage. It’s so important that these students come together at Dance Proms, as not only does it allow them to see what their peers are creating, it is just a fabulous and very memorable opportunity! I was especially pleased to see so many boys taking part this year!’

Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Hauer was also in the audience. She said: ‘I was so impressed by the high standard of dancing I saw at Dance Proms. Every single one of the 400 dancers looked like they were having the time of their lives and you could see how much work and passion they put into their performances. It was great to see young dancers excelling in so many different genres, from ballet and tap to hip-hop and my personal area of expertise, ballroom! I think we witnessed some of the dance stars of tomorrow on the stage this year.’

November 15, 2014