Spellbinding St Mary’s Dance Showcase sees dancers shine

Parents, staff, and students gathered on 10 February 2022 to enjoy a dazzling performance by our Senior School and Sixth Form dancers and dance scholars. Following months of hard work by the girls and Dance Coordinator Miss Sasha Baldock, the audience were treated to an evening that celebrated many different dance disciplines and was filled with high kicks, fouttés, mudras, and split leaps.

Performances on the night were varied, many self-choreographed, and all reflecting each of the girl’s own dance styles and personalities. Millie M., Olivia S., and Sophia D., opened the night with an upbeat number with their version of Shine – Years on Years, followed by an equally emotional interpretation of Counting Stars by Leah F.

The tempo then picked up with boarding trio Jessica C., Trinity S., and Emily H. dancing to Steady Me which was had a hip hop vibe full of swagger.  Our Year 7 trio of Lauren A., Phillipa R., and Norah B. decided to keep the tempo upbeat and set the stage alight with a rousing and fun version of Dynamite! Lauren and Norah were then later joined by Eva G. to dance to Castles – a dance choreographed by Miss Baldock.  

Year 12’s Lucy D. came on to  Lute Variation, ACT 1 Raymonda and Elizabeth R., and Lily F. then did a beautiful duo in contrasting black and white costumes, interpreting Rome with maturity and depth.

Neha K., then dazzled the audience, in a costume that took her a staggering 90 minutes to put on, with her interpretation of Alarippu a dance which suggests the blossoming of both dance and dancer, followed by a floaty. elegant and considered performance by Solveig S. to John Rutter’s Prelude - Suite Antique, that transported the audience into a secret garden setting. Hayley C., Kaylie I., Yan X-T., Adeola A. & Samskriti then took the tempo back up with a pop style version of Dance the Night Away.

In the final part of the evening, Year 9 Dance Scholar Izzy A. captivated the audience with a stunning and emotive, self-choreographed lyrical performance of Favourite Crime, followed swiftly by Year 12’s Holly M, Lucy D. and Sophie S. who danced a perfectly coordinated trio Easy on Me, and an equally impressive quartet with Year 11’s Catherine J., Nancy H., Rennie Y., and Abby C. to Dalla Dalla – a funky, electropop style dance. Last, but certainly not least, to end the night on a high, Elizabeth R. and Niamh B. from Year 10 danced out to Just got paid which had the whole audience moving in their seats!

Louise Powell, Director of Sport at St Mary’s School, Cambridge, said:

“Our specialist Dance Coordinator, Miss Baldock, oversees dance classes for girls from our Junior School up to our Sixth Form, in a variety of styles, including tap, ballet and lyrical. She is also responsible for supporting our Dance Scholars and ensuring they help promote opportunities for girls across the school to be involved in the performing arts. I was so impressed with all the girls on the night, and particularly with all the hard work and dedication they have shown to get to a point of putting on a show of such an exceptionally high standard. Well done everyone!”

Dance is an important part of life at St Mary’s. With a bespoke dance studio in our Sixth Form, a dedicated sound and light technician, and a full-size stage with professional lighting and sound to ensure the highest-quality performances, a biennial dance showcase and musical production and Dance GCSE available as an extra-curricular programme, St Mary’s is the perfect place for any budding dancer to pursue their dancing career alongside their studies, supported, of course, by one of the excellent local dance schools, attended by so many of our students, for their graded and vocational lessons.

See a gallery of images from the evening here.

Find out more about Dance at St Mary’s School, Cambridge.