Moray dancers taste big stage during London trip
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NORTH east dancers delivered a show-stopping West End performance as part of a whistle-stop London tour.
The Jessiman Dance School, based in Huntly, brought talented dancers from across the region to Britain's top entertainment centre earlier this month.
Dancers from Huntly, Keith, Aberchirder, Turriff and Fochabers made the trip, where they performed as part of agency Class Talent's 10th Anniversary Show at His Majesty's Theatre, London.
The 1161 seater venue, the home of Phantom of the Opera since 1986, played host to the 15-strong team from the Jessiman School of Dance.
However the talented north east dancers are no stranger to the West End, with their Sunday, June 11 performance the school's eighth West End performance.
Aged 8 and upwards, the dancers rehearsed for six weeks in the run up to the show.
Dance teacher Patricia Ann Raeburn said: "I was delighted with how the whole day and performance went, and how the girls coped with the long day and night.
"They adapted to performing on such a huge stage and were all a credit to their families, who had supported them in getting down to London.
"The dancers gained so much in the run up to the event and during the performance – all skills they can take forward and lots of memories for them in the future.
"It is great for them to see behind the scenes at a theatre and everything that goes on.
"They all did really well in the heat during the mini heatwave that was ongoing in London."
The Jessiman girls performed two six minute choreographed routines on the big stage.
For nine of the group it was their first time dancing on a London West End stage, while six had performed a number of times before.
After a warm up with West End star Gary Watson and a full dress rehearsal in the afternoon, the Huntly dance school opened the evening performance with first dance Red Reels Round.
Incorporating jig, highland, national and ballet into the choreography, the performance was met by huge applause from the audience according to Ms Raeburn.
For their second dance, the girls had another prestigious placing as the penultimate act of the second half.
Putting their all into piece The Pipe Set, the dancers were joined by piper Gordon Raeburn who played new pipe tune King Charles III.
The dance began with a broadswords over ribbons of blue and white that then created a saltire before moving to a mix of national, highland and ballet steps, which the crowd "loved", Ms Raeburn said.
After a change into their finale uniform behind the stage, the dancers joined the other performers for a final bow, followed by all the teachers.
Following the show, organisers and audience commented positively on the variety, complexity, patterns and lines used throughout the routines.
There were 200 dancers, in total, from nine other dance and performance groups from England and the Isle of Wight taking part in the show.
Also in the audience were the patrons of Class Talent Edward Watson MBE, the former principal dancer at Royal Ballet, and actress Julie Peasegood.
The girls and their families had a busy but delightful weekend catching the sights of London and were even lucky that it was the rehearsal for Trooping if the Colour with Prince William in attendance.
