Show Term

This is dance show term for the girls - all three of them! - and with dance mania ruling in this household they are taking part in a grand total of thirteen dances between them. The usual format of their school show is to have a very tenuous plot running through with small snippets of drama between dances, which allows for a mix of dance styles and themes. This time the premise is that something (or someone?) has to be rescued from an evil doctor and his "room of secrets". The darker themes fall to the older kids, while the younger ones get the lighter, pretty stuff (fairies, butterflies and so on).

This time round the themes for the girls' dances are:

• Tribal voodoo (Angel, jazz)
• Angels and demons (Angel, ballet)
• Flowers (Angel, pointe ballet)
• Prisoners (Angel, modern - they have to dance this one in handcuffs, which is a challenge!)
• Gargoyles (Star, contemporary)
• Wild animals (Star, modern)
• Street thieves (Star, jazz)
• Fire and light (Star, ballet)
• Mad scientists (Star, tap)
• Snowflakes (Cherub, ballet)
• Mice (Cherub, modern and tap)

That should make for an interesting set of costumes. Angel, as a senior, will also take part in the opening dance and the finale, which don't have any particular theme. The running order has its challenges, with some very quick changes. Also Cherub's snowflakes are dancing immediately after Angel's tribal voodoo group - I have visions of anxious four year olds being trampled by large and scary looking teenagers hurtling around the wings (their teacher tends to choreograph in entrances and exits with very tight timing) and alarmed by eerie lighting effects. Not quite sure how they will get round that one!