A world of dance culture

Members of Jay-Em Studios, Chorley, in costume that they will wear for their part in Let The World Dance at the Charter Theatre, Preston

The school is staging its bi-annual showcase at Preston’s Charter Theatre tomorrow and Sunday – and, this year, culture is the inspiration.

Around 160 pupils will be performing an incredible 35 dance pieces, inspired by cultures of all kinds, including Chinese ballet, Italian, Indian and Swedish traditional dances – and even those of fantasy worlds, Narnia and Pandora.

And there is a fascinating and intimate look at the world of an autistic child, choreographed by a pupil at the school with the condition.

All the 160 stars come together for a show-stopping finale choreographed to Take That’s smash hit, Rule the World.

Jay-Em’s principal Julia Heeks, said: “We always have a theme – and, this time, one of the senior pupils suggested “culture”.

“That set us off thinking about different cultures in the world. We have got dances from India, from Italy, from Sweden, based on traditional dances from those countries.

“The Narnia piece, we performed at Blackpool at the Opera House back in December. And one of our girls has just done her GCSE, and for that, you have to choreograph a piece and she wanted to do it on autism.

“So she has created a piece with five other students on how she feels as an autistic person and what’s going on inside her head. It gives us quite an insight into why she sometimes reacts the way she does in certain circumstances.”

The opening show goes ahead on Saturday night at 7pm with a matinee on Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are £8.50 or £5 concessions on 0845 344 2012.