West Lakes Academy have scooped first place at a new regional dance competition.
The academy’s team made up of 56 performers and crew from year seven to 13 travelled to Sheffield to compete against other schools and colleges in the first northern Dance Live! event.
The Egremont-based academy performed a seven minute piece under the title ‘Sacrifice to the Blood Moon’.
The dance follows travellers who take refuge in a community after a natural disaster – but the community, full of ‘moon worshippers’ believe the travellers have brought bad luck and go on to choose to sacrifice someone to save themselves.
Judges awarded the academy first place naming them the Dance Live! Northern Champions of 2023. The team also scooped awards for costume and video journey.
West Lakes Academy teacher, Jenny Whitaker commented: “As always our students perform with such professionalism and I couldn’t be prouder of them. This year meant a lot to so many of our students as this piece was actually created for another event in 2020.
“Unfortunately this was cancelled due to Covid so to re-do this was so special. We cannot wait to start planning for our 2024 entry.”
Dance Live! is a dance event for schools and colleges brought to the public by The Guildhall Trust.
With a focus on raising aspirations, strengthening health and wellbeing and developing skills for creative career choices, Dance Live! also delivers a range of supportive workshop opportunities for schools.
The competition sees those in KS2-4 and Further Education compete with a choreographed, seven-minute, dance routine, set to the backdrop of a large digital screen, which they also create the content for. Pupils showcase a range of skills from dance, performance and off-stage technical skills to creative design.
