Students dance their jazz shoes off! (click image to enlarge)
Jazz fever hit the Keay Theatre this week when two groups of Dance students from Cornwall College St Austell raised the temperature on a cold, wet, winter evening.
The two groups, who are currently studying Dance BTEC Extended Diploma, performed to an enthusiastic audience filled with family and friends on Wednesday 22nd February. Students from both the first and second year performed individual, unique, modern, sassy pieces that both the teachers and parents were proud of.
On their courses the students work through an integrated curriculum recreating the experience of working as a professional company. This term’s project has been focused toward the Jazz style of dance and students have created two non-stop pieces of explosive performance based on the film Fame and a Beyoncé medley.
Jessica Leonard-Streeter, Head of Dance and choreographer of the Beyoncé creation, commented: “I am so proud of the dance students. They have worked continuously in developing their technique and their performance skills to create what I believe to be two professional jazz performances. It was truly an outstanding night with the audience leaving buzzing and discussing the awe inspiring work.”
Both performances lasted around half an hour and were extremely challenging for the dancers. One of the highlights of the night for the crowd was when the second year students performed to a very well-known Beyoncé track Single Ladies. Creating a bit of a twist and bringing some unique choreography to the energetic routine, the lead female dancer Tickara Stewart was supported by two males Oliver Clarke and Dean Jeffery.
Dean, second year student from Bodmin, said: “It was so much fun putting our own spin on the famous dance, having two men supporting the lead dancer meant we could try a few different moves and change the dynamic of the piece.”
Bryony Hutchings, also in her second year, from St Austell explained: “‘It felt like being a backing dancer for Beyoncé and I feel yet another step closer to my dreams.”
Dave Linnell, Principal of Cornwall College, said: “Our performing arts department has state-of-art facilities and for the students to be able to perform on a professional stage to friends and family is a great experience for them. Our tutors challenged them to think outside of college life and their course and to work professionally together, the end result showed that this really worked.”
