DANCEWORLD CELEBRATES 42 YEARS 

1.       Who doesn’t love a good Panto?  Our students have performed in so many over the years, at the Towngate Theatre, Basildon, Thameside Theatre, Thurrock, The Cliffs at Southend and at the Barking theatre.

2.       Basildon Council call on us for many performances, ranging from backing dancers for Stars In Their Eyes, celebrations in the Eastgate Centre, to Flash mobs outside in the Town Square.

3.       Our students also support many local charities and have performed for St. Luke’s Hospice, Karis May Foundation, local schools, fetes and fundraising charities.

4.       Strictly Come Dancing came to Basildon for several consecutive years and we provided dancers for these shows every year.  The students really enjoyed dancing with all the Strictly celebs!

5.       If you’ve every been to the Ideal Home Exhibition you will know what a great advertising platform that is, and we were delighted to be asked to put on our own mini show to promote fitness and health in young people.

6.       In London, the Barbican Centre is home to great exhibitions of all the arts, and we have been delighted to perform here, and give lectures on dance to other schools and their students.

7.       One of our most exciting shows was performed in Disneyland, Paris, where we stayed for a few days and put on our show in one of their wonderful theatres.  A great time was had by all, and we should have been there again this August but sadly this has had to be postponed until next August.  We are really looking forward to returning to Paris to perform once again.

8.       Last year our dancers performed live at Cineworld in Basildon, preceding the showing of 42nd Street, and also made a promotional film for Cineworld for which we had a private showing.

9.       In 2019 the BATD held their Conference in London, and we were thrilled to perform in the evening cabaret, which had a theme of West End shows.  Our tappers opened the show to rapturous applause. 

10.   The BATD (British Association of Teachers of Dancing) is one of our main examining boards, and through their examinations students with outstandingly high results are put forward for their annual scholarships, which are held all over England and Scotland.  We are proud to say that we have had hundreds of students put forward and have been successful in winning the scholarships too.  What an amazing achievement, from thousands of children all over the British Isles to be in the top set, getting into the top 6, and to win the trophies.  Amazing!

11.   The British Arts is another association that we belong to, and the competition that they run is entered by students from all over the world, not just England.  Again, over the years, we have won so many awards, best solos, duets, groups, all round performers and Best Shows.

12.   We also enter other local competitions and festivals and are very successful in winning so many medals and trophies.  Additional awards have been given to highest marks in section, highest marks in festival, best boys, best girls, best choreography – the list goes on.  Well done everyone, students and teachers.  We are grateful for your hard work, and the kudos that you bring to Danceworld.

13.   Have you ever been to the Lord Mayor’s show in London? If you have you might have seen us there too.  Our students formed part of a huge dance parade in aid of the Jack Petchey fund.

14.   The SEEA awards are quite new to us but already we have been successful in being awarded Best Choreography, Best Dance Troupe, Best Female Dancer and more. 

15.   In 2015 Danceworld was the winner of the Countywide Business Awards, which was presented at the Cliffs in Southend.  We were put forward for Leisure and Tourism and was up against some big companies, so were delighted when we won.  This was run by Newsquest.

16.   This year we have been shortlisted for a Lifetime Achievement Award which was to be held in May, but again has had to be postponed, therefore this is still pending.  We will let you know the outcome.

17.   We have great training facilities here for teachers, and have trained hundreds of teachers throughout the years.  Teaching qualifications can be taken in all dance genres, plus drama.  We are happy to see so many of our former students teaching and becoming choreographers in their professional careers. 

18.   Former students have also formed their own management companies, and are busy touring with their shows all over the world.

19.   Now for the performers, exactly where do we start? Young dancers have worked with the English Youth Ballet on several occasions, plus Samuel Larsen has recently worked with Matthew Bournes’s New Adventures Dance Company, London Children’s Ballet Company – their production of Ballet Shoes was also shown on BBC. Older students have danced all over Europe, on cruise ships and in the Far East.

20.   Jamie Golding -TV shows including Grange Hill and Dodgem, progressing to leading parts in top shows such as Starlight Express, The Jersey Boys and The Lion King.

21.   Joanna Bristoe has performed all over Europe, starring in such shows as Jekyll and Hyde in Bremmen, Germany.

22.   Anthony and Simon Bristoe made a video for one of Pink Floyds major albums, and other students have made videos for bands such as 1975.

23.   We have seen many of our children on TV advertisements.  Joshua Stanford was one of these children, and he also performed with Isabella Reid in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Cliffs, Southend. Isabella was also recently voted best girl dancer in her age group.

24.   Rochelle Wyatt has been working hard in Matilda and was given an extended contract on this production.  She has also played alongside Sharon Osborne in Nativity the Musical.

25.   Two of our Patrons were trained here at Danceworld from a very young age, and have gone on to appear in most of the shows you’ve probably ever seen.  Tim Newman has his own dance college in Brighton which he started with his wife Kate (another of our Patrons) and another dancing husband and wife team.  Their college is rated one of the best in the country, and we are so proud to see this development from performer to Principal of an excellent performing college.  Amy West has just recently finished a tour of Annie, where she was also the Assistant Choreographer.  She is waiting patiently to go into Hairspray which again has been held up because of Covid19, but in the mean time she is teaching for us here at Danceworld.  Think of all the knowledge and experience she is passing on.  A great bonus for our students.

26.   We have guest lecturers who run workshops for our students both at the Studios and in London, and they have had some wonderful masterclasses from the masters themselves.  Priceless for the young aspiring dancers, actors and singers.

27.   Some information about our teachers here at Danceworld.  Most of them have been through their own training with Danceworld, either from a very young age, or maybe later on when they joined us.  All of Danceworld’s teachers have won championships themselves over the years, in all styles of dance, and singing and drama.  Other teachers who have joined the Danceworld team have been welcomed into the family, each of them bringing their own talents, qualifications and theatrical experiences.  Together we work as a team to give our students the best tuition available.

28. Rochelle in the film Matilda from Netflix , this will be out late 2022

29. Danceworld won Best show and Costume display from The British Arts Awards , this was across all regions.

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE LIST OF SHOWS , COMMERCIALS ,FILMS AND MUSIC VIDEOS OUR PAST AND PRESENT STUDENTS HAVE BEEN IN