The Mamma Mia workshop on day one of Junior Summer School set the tone for the rest of the week - high spirits, endless energy and Abba on repeat! From classical ballet to contemporary, jazz and musical theatre, Fiona Chadwick brought together a wonderful mix of dance professionals to inspire our dancers throughout the week. New friendships were quickly made as they enthusiastically chatted about their classes, cartwheeled around the playground at lunchtime and practiced steps they had learnt together during breaks. Mid-week they were mesmerized by a stunning English National Ballet demonstration and were bursting with questions for the renowned dancers at the end. They formed a true Company in their rendition of Swan Lake and even attempted the Firebird’s stage make-up on each other (lots of make-up wipes needed!) To mark the end of a special week, the dancers showcased their new routines to proud parents and teachers on the final day.

Senior Summer School saw a reprise of Nanny McPhee, her corps of sparkly magic dust and the naughty Brown children. The dancers arrived looking forward to learning choreography from this year’s ballet, wearing the original costumes and working towards touring in the community. The dancers were also treated to a challenging choreographic workshop from Joseph and an exciting workshop from The Pajama Game. The week culminated in a beautiful performance to parents and four magical performances to elderly residents in local care homes, including LCB’s 7th annual tour to the Kensington Day Centre.

Louise Mangroo