END OF YEAR PERFORMANCE
Every year at the College of Dance there are always so many highlights. It is hard to pick a single event as the main highlight, but if we had to, then the end of year performances would certainly be it. In terms three the focus moves onto preparing for our annual performances. This is a critical part of each student’s education as it helps them understand how to prepare for their future professional careers. How a working, professional studio runs. How to manage pre-show rehearsals, prepare for live performances and all round theatre etiquette.
Not only is this a vital part of each student’s education, it is a fantastic time for familes, friends and everyone connected to the College of Dance as they see the progression each student has made and witness exciting and enthralling performances. The show includes ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, commerical, singing & musical theatre. There are a number of original works of choreography as well as student’s solos.
The end of year performances are also a brilliant celebration of the College of Dance’s mission of developing Ireland’s leading trainee dancers and performance artists. This exciting time for both the students, faculty and everyone connected with the College, while being hard work, is such fun for everyone involved.
FANTASTIC TEAM EFFORT
Like with any professional theatre performance, there is a team of key people that work tirelessly to ensure that performances are as smooth as possible. From the students, who are always such as credit to the College of Dance to the fantastic faculty, it is their hard work which enables such a fantastic event. There is also a wider group of key back stage, administrative, lighting, sounds and event management personel that we rely on. To all of these people we thank you for all of your support, help and love. The end of year performance is very much a team effort from everyone in the College of Dance family.
SENSATIONAL PERFORMANCE
On the 22nd May 2019, the College’s moved into the Mill Theatre, Dundrum. The first day is always spent working behind closed doors, polishing each performance number, ensuring that all the tech elements of the show are working correctly and ensuring that everything is in place for the public performances. The action packed day ends with a full dress rehearsal.
The 23rd May 2019 was then show day. The College performed both a matinée and evening shows which, as normal, were fantastic. The feedback from the packed audience was incredibly positive and the students loved the whole experience. Each performance included 18 individual numbers over two acts. There was a number of works of original choreography, solos and a special group dance choreographed by the students. The finale was a magnificent musical theatre number where the College of Dance performed an abridged version of the musical Mean Girls.
STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHY
As part of the College’s dance curriculum students are taught about creative choreography. Within this module of the syllabus, each student is challenged to create an original work of solo choreography which they perform, plus a group performance. Each year we select a number of students to perform their solos as part of the annual performance. This is not only a fantastic opportunity for students but gives them ownership of part of the performance. It is a real thrill for family, friends and College faculty to see the students perform their own works.
SELL OUT SHOWS & RAVE REVIEWS
The show’s audience was a mix of current students’ families and friends, potential future students and their families, lots of College graduates and a huge number of the people that support the College of Dance and its mission. One of the nicest elements of the end of year performances is that after the show the students and teachers are able to mingle with the audience in the theatre’s auditorium. The feedback from the audience was incredibly positive. Audience members were amazing at how professional the students were, the calibre of the performance, that the students perform so many different genres of dance and manage the multiple quick costume changes. At the end of both the matinée and evening performance students received a standing ovation. As always the students worked so hard in prepairing for the performances, acted like seasoned professionals and were an absolute credit to the College of Dance. We thank each and everyone of them and were so incredibly proud of their achievements.
