Arreton CE Primary School Winners L-R Jessica Freeston - 11, Andrea Turjanicova - 10, Lola Bonser - 10, Jack Bal - 9 and Rosie Woods -

HD Photos: New dance competition sees rising stars

Vanessa Hicks shares this report from the news dance competition. Ed


This week over 200 children from seven Island primary schools took part in Isle Dance – an exciting new dance competition for primary school pupils.

The competition was jointly organised by Gurnard Primary School and The Starlight Boutique to provide an opportunity for Island pupils to showcase their talents on a professional stage in front of a large audience.

The children from Arreton CE Primary School; Barton Primary School; Broadlea Primary School; Dover Park Primary School; Gurnard Primary School; Newport CE Primary School and St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School performed in front of a sold-out audience at Medina Theatre.

Exceptional standard of dance
Vanessa Hicks, Headteacher of Gurnard Primary School, said,

“The standard of performance from all of the children taking part really was exceptional. It was fantastic to see so much talent from Island schools on one stage – they made their families and schools very proud.”

Professional judges
A panel of professional actors and dancers: Dominic Pope, Marella Searles and Joe Alabaster judged the choreography, performance skill, drama, concept, costume, hair and make-up and soundtrack for each performance.

The worthy winners were Arreton CE Primary School with their dance The Adventures of Odysseus. Gurnard Primary School came a very close second performing Hook Defeated and St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School came third with Alice’s Mission Impossible.

Arreton headteacher “very proud”
Maria Herbert, Head of School at Arreton CE Primary School, said:

“All of the children had an amazing day, it was a wonderful experience for all of them. To be the winners was completely unexpected, the children were all shocked but over the moon.

“Their team work, enthusiasm and commitment has made us very proud of them all.”

Click on images to see larger versions
Arreton CE Primary School
Barton Primary School
Broadlea Primary School
Compare Huxley interviews pupils from Broadlea Primary School
Dover Park Primary School
Gurnard Primary School
Judges Dominic Pope, Marella Searles and Joe Alabaster
Newport CE Primary School
Pupil from Newport
Sophie Parkhouse 10 from Gurnard Primary School
St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
The winning team

Image: © Robert Longford Photography