Last Saturday I attended the annual “Junction” dance festival of Northamptonshire schools and watched several very impressive dance performances from several Northamptonshire schools at the NSB theatre in Billing Road.
There were 120 dancers, including 80 NSB students, from Year 7 up to Year 13. Forty children were from other schools across Northamptonshire. This is the 15th annual Junction dance festival and the dances have been a mixture of GCSE and A-Level examination work, work choreographed by current students, past students as well as work choreographed by staff and students working together.
Thanks to Alison Clinton for the overall organisation of the event, Nikki Italiano-Drew and Elise Clinton for working with the NSB students and choreographing and teachers from other schools Tia Sylla, Jamie Mitchell, Charmaine Heath and Emese Allen.
The expressive arts taught in schools is hugely positive- not only is it extremely active and therefore physically beneficial, but it strongly promotes team-working and social interaction, builds self-confidence and is richly rewarding from the emotional well-being perspective. Pupils hugely enjoy their experiences and it often is a life changing experience for them.
(Photo: Michael Ellis MP with NSB Head Master Richard Bernard, Head of Dance Ms Alison Clinton and pupils after their performance.)