WEST HATCH HIGH SCHOOL - MEDIA RELEASE

West Hatch High School will be hosting its annual dance show on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, March 22-24.

This year's theme is 'The Haunted House' with the audience seeing three young students enter the house - but do they come out at the end?

This year the show is extra special as the Year 13s who are performing in their final show were Head of Dance Rachael Minister's first cohort of dancers when she arrived in 2009 and set up the Dance Department.

Mrs Minister said: "Seven years ago there was no dance at West Hatch High School and the show was very basic.

"We had minimal lighting and sound and students danced in their PE kits or black costumes. We had no money in the budget and basically started from scratch.

"Now we run the show over three nights pulling in sell-out audiences of 300 people with professional sound and lighting and costumes to match the theme."

Freya Anderton, Lucy Fellowes, Sarah Wilson and Josie Creatini have been in every dance show since they started in Year 7 in 2009, and now are studying Dance as an A-Level and are Dance Ambassadors.

Mrs Minister said: "I have seen the four students grow into beautifully talented young women who excel in most things they do.

"They are kind, conscientious, hardworking and a delight to teach and I trust them entirely. They are not just students but young women I am proud to have taught and it will be sad to see them leave West Hatch.

Lucy Fellowes said: "I cannot believe it has been seven years since the dance show started and I feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of them all.

"I remember looking up to the Year 13 dance students when I was in Year 7 thinking I want to be one of them when I am older, and now I am.

"I feel honoured to take part in an event that brings the whole student body together. The amount of hard work Mrs Minister and the students put into the three nights is incredible and has given me so many fantastic memories.

"I will never forget my time at West Hatch because of Dance and I will be sad to leave the West Hatch Dance Family."

Alongside the four students are six other Year 13 Dancers who will be performing in their last dance show, some who have been in at least five previous shows.

Mrs Minister said: "It will be sad to see them go but we will make sure this dance show is one of the best yet and audiences will come away inspired and entertained."

Tickets go on sale at the school after half-term.