Review: One Short Day, Rebecca’s Dance Studios

Its much improved tiered seating provides audiences with excellent views and the brilliant acoustics make it an ideal choice for music events.

It wasn’t surprising then, that Rebecca’s Dance Studios chose the Acorn for their May 2013 dance production, One Short Day.

Although dancing was the main feature of this show the music was of paramount importance. The sound just reverberates around the theatre, but without any distortion, which is an absolute delight for music enthusiasts.

I can only say that this event was just jaw-droppingly awesome and as a reviewer it’s hard to know just where to begin.

To give you an idea of the scale of this show you need to know some key facts. Rebecca Doona set up the dance studios less than two years ago, the show included 150 dancers, it featured more than 30 dance routines to excellently chosen music and included award-winning troupes and soloists.

The amazing array of costumes was of a highly professional standard and the students ranged from the very small to ones of whom it would be impolite to ask their age.

Everyone came onto the stage with a smile and the sheer enthusiasm and energy was infectious. The first half of the show told the story of the Wizard of Oz with inspired choices of soundtrack from Michael Jackson’s The Wiz and Romeo and Juliet.

The story of Oz was an ideal choice for the younger members of the school as little dancers became Munchkins and the more advanced were the key characters.

Ellie Porter played the part of Dorothy and Milly Tomlinson was her dog Toto. A very smiley Scarecrow was Millie Watkinson, Ellen Blyth, the Tin Man and Georgia Dickinson, the Lion.

You could tell that they all loved the experience of performing and their confidence just shone.

Good Witch and Wicked Witch of the West were Kristi Chambers and Kirsty Hayes and Emerald City Ringmaster was Courtney Watkinson. Acting skills were just as important to these three and added to the musical theatre approach to dancing.

The second half of the show allowed the members of the school a chance to take performance to another level. We were treated to routines from troupes who had won awards in Blackpool. One such was Jollity Farm where the younger children performed as animals, guaranteed to grip the parents and grandparents. Others were more serious or concentrated on rhythmic beat. We witnessed modern, classical, tap and street dancing set to music such as Here Right Now from Ghost the musical and Beyonce’s Run the World.

If you’re looking for the best example of an all inspiring dance school look no further – no wonder then that the school was awarded a Certificate of Excellence from the Bassetlaw Physical Activity and Health Partnership for promoting health and exercise in the district. Pupils pass exams and win awards and we get to enjoy the brilliant results.

Review by Wendy Fidoe