Top dancer Kelly shares her skills

Young dancers are leaping at the chance to enjoy a West End workshop session with a top teacher and judge at our annual dance competition.

Kelly Hopkins, who runs her own dance school in Hampshire and teaches elite ballet at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, is adjudicating at The Muni on Saturday and Sunday (June 2 and 3) when 40 dancers aged four to 17 will compete for trophies.

As an addition to the usual proceedings, before the prizes are presented, Kelly will put dancers through their paces in a musical theatre workshop.

“We’re very lucky to have Kelly leading this special session,” said Susan Thorp, dance festival chairman.

 

“About 30 dancers have signed up for the workshop, and it will give them the chance to work with someone who isn’t their usual dance teacher. After the pressure of the competition, they’ll be able to just enjoy themselves and learn something new.”

Kelly Hopkins, a dance adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals, learned her art at The Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst Ballet School. She danced in professional productions at theatres throughout the UK before qualifying as a teacher, and now runs the North Hampshire Academy of Dance at Basingstoke. Many of her former pupils have progressed into professional dance on stage on television.

The two-day competition will feature nearly 300 solo, duet and group performances, with classes for ballet, national, character, Greek, song-and-dance, modern and tap.

It runs from 9.30am to 6pm on Saturday and 9.30am to around 12.30pm on Sunday, open to the public, admission £4 and £3.
Prizes will be presented after the workshop session, at about 3.30pm.

Food, snacks and drinks will be available in the Lesser Muni.