Cabaret Class!

On Friday I was part of an excellent occasion.  The senior dancers at WYTDC – a good proportion of whom are also YTYTers performed a Cabaret of dance and music for an audience of friends family and supporters at Ossett Town Hall.  The evening was unforgettable for lots of reasons and I’ve been thinking about why so it seemed the ideal subject for this week’s blog.

Firstly it was one of the most stressful tech’s I’ve ever done – on a show that was supposed to be very simple tech wise this was an unwelcome surprise.  After 26 plans from plan A to plan Z were tried we were saved by the arrival of the right kit and someone who knew where it was supposed to be plugged in.  The relief!! We also got snapped strings sorted and slippy floors resined and so just in the nick of time we were ready for the off…I had time for a quick sigh of relief and then we were rolling.

Of course the incredibly high standard of dancing that followed was the main reason that memories from the evening will have a very welcome place in my head.  Such talent, artistry and style from dancers that haven’t even left school yet.  With their dedication and commitment and the guidance and excellent teaching at WYTDC their raw talent is being shaped into something that even at their young age is so enjoyable to watch.  And let’s not forget that all of this has been achieved against an educational background where so many of the performers are being told to stop doing things that get in the way of their revision/coursework/homework.  Seeing them reap the rewards for their positive rebellion makes me the happiest person.  We also mustn’t forget the singers either – Hannah, Morgan and Tom wowed us with their vocal talents with an array of top quality songstering.  The resulting combination of song and dance was a winning cocktail of entertainment.

The other reason the evening will remain a fond memory for all time is the audience.  Over a hundred people turned out in torrential rain to watch the Cabaret.  From little students from the school and their parents, to families and friends of the performers on stage, to past students all of them so supportive and complimentary, all of them lapping up the atmosphere and entertainment.  Their comments at the end made the tech, the hard work and the investment so worthwhile.  I loved the fact that everyone had a highlight and that these varied from person to person.  For some it was a song, for others one of the exquisite solos or duets for another one of the physical theatre pieces, for still others one of the huge range of group dances on offer.   It was such a special thing to see younger students watching their role models with maturity and generosity drinking in the inspiration that hopefully will spur them on to be the best that they can be.

Natalie Walton who came to watch the show, not because she knew anyone in it but because she knows a thing or two about art and fancied the sound of an evening’s entertainment, summed it up brilliantly on her facebook post after the show,

“An amazing night with the most fantastic talented young people. Everyone involved should be so proud of what you have achieved. We need to make more of these events as these young people are the future of a creative Wakefield!”

I couldn’t have put it better myself…