For almost two weeks now, Dynamic Dance Academy students have been practising their belly-dancing body-rolls and gumboot tapping technique to give East London audiences a spectacular showcase at the Guild Theatre next week.
The Movies in Motion show will be staged on Monday and Tuesday.
Incorporating various dance styles such as rock ‘n’ roll, contemporary, burlesque, pantsula, spanish, hip-hop and much more, each piece will be danced to a song from a different movie soundtrack with the show taking the form of a Hollywood film set.
“We want the audience to feel like they have arrived on set to watch a live film recording. There will be a popcorn machine in the foyer and we’re following a script to keep the whole movie theme going throughout,” said Dynamic Dance Academy founder Vicky Luff.
With soundtracks from popular films, such as The Greatest Showman, Chicago, Moulin Rouge, Happy Feet, Tangled, Shrek and The Mask of Zorro, audiences will have a hard time trying not to sing and dance along as the cast of more than 70 students, ranging in age from six to 24, boogie away on stage.
Once again, singing sensation Megan Francis will accompany the dancers on stage and perform some of the songs live.
“Megan added so much to the showcase in July, so I’m really happy she’s agreed to join us again,” said Luff.
With only two weeks to learn the routines, practise and put the show together, dancers and choreographers have had many early mornings and late nights.
Despite the jovial atmosphere at rehearsals, the Dance Academy started out on a sad note this year with the loss of first-time choreographer Sihle Ntanjana who passed away in a fatal car accident days before she was meant to start teaching at the academy.
Luff and the Dynamic Dance Academy seniors are dedicating a classical piece to Ntanjana which will be danced to the musical score of City of Angels.
Tickets for the showcase at 6.30pm are available at Computicket at R100 for adults and R80 for pupils...