We’re all getting excited for our upcoming performance at The Opera House Theatre, Blackpool Winter Gardens on Saturday 30th April 2106. As you’ll have seen in class, all our dancers have been working really hard and our Riverdance-inspired tap routine is really taking shape now.
A full dress rehearsal for ALL dancers taking part will be held on Sunday 24th April at Shevington Community Centre. Everyone will need to arrive, dressed in full costume, ready for a 2.00pm start. The rehearsal will last until 3.30pm. The fee for this session is £3, payable with your Saturday class fees on 23rd April.
We’d be really grateful if you’d make every effort to attend this rehearsal as it’s the final opportunity before the show for all dancers to work together.
It’s where we finalise spacing, and where we make sure that everyone knows their cues and places throughout the whole routine when all class groups dance at the same time.
It’s important that costumes are fully finished and worn by dancers throughout the duration of the rehearsal. If there are any ‘wardobe malfunctions’ this is where they’ll be spotted so they can be fixed before the Opera House show!
We’ve put together a full checklist below which includes all the information you need to know about costumes and hair. However if you have any questions at all, then don’t hesitate to ask us.
Costume for younger groups (11.30am class and younger):
Green velvet sequin-trimmed dress with white net underskirt
Plain white knickers (the high waisted ‘granny’ style with good coverage!)
White ballet socks
White tap shoes (tied with green ribbon – Susan to supply)
Stage make-up (blusher, blue eye shadow, red lips)
Hair “half up, half down” style as per image:
Front section secured with plain elastic bobble
Dressed with green ribbon (Susan to supply ribbon)
For April 30th show, please curl damp hair overnight with curly rags or similar
Neatly hairsprayed into place with plain bobby pins to secure
Costume for older groups (12.30pm class and older):
Green velvet sequin-trimmed dress with white net underskirt
Black opaque tights
Black tap shoes (tied with green ribbon – Susan to supply)
Black leather ballet shoes (those doing soft-shoe part of routine only)
Stage make-up (blusher, blue eye shadow, red lips)
Hair “half up, half down” style as detailed above and shown in image
Thank you for your continued support as we prepare for our Blackpool performance. With so many dancers and parents in the building at the same time, we know it will be a little hectic at the dress rehearsal on Sunday 24th April, so we thank you in advance for your patience. It’ll be worth it when your tap superstars make you so very proud on stage at the Opera House!
Susan and the team at SK Dance Studio are thrilled to announce some very exciting news for our dancers… We’ve been invited by the producers of “Hits of the Musicals” to perform in their 25th anniversary show at the beautiful Opera House Theatre, Blackpool Winter Gardens, host to recent West End shows such as Cats, Mamma Mia, “Joseph” and “Priscilla”.
“I’m really honoured that the producers have invited us to perform again this year, especially given it will be an extra-special programme to celebrate this long running show’s 25th anniversary” said Susan.
“We’ll have to go some to top the dazzling 42nd Street routine that our talented tappers delivered the last time we danced at the Opera House” Susan continued; “Our dancers were so good that we were asked to close the show – they really brought the house down!”.
But as you’d expect from Susan, Cara and the talented SK Dancers, they’re already working on something really special for this year’s performance – a fast and furious Riverdance inspired Irish-style tap that will get the whole audience tapping along.
“Dancing on a huge professional stage like the Opera House Theatre is such a thrill for our young dancers” said Susan. “Over the years, we’ve performed at some amazing venues including Sadler’s Wells in London and even at Disneyland Paris. Our dancers always look back on their big stage experiences with such fond memories and I’m so pleased that SK Dance Studio is part of making them”.
Diary Date: Saturday April 30th 2016 – 7pm Performance Time
SK Dance Studio to perform at Opera House Theatre, Blackpool
Format of the day
We’re pleased to confirm we’ve now been given our on-stage rehearsal time-slot for the Blackpool show on Saturday 30th April. It will be at 6pm. This means we don’t need to leave for Blackpool until 4pm, which gives us time for an extra rehearsal at dancing before we go. See below for details.
Because of this late rehearsal slot, we won’t get any free time like previous years between the rehearsal and the 7pm show, so children won’t be released to meet parents for dinner. Instead, they will stay backstage with chaperones and eat a pre-packed tea which you’ll need to send with your child.
Transport to and from Blackpool:
As in previous years, all those taking part will be required to travel to and from Blackpool on our dancer’s coach.
This ensures we’re able to keep everyone safely together as one group, and makes it easier to manage our rehearsal.
Every child will have a named chaperone so you know exactly who’s caring for them, but we appreciate that parents who are not chaperones may still wish to travel on the coach with their child. There will be some spare capacity – see below.
On arrival at the theatre, children must be left with their named chaperone to go backstage. This is to comply with Health and Safety regulations.
Your child will be chaperoned at all times during the whole day.
Format of the day on Saturday 30th April:
Extra rehearsal at Shevington Community Centre for all dancers taking part – 11:00am to 1:00pm.
This is instead of your usual Saturday dancing class.
Coach leaves at 4:00pm from Appley Bridge Village Hall, Appley Lane North
Additional coach places are available: Please book your coach places with Susan by Sunday 24th April (we will book 2 coaches if demand for coach travel requires)
On arrival at Blackpool dancers will go straight to their dressing room with their chaperone to get ready for the on-stage dress rehearsal at 6pm.
Dancers will return to their dressing room after the rehearsal with chaperones and eat a packed tea.
Show starts at 7:00pm and will run until approximatley 10:00pm.
Chaperones will escort dancers from the theatre to the coach.
Parents travelling on the coach with us should meet their children ONLY once safely back on the coach only. This ensures we can keep all dancers together and account for everyone’s whereabouts.
Coach will return to Village Hall at approx 11:30pm where parents should collect their children – we will confirm the exact time on the day.
Chaperone list will be available at dancing – see noticeboard. Please note that chaperones won’t be able to watch the performance – they’ll be in charge back-stage!
Tickets
Tickets are sold by the theatre (not by SK Dance Studio).
Tickets are £10 each, or £7.50 for concessions.
You can buy online now at Ticketmaster (search “Hits Lancashire 25” at Blackpool Opera House). There is a booking fee.
Tickets are also available at the theatre box office. It’s a MASSIVE theatre and there’s never been a problem getting tickets on the day in previous years, but it’s your call whether you risk this :-).
