The West Norfolk Schools Sports Partnership (WNSSP) Dance Festival on 16 June saw pupils from 15 primary schools perform at the Corn Exchange in King’s Lynn, with dance students from Springwood High School opening the morning and afternoon shows.

Our Head of Dance, Dawn Paulo, accompanied the 14 Springwood performers, and was also on hand to ensure the smooth running of the event, which had ‘Popstars’ as its theme.

“It is an honour to be invited to perform at this event,” she said. “It allows our dancers the opportunity to come together to perform in a professional venue, and to interact and support younger students in West Norfolk. It’s lovely to see our Springwood students enjoying themselves on stage, but it’s also great to see our primary schools getting a chance to perform too.”

She continued: “The main organiser of this event is Tracey Bower who works for the WNSSP. She invites us every year, twice a year, to perform at this event as an inspirational act.

“Once there, myself and our Springwood students help Tracey with calling up the schools to perform, and ensuring they enter and exit the stage safely, to help with a quick and smooth-running show.”

In keeping with the theme, our dancers performed a routine inspired by pop icon Michael Jackson, which featured costumes with black glitter and white gloves, and had previously seen them win the House Dance Competition at this year’s Springwood Dance Show.

Mrs Paulo explained: “There are two different shows in this event. Primary schools can either sign up to perform in the morning session or the afternoon session. Springwood performs at the beginning of the morning show and at the beginning of the afternoon show as an ‘inspirational act’.

“The primary schools all sit in the audience to watch each other perform. The remaining seats are available to the public and parents.”

Springwood is part of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, and other WNAT members participating in the Dance Festival included Clenchwarton Primary and Heacham Infant School, which both gave performances in the afternoon.

Mrs Paulo added: “It’s definitely a highlight of the year, as it brings so many schools together to perform and celebrate one another’s work.

“The event takes place every March and June of the academic year. Springwood will be performing next year too.”