This year’s WNAT Dance Festival took place at Springwood High School on Wednesday 1 July and saw around 130 pupils from ten primary schools showcase their talents to an audience of some 200 people.

Besides Springwood, whose dancers opened the event, Trust schools taking part included Clenchwarton, Gaywood, Heacham Junior, Snettisham, Walpole Cross Keys, and West Lynn. They were also joined by dancers from the Windmill Primary Federation schools of Terrington St John, Tilney St Lawrence, Walpole Highway, and West Walton.

‘Time Travel Through the Decades’ took the audience on a whistle-stop musical tour of the last eighty years, with dances performed to tracks such as ‘In the Mood’, ‘Rock Around the Clock’, ‘Surfin’ USA’. ‘You Should be Dancing’, ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’, a nineties mash-up, and ‘Zoo’.

Emma Hunt is Executive Headteacher at the Windmill Primary Federation, and worked with WNAT Administrator Emma Pearman to coordinate the event, which was taking place for the fifth time.

“Some of the highlights of the Dance Festival were seeing primary school children embrace the opportunity to perform with enthusiasm, confidence, and pride in front of their families and communities,” she said.

“Another particularly rewarding aspect was bringing together students from many different schools to share a common experience together. As Helen Keller said, ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’”

Kate Whyborn and a team of choreographers from KLW Dance worked with the children on the routines, rehearsing with them in the weeks leading up to the performance.

Mrs Hunt continued: “Events like this play a vital role in providing students with opportunities to explore new interests, develop new skills, and challenge themselves in a supportive and encouraging environment.

“They inspire students to step outside their comfort zones, build self-confidence, and realise that they are capable of achieving things they may once have thought impossible. These experiences foster creativity, resilience, critical thinking, and an appreciation for teamwork, respect, and kindness.”

She added: “One of the most rewarding outcomes is watching students who may initially feel uncertain or reluctant, grow in confidence, take pride in their accomplishments, and enthusiastically share their talents with others.

“Beyond supporting individual growth, these events strengthen connections between the school and the wider community, creating opportunities to celebrate students’ achievements and the positive impact of working together.”