Wimbledon Pupils Dance With Rambert

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They perform at the Royal Festival Hall

Young people from Wimbledon schools were among those performing with Britain’s national dance company, Rambert.

One hundred and seventy-three children from a number of Merton primary, secondary and special needs schools danced pieces based on the company’s professional repertoire, created over eight weeks in school as part of the Rambert Imprints platform at The Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall.

As part of the project, the children also went to see Rambert perform at Sadler’s Wells last November, and visited the company’s studios based on London’s South Bank to take part in an archive-based workshop as the company turns 90 this year.

Year 12 BTEC Level 3 performing arts student from Raynes Park, Michaella Rutnasamy, said: “It was brilliant to be able to dance on a proper stage at an amazing venue. It’s something I’ll never forget and I hope we’ll be able to do this again in the future.”

Lucy Field, Learning and Participation Manager at Rambert said: “Rambert is passionate about giving opportunities to young people, regardless of background, to learn, create and perform dance. We have been able to work with a diverse range of schools in Merton which has been really wonderful.

"Dance is a fantastic art form that is accessible to all, and the culminating performance was a great celebration of their achievement.”

Merton Council’s cabinet member for education Councillor Martin Whelton said: “This is a marvellous opportunity for our young people to get involved in performance arts.

"To perform at the Southbank Centre with a dance company of international standing is an experience that will stay with our young people for the rest of their lives. Taking part in initiatives like this can spark a love of the arts in children and could even lead to some of them becoming professional performers in the future.”

The event was supported by the Taylor Family Trust and Coin Street Community Builders.

March 16, 2016