The group were among the performers who appeared in ‘Hull Gotta Dance 2025’ – a three-night performance showcase held at the University of Hull’s Middleton Hall. 

Performing alongside the WHS students on Wednesday, July 2, were dancers from The Marvell College, St Mary’s College, and a number of primary schools and dedicated dance academies.  

For some of those taking part, the opportunity provided their first experience of live public performance; for others, it marked a welcome return to the stage. Head of creative arts and teacher of dance, Jamie Hughes, said: “It was an amazing evening and I’m very proud of all the dancers - especially our first-time performers who, despite being understandably nervous, danced with real confidence. Afterwards, they told me how proud they were to have taken part, and they are now looking forward to next year’s school dance show.   

“The students performed a medley of Nowadays and Hot Honey Rag from the musical Chicago, with all the glitz and glamour you’d expect. This performance can count towards their professional repertoire - an element of their ongoing studies to secure the Vocational Award in Performing Arts. Students’ performances are mainly assessed in lessons, but many in the group have chosen to include this performance in their portfolio - testament to how proud they are of their performance, and rightly so.

“For me personally, the evening offered a rare opportunity to sit with the students backstage and enjoy the buzz of the event. This is something, as an event organiser, I rarely get to experience. The Gotta Dance events are a fantastic platform for our young people and I’m delighted they fully embraced the opportunity and gave it their all on stage.

“The students conducted themselves professionally throughout and were excellent role models to the other schools and younger aspiring dancers. Congratulations to Lily-May A, Savannah B, Pip B, Emma C, Florence D, Neve G, Rosie-May P, Poppy S, Ellie W and Charlotte W.”

Running throughout the academic year, ‘Gotta Dance’ is a non-competitive performance showcase that provides opportunities for a range of ages and abilities to perform on the stages of professional venues around the country. The shows have no set theme, with any style or genre accepted. Pre-allocated slots allow a maximum of five minutes per dance.

Organised by Staffordshire-based SSPA Events, ‘Gotta Dance’ and its ‘Gotta Sing’ counterpart inspire countless young people to take to the stage and perform in front of friends and family. Since September 2024, more than 50 events have been held across the country, including in Blackpool, Stafford, Crewe, Mansfield, Chesterfield, and Burnley. The most recent leg of performances concluded in Hull last week. The tour will resume in Redditch in November and is set to return to Hull in June 2026, with nationwide events currently booked through to 2028.

Participation in the event came towards the end of a busy year for the school’s dance community, which included performances as part of creative arts showcase events held at the school in December, and more recently at Middleton Hall in June. A highlight of the year was a prestigious appearance at Disneyland Paris, which provided students with an international performance opportunity in a professional setting.   

Jamie said: “It has been an incredible year, not only for our dancers but for the creative arts as a whole. Our final collaboration of the academic year will see some of our young musicians and dancers perform alongside the world-renowned Manchester Camerata orchestra – an opportunity that will once again place our students alongside professionals from the world of performance.”

Upon students’ return in September, preparations for a whole-school dance show will begin. Led by the Year 11 dance group as part of their course requirements, the show will be staged at Middleton Hall in January 2026. Following the success of this year’s school production, ‘Popstars – the 90s musical’, planning is already in progress for another musical in spring 2026.

ABOVE: Leaping into the spotlight, Year 10 dancer Neve with a gravity-defying move on stage.

ABOVE: The group received praise for their ‘confident’ performance.

ABOVE: Head of creative arts and teacher of dance, Jamie Hughes, with the Year 10 dance group at Middleton Hall.