This was Denton-based Gibson Dance Academy's end of year showcase and was subtitled, 'Celebrating Film With Dance'. This is exactly what they did, for with the 36 items presented this afternoon, all were danced to music from films.
What a glorious celebration of the hard work, commitment and indeed love of dance both tutors and youngsters presented this afternoon. It certainly is no easy task trying to coordinate such an event, and with what must have been about 120 children and youths appearing on stage tonight, all costumed and made-up for each separate routine, backstage must simply have been total chaos!! I don't know but am assuming the age range of those performing this afternoon was from about 3 years to 17.
The audience was, apart from myself, entirely family and friends of the dancers, which was a shame since this is such a huge - and indeed stunningly beautiful art deco - theatre, which should be filled; and the dancers need to have the experience of dancing and performing to complete strangers too. 
It is not for me to comment on the technical abilities of these dancers. I am long passed the days of me donning the jazz shoes and leaping across a stage. It wouldn't be fair of me to do so in any case. This is a private dancing school, and the majority of the pupils here come as a hobby. The school has classes not just in most dance styles, but also gymnastics and cheerleading too; and as evidenced this afternoon, there really is something for everyone. But it was truly wonderful to see the energy, enthusiasm and commitment that every single one of them brought to the performance this afternoon. Yes, a couple of things didn't go as planned, or one of the dancers was late for her entrance, or indeed didn't turn up at all, and one of the tutors bravely took her place. The show must go on, and indeed it did, and was a wonderful testament to the 'we're all in this together' attitude required to bring a show of this nature to fruition.
I don't want to comment on the individual routines or performances. I am an actor and so all I want to write is perhaps to mention those items this afternoon which I found the most theatrically pleasing or dramatically entertaining. These items were - (in the order they appear in the programme ); Cup Remix, We're All In This Together, Jai Ho, Carousel, Bound To You, Better When We're Dancing, I See You, Not About Angels, Funeral, and the two which go to the top of my favourites list were the Honey-Remix and Say Something.
I have only one point of negative criticism here. In the second half the youngest groups were allowed to sit in the auditorium at the back and watch. They were constantly talking, moving, crying, etc the whole way through the second half and disturbed not only me but many others too. The tutors seemed either incapable of or unwilling to keep them quiet. Rather annoying and such a shame.
Apart from that however, Gibson Dance Academy have some amazing students who proved this afternoon that their talent and commitment to their hobbies is well worth showing off and I thank you all for a very enjoyable couple of hours spent in your company. I wish you all a wonderful Summer break and look forward to seeing you in action again sometime next year.
Reviewer: Mark Dee
Reviewed: 17th July 2016
