A cast of 16 young people took to the stage to perform a Curtain Raiser performance ahead of Motionhouse’s latest thrilling dance-circus production, Hidden.

50 young people in our Hippodrome Education Network (HEN) and wider college outreach auditioned for the Curtain Raiser at the Hippodrome back in September. Taking part in a 90-minute workshop-style audition, dancers showcased their skills and talent through a series of repertoire, choreographic tasks and team building exercises before the final company was chosen by Motionhouse’s Creative Learning Team, Harrison Yafai and Hannah Marshall.

Over the course of a week, the young company spent two days learning choreography by Harrison, whilst also implementing the young dancers’ own ideas and choreography into the piece. Working in alternating small groups, the company were able to choreograph their own work using ideas from skills class or a prescribed element or theme, such as a lift or jump. Then working with Associate Director, Daniel Massarella, the next two days were spent cleaning and polishing the five-minute piece ready for Friday’s performance.

Much like Motionhouse’s style, the piece had moments of strong group choreography that broke out into smaller groups, creating a concoction of contrasting movement and patterns. There were lifts and tricks throughout the piece, showcasing the talent of the next generation of performers.

The Curtain Raiser was met with rapturous applause and cheers, providing a goosebumps moment for both audience members and young performers.

Reflecting on the performance, Craig Randle, Education Manager (Secondary & Post 16), said: “To work alongside Motionhouse and this incredible group of dancers was pure joy! The work ethic, professionalism and talent that was showcased across the week was second to none, doing both themselves and their respective schools/colleges proud!

“The Motionhouse team, but particularly Harrison and Danny, always bring out the best in young people, providing a safe, welcoming space for experimentation and exploration. I couldn’t be prouder of what this young company created in such a short amount of time!”