Theatre and dance
People of all ages and skills danced their way to Rivermead Leisure Centre on Sunday for this year’s Dance Showcase.
More than 2,000 people visited the Richfield Avenue complex on Sunday, to enjoy the dancing delights and raise money for Reading Area Charities Together (RACT).
This was the third event that Pride of Reading winner Dancia International had organised.
A number of dance styles were on display at the event including zumba, jazz and Bollywood.
More than 40 dancing schools and clubs performed some 47 dances on the main stage of the event.
Dancers showcasing their talents included those from the Spotlights Dance Centre, Woodley, and pupils from Theale Green Community School.
Jude Chapman, who runs the specialist dancewear shop Dancia in Caversham with her husband Richard, said of the event’s purpose: “It’s to show the diversity of dance in Reading. The aim is to show every style of dance taught in Reading.
“The showcase gives the dance schools a chance to show what they can do and it’s not competitive so the children can have fun.
“It’s wonderful to see all the children that we see in the shop but doing what they do. A lot of them are regular customers but we never get to see them dance. It’s great.”
New to this year’s event was the freestyle stage, which was sponsored by Read Dance & Theatre College.
More than 20 acts, who do not belong to dance clubs or schools, took to the freestyle stage to show off their natural flare for dancing.
A 23-year-old hip-hop act called Chris Kstylz wowed a team of celebrity judges and was crowned winner of the Freestyle Stage.
Chris won a goody bag, which was filled with prizes from Dancia International and Read Dance & Theatre College, worth more than £150.
Jamie Read, co-director of Read Dance & Theatre College, who was one of the freestyle stage judges, said: “It was terrific. we were absolutely delighted.
“It’s the first time we’ve done the freestyle stage. The whole ethos was to get people involved and open it up to more people.
“We’ll definitely be back next year, it was great fun.”
Special guests SixD, who recently supported chart-topping JLS on tour, wowed fans with their dance performance.
A number of dance schools gave free taster classes to try to get more people involved in different styles of dance and an hourly raffle was drawn with prizes including free dance lessons and vouchers for dancing accessories.
All proceeds from the event will go to RACT. Last year the event raised more than £4,000 and organisers hope to have raised more than £5,000 this year.
