Imagine seeing every dance routine from every episode from every series of Strictly Come Dancing crammed into a three-hour show.
Think about the rehearsal time, the costume changes, the blood, sweat and tears that would’ve gone into every star-studded performance over the last 22 series.
That’s what I felt like walking about of the Congress Theatre last Thursday night after being lucky enough to get a pair of free tickets to the third performance of this week’s sell-out show- Popcorn by members of the Charlotte May Academy. There were no celebs, judges or TV cameras- but we had around 100 performers aged from 3 to 28 giving it their all in a countless number of routines across a couple of hundred songs – and cheered on by an enthusiastic audience.
I’m rarely stuck for a sentence. But I can’t quickly put into words a snappy paragraph to sum up what I saw with my own eyes from row E of the Congress Theatre so I’ll share some adjectives.
Mind-blowing. Inspiring. Stunning. Talented. Jaw-dropping. Open-mouthed (me, several times).
The stage backdrop, a huge 10m x 8m (ish) television screen gave the incredible lighting and sound team a wonderful platform to do their magic.
I couldn’t wait for each new ‘theme’ to start. Not because I was bored, I just enjoyed how it was presented. And I LOVE a surprise.
So, a group of dancers would leave the stage and lights would go off. The new group would arrive in the dark. And then the lights and sound team would bring the stage to life and we in the audience had no idea what to expect.
We were taken to a baseball game, and 20 dancers split between the Yankees and the Dodgers in full strips leapt on the stage. Liam Gallagher’s (or was it Noel) face filled the huge screen and we had the dancers do an Oasis-led medley of moves that no-one in the Principality Stadium next year will be able to repeat.
The costume changes- I lost count of the changes. The ‘Men In Black’ appeared, and a minute later a subtle change of black glasses for trilby hats while crouched at the back of the stage completely altered the theme and mood. I blinked and they now had canes and again, a change of theme. Incredible and so creative.
The dancers did it all- tap, modern, ballet, rhythmic gymnastics, country, hip hop, film soundtracks (and TV including Only Fools and Horses), 70s pop, rock. If there is music, this lot can dance to it.
A group would gracefully leave the stage in tap shoes- then minutes later appear in basketball pumps for a heart-pumping routine, and come back ten minutes later barefoot for ballet.
In a nice nod to Halloween, the Addams Family set was good fun, I think they had a few characters from next week’s show from Christchurch Music Society taking place at The Congress Theatre (visit the website for tickets) helping them out.
We had gymnastic throws, dancers falling back to be caught by their friends, somersaults, one dancer twirled from a rope, handstand walking and tumbling. Breathtaking!
Big props to the youngest dancers who were supported by a couple of the adults from the dance academy time ever they arrived on stage to “aww how cute” whispered to my wife.
Their confidence will grow and grow as they move through the age groups. A few gave waves to their family, some big waves, others a subtle sneaky wave that could have been part of the routine 
Nice touch:-)
The closing act was very clever. I say clever, it just flipped dancing around a stage on its head. The stage wasn’t big enough for around 100 dancers to perform at once.
So they all appeared across six rows, sat on their backsides, knees or crouching down.
Imagine dancing being in your blood, the one thing that makes you happy all day and suddenly you can’t dance or move around the stage?
You’re now packed tightly together with no room to use the space you’ve enjoyed for the last 2hrs 55 mins. We watched the huge group ‘dance’ together on the spot- using hands and upper bodies- to move, sway, and entertain through a final medley of songs.
I loved it!