Over 600 children enjoyed the experience of performing on stage at the Congress Theatre during the Torfaen Dance Festival.

The event ran over three evenings and saw 18 primary schools take part including a team from Crownbridge Special School. Every group had a chance to rehearse during the day on Monday 23 May.

Hannah Jones, a teacher at Nant Celyn Primary School organised the event. She said: “There were roughly 640 children taking part. The children were the audience on Monday, they watched each other dance. Then Monday night, Tuesday night and Wednesday night, the parents and families came along to watch their children on the stage as well.

“For many it’s an opportunity that they wouldn’t normally get if they are not in a dance club or something like that outside of school, it’s just a great opportunity for them to perform.

“It gives them an outlet of something to do, something they might not have been interested in before that they have now found a love for. Not all children are academic maybe, this is their way of showing what they are good at.

“Our aim now is to take this into high schools and get some of the feeder high schools involved as well.”

The event was held in 2018 and 2019 but then stopped due to the pandemic.

Some photos from the Torfaen Dance Festival