13 HDHS Dance students explored the delights of the West End by attending professional classes at the world famous Pineapple Dance Studios, in Covent Garden.
Students were challenged in a Jazz Workshop with Linda Dadd, Linda graduated with a BScHons in microbiology, and started taking jazz dance classes then ballet at the age of 22. She danced with various companies and in pop videos.
She taught fitness for over 10 years all over London and then started teaching jazz at Pineapple.
Linda shared ”Its great that these young people are here today to get a taste of what the industry is actually like”.
Tiger then moved our students from Musical Theatre Jazz to the wonders of Street and Hip Hop; Tiger’s main dance styles include Hip Hop, Krump and Dancehall. His reputation as a highly knowledgeable dance teacher has brought him opportunities to teach, perform and choreograph around Europe and Asia.
Tiger has worked with such brands as Redbull, Men’s Health Magazine, BBC, Sky 1. He was recently a choreographer for Kazakhstan Fashion Week Freestyle.
Hip Hop is arguably the most popular street dance style in the world. It includes an ever-growing number of dances and techniques from which the dancer draws in order to improvise or “Freestyle” movements to music.
Tiger shared his amazing classic moves and challenged the students to find their own sense of style and freedom within the Hip Hop moves.
Student, Year 11, Eden Christie shared ”The day was like nothing I have ever experienced before, we were right in the middle of London and worked hard with professionals at Pineapple. We even got to see the West End production of Wicked, which was simply brilliant. This experience has given me opportunities I would never normally have and studying the Btec Vocational qualification gives me an advantage to try out real life situations as well as perfect my dance skills”.
Mrs Parker added ”I was successful in applying for a bid within our school in order to raise funds to take our students to Covent Garden. This experience is something that stays with our students for life. It also gives them the confidence and edge to go out into the professional dance world and attend classes and auditions. Performing arts at HDHS is at the heart of the school and supported so well by our senior leaders”.
Photos:
Year 11 Dancers exploring Covent Garden
Eden Christie and Chloe Collyer with Hip Hop Artist Tiger
Year 11 Dancers with Dance Linda Dadd
