College dancers on new high with national award

The performers were awarded the national open award for best drama skills in this year's Rock Challenge competition.

The judges considered the drama skills displayed by the dancers in their moving performance about the Holocaust were excellent. They also believed the overall dramatic effect created by all of the elements, especially the soundtrack and stunning lighting, was incredibly atmospheric and involved the audience.

Bognor college achieved the award ahead of more than 230 others around the country.

The award adds to the promotion gained by the dancers to the top league of Rock Challenge performers.

Their powerful display brought home the horrors of the mass slaughter of Jewish people during the second world war.

The hard-hitting eight minutes of dance and drama, called Just Following Orders, earned the performers three prizes in the competition's southern open grand final.

They won the best drama skills category with the award for the most entertaining performance as well as second place overall.

This combination of successes, coupled with the college's triumph in March in the West Sussex heat, gained promotion to the Rock Challenge's premier league next year from the open league.

The higher status means the college will gain an automatic entry into the 2008 southern premier grand final.

This year's team consisted of 30 performers and 14 stage crew who ranged in age from 12 to 18 years old. They had met weekly since last September to put the piece together.

They performed it with such emotion in the southern final that at least three of the dancers cried during the performance.

Organiser Jenny Williams said: 'They were buzzing when they came off stage, saying that it felt absolutely amazing. This is the drug-free high that Rock Challenge promotes.'

The performers were supported in the final at Portsmouth Guildhall by more than 100 parents and friends. The audience also included the college's new headteacher, David Jones, who will take on the job in September.

He said: 'It was a very powerful performance and well deserved the recognition it attracted. Everyone involved should be hugely proud of their achievements.'

Contributed picture