Celebrate, Issue 21 - March 2013 - King Edward VI School

Celebrating the arts
Dance, dance, dance
Our dancers have been busy performing and learning from professionals this term.
Celebrating our students
London dance trip
Abigail Longuet, Year 10, writes: Our dance trip to
London in January included a backstage tour of the
Royal Opera House, an Intermediate Jazz class at
Pineapple Dance Studios and a visit to the Dominion
Theatre to watch the musical 'We Will Rock You'.
The tour of the Royal Opera House showed us all of the
major things that take place backstage to create a
production. After that we went to Pineapple Dance
Studios where we took part in a Jazz Class at
intermediate level. We then had a couple of hours to
have dinner before taking the tube to the Dominion
Theatre, where we watched the musical, which included
25 songs by Queen.
Boys Break-dance Crew
A group of eleven male students took part in a Breakdance
workshop with our visiting break-dancer Sami,
who helped them to develop some highly technical skills
including flips, intricate footwork and daring jumps. The
boys continue to work on these skills and a strong crew
is beginning to emerge, which will soon be ready for
competitions and high-profile break-dance performances.
Dance at the movies
by Helen Frost, Subject Leader Dance.
This year's January Dance Show was based around
the theme of 'films,' with almost 100 students involved
in performing, running backstage or helping with frontof-house.
Whilst the older students confidently performed wellknown
numbers from films including Moulin Rouge
and Edward Scissorhands, it was encouraging to see
future talent emerging from middle school students.
3Volution (Years 6-9) performed a medley of musical
films and Year 7 Hardwick Middle School students
performed a dance based on Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory. A group of Year 9 male dancers
also showcased their high energy and amazing lifts!
Congratulations to all involved!
Bury's Got Rhythm
Year 9 and 12 King Edward VI dancers accompanied
by students from local middle schools, performed on
stage at The Apex in March as part of Bury's Got
Rhythm; a new project organised and choreographed
by 'Dance East'.
With a1940s/50s theme, the piece used music and
dance styles of the era such as The Jive and The
Lindy Hop. The performance brought together a range
of ages and abilities from primary school age through
to a final heart-warming solo to Singing in the Rain,
danced by George, age 84 (pictured with our
students).
Student drama
by Jonathan Lodge, Subject Leader
Drama
King Edward VI students recently
presented a new piece in the
Theatre Royal's Spring Celebration
of Student Drama. This is the third
year we have entered the festival
which we fund as part of Arts Week,
during which the project is
launched.
This year's theme was '1963', and
Asha Ray, a talented Year 12
Theatre Studies student, wrote our
entry - a 15-minute play exploring
the events leading up to the suicide
of poet Sylvia Plath.
Asha directed the piece with the
support of Nigel Turner, one of our
Drama teachers, and also
performed it (stepping in at the last
minute when her original leading
lady pulled out) alongside students
Harry Boulter, Emma Humphreys
and Laurie MacIver. Asha's younger
sisters Lola and Kitty played the
younger versions of Sylvia.
“The piece was very
much appreciated by
the audience at the
festival and parents at
the Year 9 Parents’
Evening, who asked
me to pass on how
impressed they were
with the work.”
Celebrating the arts
Music
Celebration
Our String and Chamber Orchestras
performed at the world-famous
Snape Maltings Concert Hall as part
of the Suffolk Schools Celebration of
Music marking the centenary year of
composer Benjamin Britten. Both
ensembles cater for more senior
players and aim to give young
musicians the opportunity to play
demanding music at a high level.
The String Orchestra played
Fantasia on Greensleeves
(Williams) with soloist Dominic
Seymour, who has recently been
awarded a place at the Birmingham
Conservatoire to study Music, and
Playful Pizzicato from Simple
Symphony (Britten). The Chamber
Orchestra completed the
programme with Lord of the Dance
(Hardiman).
Alumni: Tom Inniss
Former King Edward VI student Tom Inniss has featured in the national
Artsmark magazine Creative Pieces, having achieved his Gold Arts Award
last year whilst in Year 13.
Tom focused on music for his Arts Award, improving his performance and
guitar-playing skills, and reviewing events, as well as leading the Mix 'n'
Blend showcase in Bury St Edmunds. He says: “It was my adviser who
got me involved in Arts Award, inviting me to join the Youth Network Team
and helping me over the years to develop the skills required…”
Tom is now a freelance project manager and Subeditor for Arts Award
Voice, as well as studying for a Politics degree
Art
Our Year 13 Textiles students won the
Student Creative Windows Project
with their stunning window schemes
designed for Javelin Retail Ltd as part
of their coursework.
Marketing Manager Tanya Cyrille
said: “The A2 textiles group are to be
highly commended for producing a
superb and extremely creative
window display. It was clear that the
students had given a great deal of
time to planning the project to deliver
such super results, and this reflects
the strong commitment and support
of the school and its staff.”
Talent on display
Year 11 Gifted and Talented students
mounted an exhibition of their art and
textiles work called “Structures”,
which was open to the public at West
Suffolk House during February and
early March.
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