Festival of Dance 2026 Showcases Talent and Teamwork

The energy and talent on display at our Festival of Dance 2026 was truly inspiring.

Hosted at Hall Cross Academy Upper Site and delivered in partnership with Legacy Sport, the event brought together pupils from across our academies to celebrate creativity, movement and teamwork through dance. This year’s theme, “A Journey Through Our Rainbow,” saw each academy represent a different colour, creating a vibrant and visually stunning showcase. Each performance brought its colour to life in unique and imaginative ways, resulting in a powerful celebration of individuality, unity and expression.

As our CEO, Beryce Nixon OBE, reflected, “Dance is such a powerful form of expression. It allows young people to communicate feelings, ideas and stories in ways that go far beyond words. It builds confidence, encourages collaboration and gives pupils the chance to step onto a stage and discover what they are capable of.” This was evident throughout the evening, with every performance showcasing not only talent, but growth and self-belief.

From the first performance to the final routine, the confidence, commitment and enthusiasm shown by every pupil was fantastic to see. A special highlight of the evening was a standout guest performance from students at Hall Cross Academy.  

Our DCEO and compere for the evening, Andy Hibbitt said that "each academy brought its own colour, identity and energy, but together they created something far more powerful; a shared story of collaboration, confidence and belonging. It was a real celebration of what can be achieved when our young people are given the opportunity to shine.”

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the event possible – the staff who supported rehearsals, the organisers who brought everything together, and of course the pupils who lit up the stage with their performances. Events like this demonstrate just how important the arts are in helping our young people grow and thrive.