Dance Performances, Shows & Festivals
Graham School of Dance gives everyone from the age of 3 the opportunity to perform in front of an audience in a professional theatre setting. Our youngest pupils dance in our annual Junior Showcase at Rhodes Arts Complex Theatre in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire each Spring, and our major Graham School of Dance Shows for Middle School and Senior pupils are orgnaise regularly. Rehearsals are planned so as not to be detrimental to those wishing to continue with regular syllabus and examination work. Graham School of Dance Shows, Dance Performances and Showcases have something for everyone to enjoy, and pupils love to demonstrate all they have attained, and build their theatre and performance skills.
Show and Showcase numbers are choreographed by Graham School of Dance teachers and cover a wide variety of dance styles, including Street and Contemporary Dance as well as Classical Ballet, Tap, Modern Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre.
We are delighted that our audiences (and the Press) are so appreciative of all the hard work and fun that goes into producing the highest quality performances....
“My daughter had such a brilliant Show experience – she will never EVER forget it – thank you so much for all you are doing for her – your teachers are outstanding and the Show choreography was fantastic - as were the costumes and the Show organisation - we can't wait for the next one!” Graham School of Dance Parent
"Wow - what a Show - both my children both thouroughly enjoyed the whole experience, bothe dancing on stage and the fun they had backstage too" Graham School of Dance Parent
"Your Showcase was a great treat for us all once again - we have taken part for several years now and wouldn't miss it for the world! Graham School of Dance Parent
"Thank you for giving my daughter such as wonderful experience at the Junior Showcase this year - and us parents and grandparents loved it too! We will definitely be back next year, and are already looking forward to it." GSD Parent
Junior Showcase
Showcase performances are held every year in a professional theatre setting for our youngest pupils age 3 to 8 - they show their parents and friends what they have been learning and achieved in Ballet, Tap, Modern Dance, Musical Theatre and Street Dance, in full costume. DVDs of all showcases are available as memorable keepsakes, and show numbers are interspersed with inspirational performances by older pupils from Graham School of Dance.
Summer Shows 
Graham School of Dance organises a major production in a commercial theatre regularly, and ALL middle and Senior pupils are invited to join in the fun!
Our latest main Shows were highly entertaining, with a huge WOW factor! They included the complete story of Clara's Dream - a summer version of The Nutcracker, as the main Classical Ballet and Contemporary Dance piece, and to showcase pupils' Modern Dance, Tap, Street, Drama and Musical Theatre, a wonderful version of Toy Stories which incorporated not one but all THREE of the Toy Story films !
Pantomime opportunities
As well as Shows organised by Graham School of Dance, the School's talented pupils are involved in local professional pantomimes each year - Graham School of Dance provides Junior Chorus performers for the Hertford Theatre, Rhodes Theatre and for the annual Harlow professional pantomimes each year. Our graduates at full time dance college benefit enormously from their panto experiences through Graham School of Dance, annually winning highly competitive places in professional pantomimes around the UK. Our Drama students are also highly successful in winning parts in the open community Drama auditions for the child actor roles as well. 
Graham School of Dance pupils between the age of 8 and 18 thoroughly enjoy dancing, singing and acting in these professional Shows, as well as gaining valuable performing experience.
"It was so fabulous - still singing and dancing in between the tears!" Audience member, Hertford Theatre,
"Such a fabulously talented bunch of kids!" Director, Hertford Theatre
“[There were] dozens of talented dancers from the Graham School of Dance trained by Hannah Davies, Carley Spendlove and Aileen Graham. The whole company’s Timewarp number and the forest ballet are most attractively performed.” The Stage
“Like last year, the young members of the Graham School of Dance proved a tremendous asset to the show with their varied and impressive routines”
The Herts & Essex Observer
Festivals
Performing at Festivals gives children wonderful opportunities to build on their dance and drama skills. By invitation, talented Graham School of Dance pupils are invited to take extra classes in order to dance in groups, duets, trios and quartets and/or as soloists in a variety of dance genres, including Classical Ballet, Modern Ballet, Tap, Modern Theatre Dance, National Dance and Song & Dance.
Pupils enjoy meeting new friends in a spirit of friendly competition, and have great fun rehearsing routines choreographed by Graham School of Dance teachers, and also perform at local fetes, school and charity events. The School also enters pupils for Drama festivals in the local area, again with great success.
Whilst the dance school does not compromise pupils’ training for the sake of competitions, the children and teachers have been consistently extremely successful in all dance genres, regularly winning places in the All England Finals, as well as a huge number of medals, cups and trophies over the years.
2019 ALL ENGLAND DANCE REGIONAL FINALS: -what an amazing number of pieces through to the Grand Finals!
How lovely to open the programme on the first day of semi’s & see pictures of former GSD pupil Ellie Wilson and Izzie Louise-Dodson from DDTA - who at the Finals in 2017 won ‘Young Modern Dancer of the Year’ and ‘Young Tap Dancer of the Year’ respectively - such a phenomenal achievement!
Venetian Waltz - Senior Ballet Group - *1st with Honours
Midnight Waltz - Senior Ballet Group - *2nd with Honours
The Plague - Senior Character Group - *2nd with Honours
Tornado - Senior Contemporary group - *3rd with Honours
Melody - Senior Contemporary Group - * Honours
Hanging Tree - Senior Modern Group - * Honours
Khachaturian - Intermediate Ballet Group - *2nd with Honours
Les Debutantes - Intermediate Ballet Group - *1st Honours
Zodiac - Intermediate Character Group - *1st Honours
American In Paris - Intermediate Tap Group - *2nd with Honours
Frozen - Intermediate Modern Group - *3rd with Honours
Clouds - Intermediate Modern Group - Honours
Anything Goes - Intermediate Song & Dance Group - *1st Honours
Suite Español - Junior Ballet Group - *1st with Honours
Somerset Suite - Junior Ballet Group - 2nd with Honours
42nd Street - Junior Tap Group - *Unanimous 1st with Honours
Jet Set - Junior Tap Group -* Honours
Evacuating London - Junior Character Group - *1st with Honours
Alice in Wonderland - Junior Character Group - *Honours
Dance - Junior Modern Group - *1st with Honours
Aladdin - Junior Modern Group - *Honours
King Of New York - Junior S&D Group - *1st with Honours
Toot Sweets - Junior Song & Dance Group - *3rd with Honours
FIRST PLACES AND GOLD MEDALS: ….. and so through to the national All England Dance Finals!
* Nicola H - Classical Ballet Solo - UNANIMOUS 1st with Honours
* Emily M and Nicola H - Ballet Duet - UNANIMOUS 1st with Honours
* Mia B - Modern solo - *1st with Honours, having won the Dance Off out of 39 competitors!
* Elena T & Grace P - Classical Ballet Duet - UNANIMOUS 1st with Honours
* Elena T, Daisy D & Olivia D - Tap Trio - 1st with Honours
* Grace, Kristen-Leigh, Alexa - Modern Trio UNANIMOUS 1st with Honours
* Olivia D and Christian -Tap Duet - 1st with Honours
* Grace P - Contemporary Solo - 1st with Honours
* Grace P - Ballet Solo - 1st with Honours
* Isabella Ch - Modern solos age 11/12 - 1st with Honours, having won the Dance Off out of 46 competitors, with 6 having been chosen for the Dance Off!
* Darcey B, Martha S, Mia-Rose, Imogen A -Character Trio/Quartet - 1st with Honours
* Amélie & Ruby O -Tap Duet - 1st with Honours
* Grace C, Coral, Darcey B - Tap Trio 1st with Honours
* Delilah BC & Eleanor K - Ballet Duet -1st with Honours
* Kristen-Leigh & Grace Ch- Modern Duet UNANIMOUS 1st with Honours
* Kimara-Mai - Modern Solo *Unanimous 1st with Honours
* Delilah, Coral, Darcey, Jemima - S&D Quartet UNANIMOUS 1st with Honours
* Ruby O - Tap Solo - 1st with Honours
* Delilah AND * Louis AND * Darcey -Song & Dance solo - ALL THREE 1st with Honours from the Dance Off ……where an amazing 4 out of the 6 Dance Off competitors were from GSD: Delilah,Louis,Grace Darcey!
* Kristen-Leigh -Ballet Solo - 1st with Honours having won the Dance Off… with a fantastic 3 out of 6 Dance Off competitors being from GSD - Grace, Alexa, Kristen-Leigh !
* Grace AND *Kristen-Leigh -Tap solo- BOTH 1st with Honours from winning the Dance Offs… where a phenomenal 5 out of the 6 dance off competitors were from GSD: Coral, Mia Rose, Grace, Darcey, Kristen-Leigh
* Christian, Bella & Grace - Inter Song &Dance Trio/Quartet - 2nd with Honours
* Grace C AND *Kristen-Leigh - Modern Solos BOTH 1st with Honours from winning the Dance Off – out of a 67 competitors, 12 were chosen for the Dance Off, 4 of whom represented GSD: Grace, Alexa, Kristen-Leigh Darcey
* Grace AND Kristen-Leigh - 9/10 Character Solos - both *1st with Honours - winning the Dance Off
SECOND PLACES AND SILVER MEDALS: … and so through to the national All England Dance Finals!
* Amina & Ella P - Ballet Duet - *2nd with Honours
* Leah P & Mia B - Contemporary Duet *2nd with Honours
* Elena Ta - Ballet Solo - *2nd with Honours
* Leah P – Lyrical Modern solo - *2nd with Honours
* Mia B, Mia M, Beatrice – Tap Trio - *2nd with Honours
* Lucia A & Mia B – Song & Dance Duet *2nd with Honours
* Takaiyah, Eden, Mia M -Modern Trio- *2nd with Honours
* Ella P– age 11/12 Ballet Solos *2nd with Honours
* Martha S & Mia-Rose - Character Duet - *2nd with Honours
* Evie Marner - 7/8 Tap Solo - *2nd with Honours
* Kimara-Mai - Ballet Solo - *2nd with Honours
* Kimara-Mai - Tap Solo - *2nd with Honours
* Kimara-Mai - Character solo - *2nd with Honours
* DaisyD, Ellie Ta & Olivia D - Modern Trio - *2nd with Honours
THIRD PLACES AND BRONZE MEDALS: ….. and so all through to the national All England Dance Finals!
* Kiera, Emily, Elena - Senior Modern Trio - *3rd with Honours
* Elena Ta - Tap Solo - *3rd with Honours
* Kiera S, Leah P, Eden - Tap Trio - *3rd with Honours
* Takaiyah - Lyrical Modern solo - *3rd with Honours
* Elena Ta - Contemporary Solo *3rd with Honours
* Elena Ta - Lyrical Solo - *3rd with Honours
* Amelie A, Holly McP& Ruby O - Inter Tap Trio - *3rd with Distinction Special commendation
* Amélie A - Tap Solo - *3rd with Honours
* Isabella Chiotis- S&D Solo - *3rd with Honours
* Isabella Chiotis - 11/12 Character Solo *3rd with Honours
* Coral & Darcey B - Tap Duet - *3rd with Honours
* Isabella & Christian Chiotis -Tap Duet - *3rd with Honours
* Grace P, Christian & Isabella C - Tap Trio *3rd- Honours
* Kristen-Leigh & Kimara-Mai - Character duet - *3rd with Honours
HONOURS PLACINGS at All England Dance Regional Finals 2019
* Kiera S - Modern Solo * Leah P - Modern Solo * Grace P - Lyrical Solo
* Erin S - Tap Solo * Olivia SJ & Daisy D - Character Duet * Grace P - Tap Solo
* Leah W Ellie O Charlotte H -Tap Trio * Amélie A - age 11/12 Modern solo * Grace P- Modern solo
* Holly McP Amélie A Ruby O Tap Trio * Lucia A- Tap Solo * Ella P - Modern solo
* Holly E & Mia B - Modern Duet * Fraija W - Tap Solo * Isabella Ch - Ballet Solo
* Mia Burt - Modern Solo * Leah P - Tap Solo * Isabella McG - Modern solo
* Holly McP - Tap Solo * Sadie H -Tap Solo * Mimi EL - Ballet Solo
* Isabella McG - Tap Solo * Isabella Ch - Tap Solo * Mimi EL - Tap Solo
* Lilia D - Character Solo * Mia-Rose - Modern Solo * Hadassah - Modern Solo
* Emily H & Isabella Sm - Modern Duet * Mimi EL - Song & Dance Solo * Isabella Sm - 9 & 10 years Tap solo
* Eleanor K - Modern Solo * Jemima S - 9 & 10 years Tap solo * Martha C - Ballet Solo
* Martha S - Modern Solo * Jemima & Cecily S - Tap Duet * Eva P - Tap Solo
* Coral & Isabelle H - S&D Duet * Eleanor K - Ballet Solo
2017 All England Dance FINALS RESULTS for Graham School of Dance - 6 Gold medals, 7 Silver, 8 Bronze medals!
* All England Dance Young Modern Dancer Of The Year’ GSD’s - Ellie Wilson
Classical Ballet group 14yrs & Under – Khachaturian Waltz – the SILVER medal
Classical Ballet group 14yrs & Under – Les Debutantes - the BRONZE medal
Classical Ballet duet – Georgina & Elizabeth - the BRONZE medal
Classical Ballet duet Intermediate (14 yrs & under) – Georgia & Rosanna – the GOLD medal
Classical Ballet Solo 11-12 years - Elena Ta – the GOLD medal
Classical Ballet Solo 11-12 years - Rosanna – the SILVER medal
Classical Ballet trio, 14 & under, Arwen Gogerly, Rosanna, Elena Ta – the SILVER medal
Character group 21 yrs & under – Taken – the SILVER medal
Contemporary group 21 yrs & under – Flight of Birds - the BRONZE medal
Contemporary duet 21 yrs & under - Eleanor W, Georgina C - the BRONZE medal
Lyrical Modern solo 21 yrs & under – Eleanor W – the GOLD medal
Modern trio 21 yrs & under – Eleanor W, Georgina, Tiami - the BRONZE medal
Song & Dance group Intermediate 14yrs & Under - Top Hat – the SILVER medal
Song & Dance solo 21 yrs & under- Eleanor W – the SILVER medal
Song & Dance solo 7 & 8 yrs - Delilah B-C – a – the GOLD medal – a UNANIMOUS decision!
Song & Dance duet Junior (10 years & under) - Delilah B-C and Mimi E L – the GOLD medal
Song & Dance duet Senor (21 years & under) - Eleanor W and Sacha – the GOLD medal
Tap Quartet Seniors- Eleanor W, Georgina, Tiami, Ellie T - the BRONZE medal
Tap solo 13 & 14 years – Florrie Burrell – the SILVER medal
Tap group Juniors 10 yrs & Under – Ritz - the BRONZE medal
Tap solo 9 & 10 yrs – Amelie A - the BRONZE medal
2015 ALL ENGLAND DANCE REGIONAL AND FINALS :
Over 100 pieces qualified for the Regional Finals of the 2015 All England Dance competition, with over 60 reaching the Grand Finals! Graham School of Dance won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in the genres of Classical Ballet (at Junior, Intermediate AND Senior levels), Modern Ballet, Tap Dance, and Song & Dance (Musical Theatre) in the group sections, and simlarly for solos, duets, trios and quartets, Graham School of Dance pupils won 1st (Gold), 2nd (Silver) and 3rd (Bronze) placings in Classical Ballet, Modern Ballet and in Contemporary Dance genres, with all pieces attaining Honours.
"Forget Diversity - 'Intensify' are the stars of modern dance ....Bishop's Stortford's brightest young dance stars have seen off tough competition to win a place in the Finals of the All England dance competition. The 18-strong group of pupils from the town's Graham School of Dance bowled judge's over with their Modern Dance routine....."
"A top Bishop's Stortford dance school is celebrating the latest in the a string of successes as four young pupils reached the [UK National] Finals of the 2014 Janet Cram Modern Dance awards"
“Hotshots from Graham School of Dance have won three more cups for the trophy cabinet. Hannah Davies, Head of Tap and Modern at the Bishop's Stortford dance school, won the cup for outstanding teacher arrangements for her choreography during the St Albans Festival of Dance this month, as have 2 top Modern dancers Charlotte and Jessica.”
“The prizes are stacking up for two Bishop's Stortford-based dance schools following recent successes at two major festivals. Youngsters at Graham School of Dance clearly impressed the judges at both the Watford and Ruislip festivals, sweeping the board in the ballet, modern, group and solo categories.”
