Performances have taken place recently for the Sue Hill Dance 35th Anniversary biennial show at the Forum, Bath. There was a cast of over 300, with over 1,000 costumes and performers from the ages of five to eighty.
Training took place in Radstock at the Victoria Hall, and performers were made up of the Susan Hill School of Dancing and BDC Theatre College, both of whom are part of the Sue Hill Dance family. The variety show covered a range of genres, from ballet to tap, and commercial to musical theatre. With numbers from ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’ to ‘42nd Street’, Missy Elliot to The Carpenters, there was something for everyone.
This year’s show was entitled ‘A Tribute to Pearl’, following the loss of Sue’s mother last year. Sue said: “I have dedicated this show to my dear mother, Pearl, who sadly passed away last summer. She, like many of you, sent me to a draughty church hall many moons ago, waited for hours as I took my dance classes, stitched costumes and made tea for other waiting mothers.
“She believed in me and my talent, and through her patience and continued taxi-ing from one class to another, gave me opportunities on which my whole life has been built. I would like to take this opportunity to thank other mothers and fathers who are giving their children these same opportunities. She always loved coming to watch our shows, and I am sure that she was watching down on us all with a smile on her face and a mint in her cardigan pocket.
“Since our last show, we have seen great success through our graduating students at BDC Theatre College who have gone on to secure places at some of the country’s most prestigious training institutions, including Urdang Academy, Laine Theatre Arts, New York Film Academy, Bird Theatre College, GSA, London Studio Centre and Millennium.
“Our agency, Shh Talent, has gone from strength to strength under the guidance of our wonderful agents Lucy, Katie and Amber, with clients working in a number of musical theatre, television and film productions across the world, including ‘Cabaret’, ‘An American In Paris’, ‘We will Rock You’ and the new Wonder Woman movie, to name a few.”