Our four Houses, Bentsi-Enchill, Cadbury, Fox and Tubman faced each other in our annual House Dance and Drama challenge on Thursday 9th October. This year’s unifying theme was ‘Eras’, with each House tasked with devising an original piece of theatre that was equal parts drama and dance for our 10 judges.
Cadbury kicked the night off in the roaring 20s, with a dancer caught up in a fiasco with a mob boss and his stolen painting. Fox rocked and rolled with their piece set in a 50s Diner, with Elvis Presley making a dazzling appearance. Tubman followed up in a 70s music venue, where a private investigator tackled a case reminiscent of the murder of his wife. Concluding the night’s performances was Bentsi-Enchill with a 2000s-themed talent show, starring the likes of the Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child and a Britney Spears band.
Whilst the judges deliberated over each of the 13 awards, the audience and performers took part in a music quiz where some funky moves accompanied every answer! It was then time for the awards, with everyone’s eyes set on ‘Best Overall Production’. It was a tough decision for our judges, but Tubman were crowned the winners! Congratulations to Tubman and well done to everyone for bringing to life such wonderful performances!
Jessica Wittert van Hoogland, Head of Drama and Dance and competition co-ordinator, enthused: “House Drama and Dance is an incredible platform for students to ignite their house team spirit and celebrate community. It’s more than just a performance – it’s a vibrant showcase of diverse talents, from scriptwriting, choreography, directing, and stage management, to lighting, dancing, prop crafting and era specific research. This competition asks our students to face a true creative challenge. What is brilliant is that they consistently rise to the occasion with passion and flair, embodying the very best of LP energy.”
Head, Luke Walters, was energised by his first House Dance and Drama: “It was a remarkable evening! What an array of talent, what fun and what joy. A real pleasure to watch from beginning to end with some remarkable stand out performances. Just a great evening all round!”
Dance Lead, Beth Butler, commented: “In a strong dance performance, I look for a combination of technical precision, emotional connection and an energised performance which is consistently projected to the audience. Technique provides the foundation; use of physical skill including alignment, control, and co-ordination. Unison should be polished demonstrating the dancers’ skill and dedication to the rehearsal process. But beyond that, I’m drawn to performances that clearly communicate the dance idea. Authenticity and passion make the movement come alive. Finally, confidence and stage presence tie it all together, making the audience feel engaged from start to finish.”
One of our judges Joe Le Ronde, Resident Drama Graduate (2024-25), concluded: “It was so nice to see everyone, and see the kids again. Seeing how they’ve grown from when I was here to the stuff they’re doing now, and to see that continuous improvement of drama throughout the school. Dance was a massive stand out tonight, it was really strong, and I think every House has shown that they’ve researched and stuck to the task. They all really put their heart and soul into it.”
See more photos from House Dance & Drama!
Take the next step by selecting an option below, or if you want to drop us a quick message, you can do so with the form.
Δ