Dance group is the only classical Indian act to secure place at Dance Proms 2015
Talented dance students from the Sujata Banerjee Dance Company in Edgware are set to spice up the stage at the Royal Albert Hall, having won a coveted place to perform at Dance Proms at the Royal Albert Hall on November 15th.
The 13 students, aged between 10 and 19 are just one of 22 acts, and the only classical Indian act, selected from over 200 entries. They will perform in front of an audience of dance lovers, talent spotters and celebrity patrons including Darcey Bussell CBE, Matt Flint and Arlene Philips.
The school have twice the reason to celebrate this year with two of their students representing the South Asian category at the BBC Young Dancers Competition.
The Sujata Banerjee Dance Company is a registered charity committed to promoting South Asian dance and music in the UK and beyond, founded in 1985 by Sujata Banerjee. They will be joined on the iconic stage by dancers from as far afield as Norway and Italy and other young dancers performing in a range of other genres such as Ballet, Street Dance and Latin American Dance.
Sujata Banerjee, school founder said: “We are proud and humbled to be selected in this special event. We are ready to put or hard work and commitment to show high quality Kathak and make this event an amazing experience for the audience”
Darcey Bussell CBE added: “Every year I attend the Dance Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, which never fails to impress me. The young dancing talent on display is of such high standard, The Sujata Banerjee Dance Company will make a great addition to the line-up this year. To perform at a world famous venue requires hard work, dedication and being noticed by the right people at the right time. In previous years, castings agents have scouted talent at Dance Proms, with one young boy going on to become Billy Elliott! It just goes to show how important the event is in offering a platform to aspiring young dancers. I am honoured to be a patron of the event and truly believe there should be more national showcases like this to celebrate the rich and diverse pool of talent across the country. My advice to all the performing dancers is to enjoy the experience!”
Maddy Gladman, Sales and Marketing Director of Capezio Europe – Dance Proms lead sponsor, said: “It is such a magnificent event for the world of dance, combining every genre possible. Capezio encourages its young patrons to embrace an active, graceful and stylish attitude to dance; qualities which are very much reflected in the Dance Proms performance. Capezio would like to wish every single entrant the best of luck and we look forward to attending the fabulous finale.’
To qualify for Dance Proms, dance teachers submitted a short dance piece featuring original choreography in any genre and performed as a solo, couple, trio or group. Entries were submitted online by video and selected by a panel including artistic directors and senior examiners from the world of dance.
Dance Proms, this year sponsored by Capezio, was established to celebrate dance in all its forms and the unique relationship between students and their dance teachers. The spectacular annual event is attended by dance critics, talent scouts and dozens of top names from the dance world. Patrons include Matt Flint, Lukas McFarlane, Arlene Phillips CBE and Strictly’s Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer. One of the unique features of Dance Proms is the Forum, an online resource created for participating students. The Forum hosts key information, resources, tips and advice for the students and allows them to connect with each other online before the event, when they join together to become the Dance Proms company.
Dance Proms was founded and is managed by three of the UK’s leading dance organisations: the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), the International Dance Teachers’ Association (IDTA), and the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), together with Britain’s most iconic venue, the Royal Albert Hall.
