Senior Dancers Shine at GDST Day of Dance
Sixth Form, Senior School, Performing Arts
On 1 December, six of our talented Senior Dancers and Dance Scholars – Pepper, Paloma, Alice, Elizabeth, Mog, and Sophie – joined dancers from across the GDST family for the annual GDST Day of Dance at the iconic Danceworks Studio in London. As one of the UK’s leading training hubs for professional performers, Danceworks offered our students a rare and exceptional opportunity to experience what real vocational dance training feels like.
The event brought together 130 students from 22 GDST schools for high-energy workshops in Commercial, Street, Musical Theatre, Contemporary, and Lyrical Jazz, each led by one of four inspiring professionals at the very top of their game:
- Christina Andrea – former dancer for Jessie J and lead performer for BBC’s live Red Nose Day Danceathon
- Christie Lee Manning – choreographer and performer who has worked with Nelly Furtado and Jack Whitehall, and appeared in Sky 1’s Got to Dance
- Ella Gilling – Edinburgh Fringe performer and recent cast member on ITV’s Chelsea Detective
- Ellie Mitchell – West End performer who debuted in Wicked and is currently starring in Hercules at the Lyceum Theatre
Each workshop was bursting with energy, enthusiasm and creativity, giving the girls a powerful taste of what dance training is really like. Adding to the authenticity of the experience, professional auditions were taking place elsewhere in the building on the same day—including casting for the new West End production Beetlejuice, opening in May 2026. This was a very real taste of life in the world of professional theatre.
The day concluded with an invaluable Q&A session, allowing students to ask open questions and hear honest, insightful advice about life as a professional performer. For many, it was the kind of experience that could ignite a lifelong passion.
Student Reflections:
Our dancers reflected on the day with great enthusiasm:
- Sophie: “It was so much fun… I have never done any Commercial dance before so it was really nice to learn that style. I enjoyed all the classes, but I think my favourites were either the contemporary or commercial.”
- Alice: “I absolutely loved the Contemporary workshop! I would love to do it again!”
- Mog: “My favourite class was Contemporary which was at a level which really pushed me.”
- Paloma: “An amazing experience… I learnt a lot of new moves and styles of dance - Commercial was my favourite!”
“Everyone who attended had an amazing day,” said Charlotte Hough, Teacher of Dance. “We learned new styles, met dancers from other GDST schools, and gained a real insight into what it’s like to be a professional dancer.”
A huge thank you to Kira Bishop, Head of Dance at Putney High School, for organising such an inspiring and unforgettable day.