Dance at BGS

Dance outside the classroom
Weekly lunchtime clubs are open to all students from Years 3–13, studying a range of dance styles including contemporary, modern, urban, ballet, lyrical and dance theatre. In a week, BGS dance students can take part in an average of twelve co-curricular dance sessions, which are delivered by specialist dance teachers and professionals within each genre.

Junior and Senior Surge dance companies, our elite auditioned company, work with various professional dancers and choreographers within the industry, including Vicki Hearne; the director of our Dance Company-in-Residence; Untold Dance Theatre.

Pupils have a huge range of opportunities to not only perform but to also choreograph pieces outside of lessons that are performed in productions including our collaborative MADD evening.

Throughout the year pupils attend professional dance workshops, theatre performances and festivals, including ‘Move It’ London Dance Festival, all of which provide excellent cross year group collaboration; a key aspect of the BGS dance community.

Dance performances
Our main annual Dance Production takes place every Autumn with pupils from Years 3–13 performing. Previous productions include Nutcracker and Maleficent, with casts of around 100 performing in this whole school production. Outside of school, Junior and Senior Dance pupils also perform annually in the Bristol based Stages competition and Take Art’s youth platform; Spring Forward in Taunton, through which they perform alongside other schools and youth groups from across the south west. Annual 1532 platforms include Reflections, the GCSE and A level showcase; Connect, where we host other schools in a sharing of examination dance work, as well as our always entertaining House Dance Competition.

Watch the short video below to get a behind the scenes glimpse of our Autumn 2022 production, Cruella, and hear from our dancers why the enjoy being part of BGS Dance so much.

Upcoming Dance productions can be found in the What's on and News section of this site.

ISTD Dance Classes
Outside of school, pupils can take ISTD/RAD Dance, studying graded classes in Ballet and Modern and open classes in Contemporary. These are available for all Infant, Junior and Senior pupils with our Dance instructor Daisy Scott. Click here for the full list of available classes and information on how to book classes.

Creative and Performing Arts Scholarships
Talented dancers looking to join at Year 7 can apply for a Creative and Performing Arts scholarship. Further details can be obtained from the Admissions team and the Director of Dance is delighted to speak to potential applicants in advance of the process on request.