Stars Of The Stage At Disneyland Paris
Students from across Lancashire showed off their musical talents when Westholme School was invited to take part in the performance of a lifetime
Westholme School’s Performing Arts students took part in the performance of a lifetime on stage at Disneyland, Paris, where they showed off their musical talents.
After successfully auditioning for a coveted spot, 46 students from Years 8 to 13 travelled to Disneyland on the outskirts of Paris, France, to perform ‘From Now On’ and ‘Come Alive’ from The Greatest Showman and ‘One Short Day’ from the musical Wicked, plus ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’, a 1920’s dance number on the world-famous stage.
After their performance, the Westholme students took part in the Time to Shine parade and held the prestigious spot of leading over 1,000 other young performers in a song and dance extravaganza, watched by thousands of Disneyland visitors. The students wore specially designed Mickey Mouse ears in purple and green, Westholme’s signature colours.
Maisie Banks from Darwen, who is currently in Year 12, was one of the lucky students to take part.
She said: “After months of preparation and dedication, it was a great feeling to finally perform, and see it all come together so perfectly! Our hard work was recognised as we were asked to lead the parade amongst hundreds of others.
“Being amongst friends in the Disney atmosphere and enjoying fun time in the park was undoubtedly another highlight of this trip. Although we stayed there just a few days, the days were packed full of activities and it was an unforgettable experience.”
Each year Westholme School produces internal shows and concerts showcasing the talents of their students, as well as holding external concerts and events. The events are held in the prestigious Croston Theatre at the Meins Road School and have included many famous productions such as The Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story and most recently Fame.
The Croston Theatre, a state-of-the-art facility which provides a real-life theatre experience, is the centre-piece for performing arts and acts as a focal point for rehearsals, as well as the live performances for concerts and productions at Westholme.
The Performing Arts faculty provides a holistic experience for all students offering music, music technology, drama and dance. Students are taught by highly skilled teachers in their discipline and are offered the opportunity to enhance and develop their creative knowledge and performance skills.
Staff are dedicated and go above and beyond to ensure students receive the highest quality of teaching and experiences, including West End workshops, international performance tours and regular theatre trips.
Technical workshops are also provided for students with a fantastic array of guest professionals in Dance, Drama and Music who come in to provide valuable training, experience and knowledge to each subject.
Hot off the heels of having won three National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) awards for Fame and Matilda JR, the school’s performing arts students are now busy with rehearsals for their next big performance – a production of Les Misérables at the Croston Theatre, taking place from 5th – 9th March this year.
Amy Holland, Director of Performing Arts at Westholme School, accompanied the students on the trip.
She said: “The students were both nervous and excited before they went on stage and as they took their spots, it was emotional to see how happy they looked after months of rehearsals for this moment. They made lifelong memories on stage at Disneyland and I felt very proud.
“Staff at Disneyland see thousands of schools and performers each year and they commented that our performance was special – so much so, they asked Westholme to lead the iconic pre-parade, which was such an honour. We would like to give a special thanks to our choreographers – our dance teacher, Mrs Karen Barber and parent and professional Rebecca Atkinson.”
After their performances, the Westholme students and staff had time to enjoy the Disneyland park, rides and studios, rounding off a memorable trip of a lifetime.
Peter from Preston, is currently in Year 12 at Westholme School. He said: “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I loved every second of it, especially leading the parade which was exhilarating and a real privilege.”
Charlotte from Chorley, also in Year 12, said the appearance was a memorable one.
She added: “Disney really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, performing to so many on a professional level and getting to be a part of and lead the parade was something that I will never forget and always look back on with fond memories.”
Westholme
Wilmar Lodge, Meins Road
Pleasington BB2 6QU
01254 506070
westholmeschool.com
