Almost 500 pupils star in Fife 6, 7, 8 Dance Festival

Just under 500 pupils from across six high schools and 22 primary schools in Fife performed in the annual Fife 6, 7, 8 Dance Festival at the Lochgelly Centre on Thursday evening (21 March).

Fife’s Active Schools team organise the free annual event, which is now in its ninth year, as a fun, non-competitive dance festival.

Event organiser and Active Schools Coordinator Jennifer Noble said: “We are delighted with how popular the event has become and had a record number of schools taking part this year. We are always amazed by the creativity of the choreographers and the ability and enthusiasm of the performers.”

Some schools and participants have become regulars at this event, but for others, it will be their first experience of performing on a stage in front of a large audience. The Ashleigh Montador Dance Academy was this year’s invited dance school to perform and show the pathway opportunities that are available with community clubs for budding dancers.

Jennifer added: “Fife Active Schools recruit and develop a network of volunteers and coaches to deliver sport, dance, and physical activity. We provide a range of training and practical placements. Some of the dance festival performances were developed by our dance leaders, volunteers, and coaches, and many by school staff that volunteer their time to run extra-curricular dance clubs in Fife’s schools.

"The whole event is also compered by pupils who are part of the Fife Active Schools Young Leadership Pathway. This ranges from pupils in P6 through to S6 who take lead on projects and promoting the role that sport and physical activity can have in their schools communities. This includes the creation of extracurricular opportunities for school children across Fife, such as dance clubs, which can be celebrated through events like the Fife 6, 7, 8 Dance Festival."