Stage by Stage triumphs at Dance Festival

Stage by Stage, Exeter's own theatre arts school, has won a string awards at the Exeter Dance Festival during the half term holidays.

The Festival, which attracts over 1,500 dancers from across the South West, has taken place for over 30 years, and packed audiences at the Exeter Corn Exchange have enjoyed outstanding solos, duets, trios and groups performing ballet, modern, hip hop, tap and song and dance all week.

Stage by Stage, based at Stage Studios in Bartholomew Street West, presenting song and dance routines for age groups aged from nine and under to 21 and under, not only came first in both age groups, but also gained the highest mark of the week in all categories, with 90 marks out of 100!

Director Ian Trafford said: "We're extremely proud of what the students achieved. And the fact that 'Winnie the Pooh' and 'Cabaret' both won just goes to show the strength of ability in depth the students have across the whole range of ages!"

Stage by Stage is just beginning preparations for its next full-scale production at the Northcott Theatre: Les Miserables.

Ian said: "It's the real, live theatrical experiences that really make the difference in theatre training - a concert or festival is fine, but the real learning comes when the students have to create a world and build a convincing and emotional story. That's why we stage whole plays and musicals in venues ranging from the Northcott to Plymouth Theatre Royal and even at the Edinburgh Fringe."