The members of Withernsea High School’s dance community are busy putting the finishing touches to their latest production, 'Let's get ready to Rhumble', which aims to take the audience on a journey through 90s nostalgia.

Head of Creative Arts and Teacher of Dance, Jamie Hughes, said: “With a 90s cultural resurgence through repeats of TV shows, sampled music and retro fashion trends making a comeback, we wanted to tap into an era that will be fun for our performers and memorable for their parents and carers who come to watch.

“Rehearsals are going well and our dedicated dancers are working very hard, often staying until after 6pm on an evening, in order to attend twilight rehearsals and perfect their routines. They’re all very excited about the show and, in particular, the costumes!”

Following a number of recent productions that have featured a more theatrical slant, ‘Let’s get ready to Rhumble’ will see the return of a more traditional dance show format – albeit with a slight twist.

Jamie said: “We are really keen to involve the audience and will be using the themes of the show as the basis for an interactive quiz that will run throughout the performance. This will enable our audience to test their 90s knowledge through observational, visual and audio rounds that reflect TV, film and pop.”

Helping the preparations for this year’s show are a number of former students who have returned to support younger students in after-school clubs and rehearsals. Among them are Heidi Adcock-Shaw, Gracie-Mae Waites and Cami Eley – all of who are now attending colleges in Hull.

Reflecting on this support, Jamie added: “It’s been a real pleasure to welcome back some of our former dance students who are keen to help inspire and support the next generation of dancers. Heidi has always aspired to be a professional dancer and is currently studying dance at Wyke College. The experience of supporting our current students, combined with her college studies, will be invaluable as she continues to prepare for her future career.

“Both Gracie and Cami are continuing to support our weekly Year 8 dance club, often travelling straight back from college to do so, in a role that they have embraced since the club members were in Year 7. Their commitment and support over the past few months remains very much appreciated by both myself and our current cohort of dancers.”

As the school’s latest major production under the banner of ‘Creative Arts’, ‘Let’s get ready to Rhumble’ follows in the footsteps of last winter’s ‘A Seussified Christmas Carol’ - a whimsical dance reinvention of Charles Dickens' beloved Christmas story that took inspiration from the wacky world of famed American children’s author, Dr Seuss.

In March 2023, the school staged its own production of ‘High School Musical – a stage adaptation of the hugely popular 2006 film musical. This followed in the footsteps of previous whole school productions, We Will Rock You (2020) and School of Rock (2022). This year, a production of musical comedy, The Addams Family, will take place at the school in March 2024. 

Let’s get ready to Rhumble’ takes place at Middleton Hall, Hull University, at 7.30pm on Friday, 19th January. Tickets for the event, priced £6.50, are on sale now from www.ticketsource.co.uk/middleton-hall