Successful community showcases by Tracing Steps at Middleton Arena

Date published: 27 May 2023

A Middleton dance and theatre company ran four separate successful community showcases at Middleton Arena on Sunday 21 May.

Over 170 dancers aged between two and 89-years-old from the Tracing Steps Theatre & Dance Company took part in the showcases, which they have been working towards for the last six months.

The groups consisted of Tracing Steps’ children’s dance and drama classes, as well as youth theatre groups and adult groups based at Demesne Community Centre, Langley, and Crimble Croft Community Centre, Heywood. 

Tracing Steps also invited some of the children taught by the company in schools – including Bury Preparatory RC School and Bowlee Park Community Primary School – plus participants from its adult dance and movement sessions, Mature Movers in Eccles, and its armchair boogie group from Inspired Taskforce in Levenshulme.

Martina Coggins, of Tracing Steps, said: “Our new adult performance group, EXTRA, for adults with additional needs performed a short play and a musical theatre medley.

“Backstage, the children took time to interview the older adults as a bid to help their confidence and take their mind of their performance. We even managed to get some audience participation - joining in with our armchair boogie performances.

“We had some wonderful feedback from families: we’re extremely proud of everyone that performed and look forward to working on our next piece.”