After 18 months of preparation, 160 youngsters from dance school Move It are set to take to the stage at the Gaiety Theatre with support from SMP Partners.

The leading corporate service provider is title sponsor of Move It at The Oscars, an epic show featuring specially choreographed dance routines set to famous movie music.

There will be three performances on 2nd and 3rd December, with tickets on sale now. The children, aged from two to 15, will all perform in at least one routine and the finale, with some students appearing on stage up to 10 times.

Move It founder Kate Caine said: ‘After the success of our Move It Through the Year show in 2014, we’re delighted to be returning to the Gaiety with our 2016 show. We have been working hard to make sure it is bigger and better than ever, with music from Oscar-nominated films, and we have been having so much fun learning new techniques and dances ready for the Gaiety stage.

‘It is such an iconic performance area and some of the children would never otherwise get an opportunity to appear on that stage, so Move It is delighted to be able to give everyone at the dance school the chance to perform in front of an audience at the Gaiety and have their moment in the spotlight. The confidence it gives the kids and the experience they gain for the future is priceless and with the generous support of SMP Partners, Move It is proud to be able to give them this opportunity.’

There will be a huge range of skills on show as the children perform a diverse selection of dance styles, including hip hop, ballet, tap, rock ‘n’ roll, gymnastic and cheer, to famous film soundtracks such as Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, The Lego Movie, Harry Potter and Titanic.

Kate’s fellow Move It director Linzi Brown said: ‘This is the second show Move It has produced and since the last one in 2014 we have more than doubled the amount of kids taking part and grown from one performance to three. The students have all been rehearsing very hard and are filled with excitement and energy as they make new friends and learn about teamwork; we’re all very proud of them.

‘It is a fantastic opportunity for the children to perform, but also a great chance for parents to see their kids on stage and see what they have learnt from the classes. I’d also like to thank SMP Partners for supporting our show so the students can have this amazing experience.’

SMP Partners is a longstanding supporter of the performing arts in the Isle of Man, sponsoring major productions at the Gaiety Theatre including Oliver!, The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, CATS, Tommy, the Wizard of Oz, Miss Saigon, Evita and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Mark Denton, Managing Director of SMP Partners, said: ‘What a wonderful chance for so many youngsters to experience the thrill of performing to an audience on the stage of the Gaiety Theatre. We have been hugely impressed by the hard work and commitment shown by the Move It team and all the performers, and we’re pleased to lend our support to bring this show to the stage.

‘Move It at The Oscars is not just the opportunity for 160 youngsters to perform on the Gaiety stage, but also a chance to gain other skills from the experience. Through 18 months of preparations they will have developed friendships, discovered teamwork and built confidence alongside learning their challenging dance routines.

‘I’d like to congratulate the children for their dedication and commitment, but also the whole Move It team who have been hard at work behind the scenes making this incredible opportunity a reality.’

Tickets for Move It at The Oscars, at the Gaiety Theatre on 2nd and 3rd December, are available now from www.villagaiety.com.

- Ends -