📅 15th & 16th November 2025 – Queen Mary’s College Theatre, Basingstoke
Danceforce is the highlight of our two-year calendar and one of the most exciting weekends for our dancers and families. It is a huge production that brings together every child at The Lynden School of Dance, and it only works when everyone plays their part.
The Importance of Rehearsals
Rehearsals are where confidence is built and the magic begins to take shape. This is the time when dancers learn not only their steps but also where to stand, how to enter and exit the stage, and how to work as part of a team.
When children attend rehearsals consistently, they feel secure and ready. Missing rehearsals can leave them unsure or anxious, and can also affect everyone else in the routine. Danceforce is very much a team effort, and the commitment from every dancer helps the whole show run smoothly and beautifully.
Costumes, Accessories, and Details
We provide all costumes for the children and bring them to the theatre for the performances. To keep everything organised and safe, costumes stay with us until after the final show.
Parents’ role is to make sure the required accessories, shoes, hairstyle, and base layers (including underwear that won't show) are exactly as listed on the costume notes. It may seem like a small thing, but these details really do make a difference. Under stage lighting, even tiny mismatches are noticeable, and they can draw attention away from the dancing.
When everyone matches and the group looks neat and polished, the whole routine comes together beautifully — not only in person, but also in the official photographs and show video. It means every dancer is seen at their best, and the children can look back proudly on a performance where they looked and felt like a team.
Supporting Your Child with Confidence
It is completely natural for parents to feel a little nervous before a performance. However, children take their emotional cues from the adults around them. Most children — especially younger ones — don’t see performing on stage as something to be anxious about. To them, it is simply another new experience, like trying a first swimming lesson or going on a school trip. They step into it with curiosity and excitement.
What can accidentally create anxiety is when the idea of “nerves” is introduced for them. For example:
- Saying “There’s nothing to worry about” can suggest that there is something to worry about.
- Talking in front of them about whether they will “go on stage on the day” can make them feel unsure.
- Repeatedly checking “Are you okay?” can make them wonder if they shouldn’t be.
Children think:
Mum keeps mentioning nerves… so maybe I should be nervous?
The most supportive approach is to treat Danceforce as something positive, normal, and enjoyable:
- “You’ve worked hard with your class — it’s going to be fun.”
- “You’ll love seeing the lights and hearing the applause.”
- “Your group will feel really proud afterwards.”
This calm, steady tone helps children step onto the stage feeling secure. Even the shy ones often surprise everyone when the music starts — and the sense of achievement afterwards can be enormous.
Arrivals and Collections
To help everything run smoothly, please arrive on time for drop-off and collection. We work to a very tight schedule backstage, and knowing when each group is arriving helps the children settle quickly and calmly. A calm start always leads to a confident performance.
If your child is unsure at drop-off, please hand them to us confidently rather than lingering — a warm, positive goodbye helps them feel safe and ready.
A Good Night’s Sleep Helps
The weekend can feel exciting for the children, so a good night’s sleep and a calm, familiar morning routine help them feel centred and ready. Nothing special needs to be done — simply the usual rhythm of home is enough.
The Audience’s Role
A warm, supportive audience makes an enormous difference to the dancers’ confidence. A full theatre, friendly faces, and generous applause create the atmosphere that lifts every child on stage.
We ask that the audience help keep the performance space calm and focused:
- Please do not wave or call out to your child during the show — it can distract them.
- Please remain seated throughout the performances so that everyone can see clearly. Save standing for the big final applause.
- Photography and filming are not permitted due to safeguarding. We ask that phones stay away during the show so no reminders need to be given.
Your presence, attention, and applause are what make the performance feel truly special for the children.
Our Shared Trust and Support
The support and cooperation we have received from parents for Danceforce 25 has been truly appreciated. We understand that entrusting your child to us for a full show weekend can feel like a big step — and we never take that trust for granted.
Please know that the safety, wellbeing, and happiness of the children are always our highest priority. The atmosphere backstage is warm, calm, and structured, with familiar teachers guiding the children at every moment.
We know how hard the children have worked, and we know that they will all do their very best. Mistakes will happen — and that is absolutely okay. Even professional performers make mistakes. What matters is that they feel confident enough to smile, carry on, and enjoy the experience.
Danceforce is about far more than steps and costumes. It is about building confidence, learning to work as part of a team, developing resilience, discovering joy in performance, and creating memories that truly last a lifetime.
After the Show
Whether everything goes perfectly or there are a few little wobbles, the best thing you can say to your child afterwards is:
“I loved watching you dance.”
This focuses on pride, joy, and the experience — not perfection. That is what they will remember.
Behind the Scenes
Producing a show like Danceforce involves months of planning — choreography, scheduling, rehearsals, coordinating costumes, organising lighting, staging, music, and theatre logistics.
Our teaching team puts a great deal of work, care, and thought into ensuring that every child is given the chance to shine. When parents recognise the work behind the scenes, it is always appreciated — but knowing the children feel happy, proud, and supported is the greatest reward of all.
Together, We Create the Magic
Danceforce is not just a weekend of performances — it is a shared achievement. When dancers attend rehearsals, families support the preparations at home, and teachers guide each child with care, something truly meaningful is created.
It is a celebration of teamwork, creativity, confidence, and community — and we are so looking forward to sharing this special experience with you.
📅 Danceforce 25 takes place on 15th and 16th November 2025 at Queen Mary’s College Theatre, Basingstoke.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale now.