As Torvill and Dean waltzed, Harry Hill strutted and the British public dug deep into their pockets, several groups of Manchester dancers were tapping their own tune for BBC Children in Need.
On Sunday November 17, two days after the big appeal night which raised a record-breaking £31million, a nation of twinkle toes got into the groove of Robbie Williams’ hit song, Candy, and prepared to break a world record of their own for the largest number of tap dancers toe-tapping at one time.
It succeeded in adding to a fabulous BBC Children in Need total and most importantly, providing a good time for tap dance enthusiasts both in Manchester and across the UK.
“The event was absolutely fabulous,” Pauline George, principal of Pauline ‘G’ School of Dance in Lees, said.
“Everyone completed the routine perfectly and had an absolutely brilliant time. The atmosphere was great.”
Pauline ‘G’ School of Dance raised £285.86 of extra fundraising over the Tapathon weekend through priced refreshments on the day and by asking children who were participating to pay one pound to wear red or yellow accessories with their tap costumes.
The dance school even had a little visitor the day before the big event to help boost dance morale.
“Pudsey Bear came to the rehearsal on Saturday and the kids absolutely loved him,” Mrs George said.
“He even joined in with the tap dance practice and, for a bear, wasn’t bad at all. I’d even go as far to say he was very good!”
To keep the flame of record breaking hope alive, Mrs George is keen to take part in the event again.
Mrs George added: “This is something we will definitely be doing next year.
“It was great for the dance school, great for everyone involved and it’s a great charity. It was fantastic.”
Event organiser, Joanne Greenhalgh from The Performers’ Project, is still putting the finishing numbers to the fundraising total but was full of praise for the event.
“It was hectic but we’re relieved it went so well,” she said.
Dansworks Dance Academy in Rossendale added £46 from fundraising to the £200 they had already collected from the event t-shirt sales.
“The whole experience was very positive and everyone had fun which is the main thing we wanted to come out of it,” Karen Scott, Principal of Dansworks Dance Academy, said.
“The dance routine went very well.
“The adults were great and the little ones did their best which is all we ever ask anyone to do.
“We’ll definitely be participating next year.”
If you would like to know more about future dance projects organised by The Performers Project, go to http://www.theperformersproject.co.uk/ or follow them at @ttpdance.
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