Dance Fest 2025 – Ayrshire biggest celebration of dance

Dance Fest, Ayrshire’s biggest celebration of dance, had two sell out shows recently at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr.

The spectacular event showcased the very best of dance from local schools, community groups, private dance schools and stage schools plus a performance from our resident East Ayrshire Youth Dance Company.

Performances included Fenwick Primary who presented a dance entitled Dancing through the decades – 150 years of Fenwick Primary and what a celebration it was; S1 from Stewarton Academy performed an extremely high energy hip-hop routine to It’s Okay I’m Okay and Work It; Logan Primary wowed with a dance using various styles entitled Around the World, which was lots of fun; East Ayrshire’s Youth Dance Company performed an incredible hip-hop routine to Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’; while St Andrews Primary gave a fantastic performance to Flor Rida’s classic ‘Club can’t handle me’.

Dance Fest was produced by Zara Smith Cultural Co-ordinator, Dance and Movement from East Ayrshire Council’s Creative Minds team, and featured a range of different dance styles and musical tastes, including musical theatre, street, jazz, lyrical and hip-hop.

The young people put on an incredible show and the East Ayrshire Teacher Performance group impressed the crowd with Bye Bye Bye – a hip-hop routine choreographed by Carrie Craggs, to the NSync song and a wonderful jazz routine choreographed by Louise Chudleigh to Get Happy.

The tantalising and totally toe-tapping two-night event saw further highlights from Jam Street, i-Dance, Karen E Moir Dance, Dynamite Dance Studio, Icon Dance Company Ayrshire and CentreStage.

Zara Smith said: “Dance Fest represents the culmination of weeks and months of practice by pupils and their teachers in schools across East Ayrshire who come together to share their love of dance on stage. It is a spectacular celebration and showcase, which everyone finds really uplifting. The show also reflects the ongoing and much-appreciated support and encouragement from parents, family members and carers.”

Provost Claire Leitch attended Dance Fest with the Council’s Chief Executive, Eddie Fraser and Dr Julie Carrie, Music Services Manager. She said: “What an incredible evening we spent at Dance Fest. It was a real celebration of dance and was so joyous. All the dancers gave heart and soul to their performances, and I found it very moving – the talent, the commitment and just the opportunity to express themselves through dance. It was wonderful.

“Congratulations to Zara Smith for producing a fantastic event and to all the performers.”

Photos are available online