Dance Festivals
Festivals are usually run by volunteers and last for a few weeks. Dancers will perform in their age/style category and be judged by an examiner from a UK leading dance faculty. All dancers receive a certificate, mark and feedback. ​​​
Eastbourne Music and Arts Festival 2026
February Half Term, 14–21 February
Wintergarden Theatre
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Saturday 21 February, Group Timetable
11.15am Jazz Modern Intermediate Mini Group
3 – Walk On By
11.45am Jazz Modern Senior Mini Group
3 – Liquid Spirit
7 – Fallin’
15.05pm Narrative/Character Intermediate Group
6 – Peter Pan
15.40pm Contemporary Senior Group
4 – BDC Youth, Driven (Making Moves)
18.05pm Ballet Modern Intermediate Mini Group
1 – Walking Through Clouds
18.20pm Ballet Classical Senior Group
1 – Gershwin
18.35pm Ballet Classical Intermediate Group
1 – Cinderella Ball
18.50pm Open Senior Group
1 – God Gave Me Feet For Dancing
19.10pm Ballet Modern Senior Group
1 – Twilight Romance
20.05pm Contemporary Intermediate Group
1 – Deep Breaths
Sunday 22 February, Group Timetable
10.15am Ballet Modern Senior Mini Group
1 – Home to Me
11.40am Contemporary Inter Mini Group
2 – Under Pressure
12.55pm Musical Theatre Intermediate Group
1 – Sparkle and Shine
14.10pm Jazz Modern Intermediate Group
1 – Charleston
5 – The Look
14.45pm Jazz Modern Junior Group
3 – Unwritten
15.15pm Jazz Modern Senior Group
2 – Evil
6 – Beethoven in Havana
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Worthing Festival 2026
Pavilion Theatre, Worthing
Saturday 28 Feb – Sunday 8 March 2026
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SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY
17.40pm 14&U Small Groups Classical
2. Walking through Clouds (Modern Ballet)
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19.25pm 21&U Groups Classical
1. Twilight Romance (Modern Ballet)
4. Feeling Good (Contemporary)
7. Driven/Fratres (BDC Youth Contemporary)
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SUNDAY 1 MARCH
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1.15pm 14&U Small Group Stage
1. Walk On By (Jazz)
4. Life On Mars (Lyrical)
7. Under Pressure (Contemporary)
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7pm 14&U Large Groups Stage
1. Sparkle and Shine (Musical Theatre)
3. The Look (Contemporary Jazz)
6. Charleston (Jazz)
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FRIDAY 6 MARCH
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20.15pm 21&U Small Groups Stage
2. What He Wrote (Lyrical)
7. Fallin' (Contemporary Jazz)
11. Liquid Spirit (Jazz)
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SATURDAY 7 MARCH
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7.40pm 14&U Groups Classical
1. Peter Pan (Character)
3. Cinderella Waltz (Ballet)
4. Deep Breaths (Contemporary)
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SUNDAY 8 MARCH
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11.45am 10&U Groups Stage
2. Unwritten (Lyrical)
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1.15pm 21&U Small Group Classical
4. Home to Me (Ballet)
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15.50pm 21&U Groups Stage
3. Evil (Jazz)
8. Beethoven in Havana (Open)
14. God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (Jazz)​
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Sussex Festival 2026
The Hawth, Crawley ​​
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Solos, Duets, Trio/Quartets
NEW BURY THEATRE, HURSTPIERPOINT COLLEGE, HURSTPIERPOINT
Monday 30th March–Thursday 2nd April
& Tuesday 7th April–Thursday 9th April
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Small Group Day
NEW BURY THEATRE, HURSTPIERPOINT COLLEGE, HURSTPIERPOINT
Thursday 2 April
Large Group Day: Full Team!
HAWTH THEATRE, CRAWLEY
Sunday 12th April
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Enter here: https://www.sussexfestival.co.uk/​
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Other festivals
Please note that students may not miss group rehearsals or anything they have committed to for the team in order to attend festivals as a soloist. Please always check with teachers first.
See all here
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Petersfield Dance Festival
July
Parents do their own entries via website
Fareham Dance Festival
July/Aug
Parents do their own entries via Festival Connect
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South Theatre Arts Festival
July + various
Parents do their own entries via website
Bright Star Festival
July, August + various
Parents do their own entries via form
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Southsea Festival
October
Entries for 2025 Open June 1st 10am
Parents do their own entries via website
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1066 Festival of Performing Arts AED Qualifier
St Leonards
Oct–Nov
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Kingston Upon Thames Festival 2025 AED
Oct–Nov
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Hastings Music and Arts Festival 2026 AED
Feb–Mar
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Chichester Festival of
Music, Dance & Speech 2026 AED
Feb–Mar
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Dance Comps
Dance Competitions have become more popular in the UK and take place over one or two days. Often the dance categories follow current trends. We take a selected team (often only our Teens/Seniors) to compete at these events as there is limited space.
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WHO DOES ENTRIES?
BDA often enters dance competitions on behalf of our dancers.​​​​​​
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Destination Dance, Regional Heat
Worthing Pavillion
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 January 2026
Full school entering – email Miss Lucy to take part
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Global Dance Open (Regionals)
Thursday 9 and Friday 10 April
Langley Park School for Boys, Bromley
Elite competition for those wishing to qualify for international event in Spain.
*Entries now full*
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Destination Dance Finals
6–7 June 2026
University of Warwick, Coventry
Dancers may take part in this if they qualify at the regional heat, but please note that this is the weekend after All England Regionals.
Global Dance Open (World Finals)
14th–19th July 2026, San Sebastian, Spain​​
Must qualify at regional finals to compete
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Special Events
All England Dance
All England Dance Regionals, South East
23–31 May 2026
Must qualify at a normal dance
festival (qualifiers only)
All entries must be completed by the school.
Parents will have a deadline to make entries via our school Google Form.
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All England Dance, National Finals
25 July – 2 August 2026
Winter Garden Theatre
and Congress Theatre Eastbourne
Must qualify at Regional Finals to enter!
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All entries must be completed by the school.
Parents will have a deadline to make entries via a Google Form.
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Other Events
Southern Dance Class Awards
Sunday 21 September – Brighton
Sunday 18 January – Grand Finals ​(Clash)
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​Performers Of The Future, Brighton 2026
Sunday 18 January, Brighton Dome​
Performing: Senior Large Group Open
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Making Moves Regional Platform
Sadlers Wells Lilian Bayliss Theatre
Friday 13 February, BDC Youth only
Elite Competitions ​​
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Ballet Grand Prix – Semi-Final in London
Dancers enter and take part in a masterclass. If selected to go through to the finals, dancers will prepare a ballet and contemporary solo.
https://www.balletgrandprix.co.uk/home
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The Performance Platform
For classical repertoire soloists
https://www.theperformanceplatform.org.uk/
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