News Story

This March, Pavilion Dance South West was alive with energy, creativity and youthful passion as we welcomed two spectacular youth dance showcases to our stage: Origins 2025 and the U.Dance South West Regional Platform.

These vibrant platforms brought together some of the most exciting and dedicated young dancers from across the region, offering audiences two unforgettable evenings of performance, expression, and celebration.

Origins 2025

Held on Saturday 22nd March, Origins is our annual youth dance platform showcasing local talent from across Dorset and the South West. This year, the programme featured a brilliant mix of dance styles - from contemporary to musical theatre, street dance to jazz - with performers aged 11-19 lighting up the stage.

We were thrilled to welcome nine fantastic schools and youth companies to Origins 2025:

The Dorset Foundation College
JW Dance
Oak Academy
Poole High School
Mad 4 Dance - Street Crew
Geraldine Lamb Dance School
The Grange School
LeAF Studio School
The Remix

Each group brought something unique and powerful to the performance, demonstrating not only technical ability but the creativity and enthusiasm that makes youth dance so exciting to watch.

U.Dance South West 2025

The following evening, Sunday 23rd March, saw the return of U.Dance South West, a regional platform as part of One Dance UK's national programme. This showcase celebrated the very best in youth dance from across the South West. 12 outstanding youth dance companies and schools took part.

The lineup featured:

Swindon Youth Dance Company
Tapistory
Chhaya Youth
Hampshire Youth Dance Company
Somerset Youth Dance Company
Fearless Collective
The Kings School (Devon)
AFD Youth
Dorset Youth Dance
Coast Youth Dance Company
Merge Youth Dance Company

The evening was a powerful reminder of the creativity and resilience of young people, with each piece offering a fresh perspective and a burst of energy that filled the theatre.

A Spotlight on Coast Youth Dance Company

We were especially proud to see Coast Youth Dance Company, Pavilion Dance's in-house youth dance company, take to the stage at U.Dance with a moving and memorable performance. Coast is made up of committed young dancers who work with professional choreographers to develop their skills, collaborate creatively, and perform at events across the region.

Interested in joining Coast?

Auditions for our 2025-26 company are coming up in June/July, and we're on the lookout for passionate and curious young dancers aged 14-19. Whether you're training seriously or looking for a new creative challenge, Coast offers a supportive and inspiring space to grow as a dancer. Find out more and see full audition details here.

Both Origins and U.Dance showcased the talent and dedication of young dancers across the South West. We can't wait to welcome the next generation of performers to our stage.

To find out more about youth dance opportunities at Pavilion Dance, visit our Children & Young People page.