when the Jackson School of Performing Arts stages the six-night event starting at the end of next week.

School founder Louise Jackson, who recently received a Longevity Award from Bermuda's Small Business Development Corporation for her school, says that, in order to give each student a chance of performing, two completely different casts will appear on alternate nights. The fact that this is the 45th year in which the school has presented a show, makes it a special one for her and her staff. The show opens on Friday, June 19 and prize-giving will take place on the last night (June 26), during which about $20,000 in scholarships will be presented by Governor Thorold Masefield.

"We believe strongly in allowing every child to take part because there is no point in attending a performing arts school if they don't perform,'' she exclaims. Noting that, in total, there are now around 1,000 pupils who study dance, drama and music, Mrs. Jackson says she believes the secret of the school's success is because the establishment operates very much as a family.

"I have the most fantastic staff! Barbara Frith, for instance, has been with me for 27 years, Conchita (Ming) for 25 years and Heather (Shrubb) has been here for well over 20 years. You couldn't find a more loyal or hard-working staff -- and, above all, they are such a talented group of teachers. We've had Barbara's daughter, Jessica, and Jeanne Legere's daughter, Brittany, who have both come right through, so it really is a family thing.'' One of the reasons the Jackson School, still situated in its spacious Burnaby Street building, has remained so popular, is because children are encouraged to come straight from school. She explains, "We have tables and desks where they can do their homework, with after-school snacks and, most importantly, parents know their children are safe here. We provide them with pens and pencils and, sometimes, they even ask us to help out with their homework! We have a junior library, starting with books for three-year olds, and crayons.

So it's really like a home from home for them after school. Then Mom and Dad come and pick them up after class, as they leave work.'' Mrs. Jackson is also very excited that, this year, a record number of 23 male students will also be taking part. "The boys are very enthusiastic and, thanks to the generosity of Paul Lepercq and the Bermuda Arts Council, many of them have scholarships.'' Hundreds of kids ready to dance "Starting from the age of three, through to their teens, they're doing everything -- tap, modern, jazz and next year, I think we're going to get them to do ballet classes as well. A couple of them are doing four classes a week and making tremendous progress.'' One of the highlights of the show is a ballet for the senior students, set to the music of Vivaldi's `The Four Seasons'. "This year we have the largest number of advanced pointe students ever, and Heather has choreographed this lovely piece for them. Conchita has created a work called `Lost World' -- that pertains to the Steven Spielberg film. Barbara has done a piece from `West Side Story' and also `Rhythm Sticks' which is a tap dance using drumsticks.

Then Jennifer Soares has devised a work called `Modern Duet' which is danced by two sets of dancers -- Denise Dunstand and Shomeiko Ingham and then by Brittany Legere and Sophie Dier.'' Joining Andrea Lopes, Jennifer Soares and Julie Downey on the teaching faculty is new teacher, Renee Lambert who began her dance training with the Somerset School of Dance when she was three. Ms Lambert, who has danced with both the Civic Ballet and National Dance Theatre, studied at the Walnut Hill School of Performing Arts and at Spellman College in the US.

Mrs. Jackson also promises that audiences will be impressed by `Moonlight Sonata', a work originally choreographed by Shomeiko Ingham as an audition piece. "When we saw it, we were all stunned -- both by the choreography and her dancing.'' The Jackson School of Performing Arts Recital takes place at City Hall on June 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 and 26 at 7.30 p.m. Tickets, available from the school on Burnaby Street are $20 and $12 for children (first four nights only).

LOST WORLD -- A scene from Conchita Ming's `Lost World', one of the works to be featured in this year's annual recital by the Jackson School of Performing Arts. Pictured are (left to right) Vanessa George, Shomeiko Ingham and Hope Madeiros.