Mystery, fantasy, mythology …. Jackson’s School of Performing Arts is bringing it all to the stage for their annual recital this year.

Called Beyond Imagination it is as its name suggests, a showcase of creativity – in ballet, dance, tap, jazz, modern, contemporary, musical theatre, salsa, hip-hop and creative dance.

Hundreds of dancers between the ages of 2 and 18 will take to the stage in two programmes featuring roughly 35 dances each.

“It's going to showcase a variety of dances that follow themes like mystery, fantasy, mythology and imagination,” said Brittany Adams, the school’s director.

One of the highlights for audiences will likely be teacher Barbara Frith’s beginner and junior students’ musical theatre ensembles.

“They're doing something called Wonka and it's going to feature songs from the 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and also songs from 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the 2023 prequel, Wonka,” Ms Adams said. “So that'll be a fun little medley of our younger musical theatre students and then our older musical theatre students, the intermediates and seniors, are going to be performing Oz, which will also be an ensemble, and it's going to be a collection of songs from The Wizard of Oz and the Broadway shows Wicked and The Wiz.”

Within the mystery, fantasy and mythology of “imaginary land” there will be dances featuring Greek gods and an abstract piece called Heaven.

“Alexis Richens is doing a variation of Swan Lake and another teacher, Angie Hubbard, is doing a jazz dance called The Matrix. So some of the themes are being pulled from movies and then some are being pulled just from teachers' own imaginations.”

Highlighting it all are the skills of Ed Dawson, a “fantastic lighting technician” who “will be using projectables to complement his lighting”.

Practise for the recital started in January when teachers began adding choreography into their lesson plans. The students have been focused on perfecting their moves since then.

“As a group, we always have a meeting and bounce different team ideas and then teachers are left to their own creative devices and discretion to decide how they want to make that come alive for them,” Ms Adams said.

“Some like to be much more abstract, some a little more literal, but you know, we totally give that creative control to our teachers and trust them with that.”

As Jackson’s describes on bdatix.bm: “This year our recital, Beyond Imagination, will take place from June 19 to 22. The showcase will feature a variety of dances that follow imaginary themes like mystery, fantasy, and mythology, to name a few.”

Ms Adams said: “We're hoping for a great turnout in our audience. We've already started selling quite a few tickets.”

Rather than grand backdrops, the dancers will be the stars of the stage, the teacher said.

“We don't like to take too much focus away from the choreography and the dancers. But obviously it's a production so between the costumes, the music, the projections and the lighting design we try to make the dances come alive but they’re not the focus.

“Those are supposed to enhance the choreography, not distract from the choreography.”

Mindful that the show might motivate students to be a part of the dance world, Jackson is offering two camps over the upcoming school holidays.

“We're holding a camp at the end of the summer, in the month of August, and registration is still open for that, and we will be opening up our September registration on July 16,” she said.

“The camp is for four to ten-year-olds and no previous dance experience is required for it. One week is Superheroes and Villains, another week is Princess Ballerinas and the third week is Disney.”

• Jackson’s School of Performing Arts’ Let’s Dance! weekly summer camps start on August 12. Anyone interested can sign up on the school’s website,jspabermuda.com. Dancers do not have to be students. Beyond Imagination starts at 6.30pm on June 19 to 22 in the Earl Cameron Theatre at City Hall. Tickets are available atbdatix.bm