Energy, enthusiasm and excitement were key elements in the In Motion School of Dance Holiday Spectacular 2011.The show, held over the weekend at Ruth Seaton James Auditorium, was designed to display the talent of all the school’s students from the youngest tap dancer to the most accomplished ballerina.While it was obvious they took the performance seriously, the dancers ensured the evening itself was full of fun. It began with a series of seasonal riddles What do you call a cat on a beach? Sandy Claws.The first half of the programme comprised ten short tap and modern dance pieces with a holiday theme beginning with Santa’s Sleigh Team featuring high-stepping reindeer and a very cute Rudolph. Most of the pieces focused on the festive elements of the season, including a particularly striking ‘The Merriest’, choreographed by Candice Musselman and featuring dancers in black velvet and silver bows dancing to a Latin beat. A tap selection, ‘Christmas Medley’ included a Rockettes-style element executed smartly by a collection of Christmas ornaments.With all the razzle-dazzle of sparkly costumes and holiday excitement, the reflective, graceful ‘Mary Did You Know?’, choreographed by Jennifer Soares, was a welcome reminder of the essence of the Christmas message. The ballad was interpreted in a lovely, very moving way by dancers in long, flowing dresses.A short intermission signalled a change of pace, and the second half of the programme featured Act II of the holiday favourite, ‘The Nutcracker’. It was striking how the choreography of Laurie Marshall, Kelly Summers and Jennifer Soares enabled the participation of children with a wide range of abilities from the littlest snowflakes in the opening number, ‘Snow’, to principle dancer Ally Lusher as the Snow Queen.The stage was set by narrator Che Barker who recounted the events of the first act, including Clara’s role in defeating the Mouse Army, and the first dance which conjured a sense of swirling snowflakes, flurries of crystaline liquid, whirling us magically to a different time and place.Following the dance of the Spring Fairy (Taylor Railton, principle) accompanied by a cloud of graceful butterflies, the curtains parted to reveal the glittering land of sweets populated by courtiers, bakers and candy makers.The audience was entertained by a series of themed dances from Spain, Russia, Arabia and China, and a delightful confection entitled ‘Marzipan’, before a handful of peppermint sweets (the corps de ballet members of the Bermuda Gymnastics Association) tumbled onto the stage to accompany the Peppermint Princess (Dara Palmer) and the Music Box Dancer (Sophia Adderley) in ‘Candy Cane’, an energetic number which was well-received by the audience.The programme ended with a graceful ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ and a finale in which Ally Lusher danced the principle role of Dew Drop, and young Haley Canterella as Clara showed what talent there is among Bermuda’s young dancers.Altogether, it was a clever, witty, bubbly, entertaining evening, and Lizz Pimentel and her staff are to be commended for producing such a varied and challenging programme. Just the logistics of managing the corps and their costumes is daunting, but that it was done with such finesse is very impressive indeed.