the whole Island, with more than 700 children sharing the stage in Bermuda's biggest stage show.

This year's City Hall dance recitals marks the 43rd occasion on which pupils of the Jackson School of the Performing Arts have showed off their prowess in the field of classical ballet, modern dance, jazz, tap and acrobatics.

Founder Louise Jackson, who remains remarkably calm in the face of frantic, final rehearsals for the big occasion, comments that her school, which also offers tuition in all the performing arts, actually numbers over 1,000 pupils and, as such, is by far the largest school of any kind in Bermuda.

"We've learned how to be organised over the years,'' she laughs, adding that she considers the annual show to be vital for any school of the performing arts. "How can the children learn what all the training is about if you don't learn how to perform on stage? I think that aspect is very important!'' Noting that many of her students have gone on to major in dance, or dance-related subjects, she mentions, for instance, Angela Mitchell Lopes who is now a teacher in the school. "We also have Elizabeth Pimental, who has danced with a company overseas and is now back here and hopefully, going to teach for us. Many of our girls at university come back in May and turn up here to see if they can help with classes and the show!'' It is a point of pride for Mrs. Jackson that no child is turned away for lack of money. "We give about $18,000 annually in scholarships. Let's face it, if you have children coming in here from the age of three, sometimes five days a week, they become like your own family!'' Mrs. Jackson and her staff all agree that, in these days of marital break-ups and single-parent families, the school itself has become a focal point of security for many of the children, who come in for classes straight from school.

When Living visited the Burnaby Hill studios, children were quietly seated at tables, doing their homework as they waited for classes to begin.

Mr. Paul Lepercq, whose daughter takes dance lessons, was so impressed with this aspect of the Jackson School that he has donated new furniture for this purpose, as well as re-decorating the office and classrooms -- and provided new dance floors and mirrors.

Mrs. Jackson, who is the wife of Senator Albert Jackson, says she is also very proud of the fact that there have never been any kind of racial problems. She says: "Children and staff have all been totally integrated since Day One! People want the best for their children, and we have always had teachers who trained with accredited schools. We've always had an atmosphere of trying to instil a love of all the arts, whether it's dance, music, drama, or teaching them how to do scenery and make-up at summer school.'' Barbara Frith, who heads up the Dance Department (husband Doug is head of Music) has been with her for 25 years. Trained in ballet by E. Virginia Williams of the Boston Ballet, she also appeared in jazz concerts for the company's Lecture Demonstrations. A well known choreographer in Bermuda, she is on the Board of the National Dance Theatre of Bermuda.

She has choreographed two new pieces for the show, one is in jazz idiom to `Proud Mary', and her other advanced jazz class will perform `Josephine', set to cajun-reggae music. Her ballet number is a `Doll Suite' to music by Scott Joplin, while the senior tap class gets things moving with the Duke Ellington Suite, `Take the A-Train' and `It Don't Mean a Thing' -- "in sleek leotards, bell bottom trousers and sequined vests!'' Then, she says, there will be a rock 'n roll piece and "one of my famous `cane' numbers, to big band music and the girls in tuxedos!'' Making her choreographic debut in Bermuda with this show is Ruth Vesenka Lewis who joined the staff here last October to specialise in ballet, especially the teaching of pointe work. Trained at Massachusetts' Walnut Hill Performing Arts school, she is versed in RAD, and what she calls an amalgamation of the Cecchetti and Russian method. She has devised two pieces for her students, `Chopin's Mazurka' and `Chopin's Grande Valse'.

"I fell in love with ballet when I was six,'' she says, "when I saw the Royal Ballet doing the Rose Adagio from `The Sleeping Beauty'. I loved the way the ballerina was balancing on one leg, and I think that's been my forte ever since!'' No show would be complete without Conchita Ming, whose choreography has gained plaudits overseas as well as in Bermuda. As artistic director of Bermuda Dance Theatre, she led the group who appeared at Dance II Black America in Philadelphia earlier this year. Her main number for this show is a tribute to Earth Day, using Aaron Copland's `Fanfare for the Common Man' and dressed, appropriately, in `earth' tones.

Because of the numbers involved, the younger students will take it in turns to perform, with half appearing on three nights and the others on the remaining three.

The Jackson School Dance Recitals take place at City Hall through June 24, 26, 27, 28, 30 and July 1 at 7.30 p.m. Prizes and awards will be presented by the Governor, Lord Waddington on Friday, June 30. Tickets are $18 and $10 for children, but all are priced at $18 on June 30 and July 1.