Moate's Dancezone to mark 30 years with nostalgic show
By Rebekah O'Reilly
Moate dance studio DanceZone is commemorating 30 years of stunning costumes and choreography with an upcoming anniversary show titled ‘Dancing Through Life’.
The school was set up by Sandra Julian in April of 1995, and has since gone from success to success thanks to the enormous talent and dedication of Sandra and her incredible students.
“We’ve been planning the show for two years,” Sandra said. “It’s going to be something really special for the audience, and the parents who have been there all along.
“A number of the original members are flying home from Australia to be part of the show.”
‘Dancing Through Life’ is set to feature some of the school’s most memorable numbers from across the last three decades, including award-winning choreography from shows ‘Love In Every Language’ and ‘Jersey Boys’, and a performance by students from Athlone Down Syndrome and friends.
“When we started out, Boyzone were a huge thing so that’s what led to the name DanceZone,” Sandra explained. “There was a competition taking place to meet Boyzone, and we entered. We were using their song ‘A Different Beat’ - and RTÉ caught wind of it and invited us to perform at The Point.
“We performed live on television. It was a huge thing for a stage school starting out, and it really put us on the map.”
Sandra explained that at the time, they had little to work with in the costume department.
“I went to the upholstery shop [in the unit that is now the Midlands Simon shop], and I asked them how much it would cost for the off cuts of their fabric. In the end I paid £30, and we made these amazing one shoulder dresses for the kids, with these tassle leg pieces. We jazzed it up with a string and button as a necklace and they actually turned out stunning!”
Over the last year, the school had received an immense amount of recognition for their hard work and undeniable talent, including award wins at the Show Biz Variety competition in October, and the Best of Ireland Stage School Awards in Dublin in November.
The stage school received two musical theatre awards for ‘Jersey Boys’ and ‘Musies’, Most Inclusive Performance for ‘Love In Every Language’, as well as Best Overall, a comedy award, and an award for their performance of ‘Raindrops’ with senior member Sean Murray Gaffey and the junior dancers.
The school also received awards for its performance of ‘1000 Years’ in the 2024 Moate St Patrick’s Day parade. Further adding to its repertoire, DanceZone also made TV appearances on RTE One’s Operation Transformation.
DanceZone has been the leading dance academy in the Midlands for a number of years.
“It’s been a driving force, and we have branches in both Moate and Ferbane,” Sandra said.
DanceZone will also be hosting a gala ball for senior and past members, as well as a junior ball for their younger dancers.
“We invite everybody who has been involved over the years to come along,” she said. “I want to thank everyone for their support over the years. As a local girl creating a local stage school - it can be challenging outside of Dublin.
“We’ve always been well received by our local community, and it’s something I’ll always be so grateful for.”