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Junior WODS by Rebecca, former member.
Junior WODS started in 1981, and has been directed over these years by Margaret Chorlton, who not so long ago was awarded with a prestigious MBE. Junior WODS perform pantomimes every year at the beginning of February.
Junior WODS starts in June, with 5 weeks of workshops. At these workshops, children take part in dancing, singing and acting. Each session is assessed by a teacher, and at the end of it all an Open Evening is put on for the community, and also for your parents, siblings and other family members so they can see what you’ve been getting up to. This then leads to decision making by the teachers, as Junior WODS can only take a certain number of children every year. During these sessions, it’s not only ability or flexibility that’s assessed; it’s your commitment, work ethic and behaviour as well. As much as we want you to have fun, you need to show you can be quiet when you need to be too!
Come September it isn’t just school that starts again, rehearsals begin too! Rehearsals begin with an introduction to what the pantomime will be, what parts there are and choosing whether you want to audition or not. Once auditions have finished and parts have been allocated, then it gets down to learning lines, dances, songs and your stage directions. Everybody accepts that these things take time but the best thing to do is practice your lines and other things when you can and use any spare time at WODS as well. Sometimes there are rehearsals during half terms or maybe Christmas holidays, so make sure you tell somebody if you aren’t available or will be away! All too quickly the Sunday rehearsals come around; these normally start at the beginning of December and are from 1-5 in the afternoon. These rehearsals are for the benefit of backstage crew as well as everybody else, as you then start to really get a feel of what it’s like to be on stage and change things that may not look right, etc.
Before you know it, it’s nearing show time! By the end of January, your lines should be learnt and you should be raring to go and get on that stage! Everybody really enjoys the performances, and to celebrate all your efforts after the last show there’s an after show party, purely for the Junior WODS and all the people who helped. This rounds off all the hard work over the past 5 months, and everybody enjoys themselves.
Junior WODS creates a community within a community, you don’t all just become friends, you become family. As a former member of WODS myself, I’d highly recommend coming as you meet loads of new people, make tons of new friends and can really get involved in something to be proud of for a lifetime. It boosts your confidence, and it becomes something enjoyable during term time and a break from all that horrible homework! Plus it’s something fun for all those budding actors, dancers and singers out there! Many previous WODS members have gone on to star in the West End, some have become singers, actors, sound engineers and camera technicians. Or you can just join adult WODS when you are old enough! To get involved, please contact Margaret Chorlton by sending an email via the "contact us" link.
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