The Towers Convent School visited us on Monday 9th to offer their annual Christmas Carol Service. The residents had song sheets enjoyed joining in with the girls which meant that singing echoed all over Valerie Manor!
We so enjoy the girls visiting us – thank you for coming and a Very Merry Christmas to everyone!
On Friday 6th December, Lee and Izzy took a trip with a couple of residents to Haskins Garden Centre to do some Christmas browsing.
Lee enjoyed a cream slice with the residents…such a sweet tooth that one! The lights and decorations were magnificent at the garden centre – well worth the trip.
On Sunday 8th December, Robin and Sally-Ann’s dance company, Let’s Dance! (Hassocks) came to entertain the residents with a small handful of their dancers aged 3 years to 18!
A toe tapping afternoon included music from the musicals and some festive tunes thrown in for good measure. The children performed tap, ballet, modern and cheer-leading for everyone and they went down a storm!
A lovely way to spend an afternoon – the children had a BLAST too and really appreciated their ‘after show’ treats including chocolates and biscuits!
Since December 2008…..the first Christmas that Zoe was at Valerie Manor…..I have been bringing pupils to entertain our Residents from Let’s Dance! (Hassocks) every year on the exciting Christmas run-up!
I now only teach my Adults whilst Sally-Ann teaches Children and Adults….keep it in the family!….Let’s Dance! is a family just like Valerie Manor with over 180 pupils aged from 6 months to adult.
Over the past 32 years the School has raised in excess of £77,000 for various Children’s Charities.
On 4th December the Manor was buzzing with Residents and some Families and Friends ready to be entertained by some of my lovely ladies!
Twelve of my ladies very kindly gave up there
time and energy to come and entertain…….’it marks the start of Christmas for us’ is their annual comment!
What a great time we had……started with a Charleston ‘Jelly Roll’ sung by Bobby Darrin and Johnny Mercer…..a Modern number next by Gloria Gaynor…..a fun Max Bygraves ‘Pink Toothbrush/Blue Toothbrush’ (first performed in my 2003 Show!)….costumes still fit!
Amore by Dean Martin ….’I’ve Got Rhythm’ from Crazy For You by Judy Garland….’Sh.Boom’ by the Overtones danced by Sian who dances with Sally-Ann and is also our Cheer Leading Coach!…..’Soda Pop’ a really upbeat number by Robbie Williams….two Line Dances ( I used to run Classes a few years ago when it was very popular!)
A bit of a bonus was for the first time one of our ladies…who attends classes with me, Sally-Ann and our Ballet Teacher…. Choreographed her own dance to Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’ on Pointe!!!!
Her daughter will be performing with Sally-Ann on Sunday 8th December.
We had lovely Cathy singing two songs whilst the ladies were changing costumes and finished the dancing with ‘Volare’ by the Gipsy Kings (yes that is the correct spelling!) A bit of a surprise for one of our Residents, whose daughter has danced with me for years, I was one dancer short for Volare and the lady in question PERFORMED ! much to the delight of her mother!
Eddie joined us for our final Song ‘Thank You For the Music’ from Abba which we have at the end of all of our shows.
Enough about us…..now to our lovely Audience…..we had laughter and tears…..smiles and clapping along to numbers…..a lovely lovely afternoon made even better by the Staff looking after everyone so well!
I would like to say a huge thank you to my Adults and everyone who helped in the preparation for the event!…….from dear Alan and John laying Tap Flooring and putting up Glitter Curtains, Zoe and her staff moving furniture around in the Conservatory to accommodate the Entertainment!
I so hope we see some of you on Sunday when it all happens again with some of Sally-Ann’s younger pupils…..aged 4 to teenage!
Robin x