Dancing Images was a brilliant show

It doesn’t even have to be my own child.

There’s just something about their concentration and earnestness as they focus on doing their best for an audience of proud parents and grandparents.

Even so, I was a bit apprehensive ahead of the weekend’s Dancing Images show at Salisbury City Hall.

Not that I wasn’t looking forward to it, just that there were more than 40 acts.

It seemed like an awful lot of dancing.

And my boy wasn’t on until act 37.

Even with my sentimental streak, there’s only so much watching other people’s children perform you can take.

Or so I thought until the curtain opened.

It was a brilliant show.

All of the young people involved had obviously practised so hard to make sure every step was right, and each one gave it their all.

I’m sure the teachers – in the manner of dance and music instructors the world over – had spent every lesson repeating ‘don’t forget to smile’ until they were blue in the face, but unlike the oft-seen forced grimaces of the school carol concert, the children really looked like they were smiling not because they were told to, but because they were enjoying themselves.

The deft-fingered parents must have spent months sewing, measuring and frowning over the marvellous costumes, and were well-deserving of a standing ovation of their own.

We didn’t notice any missteps; the whole event running like a perfectly oiled machine despite the hundreds of often very small children being herded around backstage.

And kudos goes to the few boys in the show.

If you want to spend your time surrounded by beautiful, talented girls in pretty dresses, ballet is the way to go.

To top off a wonderful evening, Granddad won the top prize in the raffle – £150 worth of chocolates. Although this may not bode well for Nanny’s efforts at Slimming World.

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