This year’s St George’s Day celebrations will be extra special for a group of 50 talented dancers from local schools, as they get to dance live alongside chart topping Alexandra Burke in front of over 80,000 people at Twickenham, the home of Rugby, on Saturday April 24th.

Students have been handpicked by Leicestershire schools to take part in the two day project, which is being delivered in partnership between the Foxes Learning Centre and Educational Services Provider – Pro-Excel.

Students from six local schools will work under the guidance of a West End Choreographic Team before their performance at Twickenham Stadium alongside students from four other Local Authorities.

The final event will see once of the biggest mass movement dance shows ever performed at a UK Rugby match and will mark a stunning finale to the St George’s Day Spectacular between Wasps and Bath in the Guinness Premiership.

The project was brought to Leicester by Dirk Smith, Curriculum Enrichment Advisor to Leicester City Council, who said: “We are delighted to bring this highly acclaimed project to Leicester. We are delivering this as part of a national pilot of ‘Performing for Success’, an initiative that uses the power of sport and the arts to engage and enthuse young people in their education and raise aspirations.”

Pro-Excel Project Director Liam O’Reilly added: “This is one of the most ambitious educational projects ever undertaken in dance. We are thrilled to be able to bring the project to Leicester and work with so may talented and motivated young people.

“I’d like to place on the record our thanks to Alexandra Burke for giving these young people a once in a life time opportunity to perform live with her in front of a packed Twickenham and a global television audience that will stretch into millions.”

Alexander, the 2008 X-Factor winner, is also looking forward to the event: “I’m really looking forward to performing with the Pro-Excel Dancers. I’m sure the children will have a wonderful experience performing at Twickenham. The atmosphere will be fantastic!”

The Foxes Learning Centre is one of a number of Playing for Success (PfS) programs running at professional sports clubs, and the Walkers Stadium scheme is a joint initiative between the National Government (via the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), Leicester City Football Club and Leicester City Council’s Learning Services.

Pro-Excel is an Educational Services and Events Company that was formed in 2003. The company specialises in working with young people to raise aspirations and developing skills in dance and media. Since the company’s inception more than 15,000 young people have participated in projects in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and have performed at some of the UK’s leading sporting venues, including Old Trafford, Eastlands, the Millennium Stadium, Murrayfield and Windsor Park.

Performing for Success is the latest initiative from Rex Hall Associates, the government contractors for the highly successful Playing for Success program.

For further information please contact Liam O’Reilly on 07985 275 155.