AS THE final of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is set to grip the nation on Saturday night, teachers from Hove Park School don their dancing shoes and salsa in the halls. GARETH DAVIES reports on the first Hove Park Comes Dancing event – the brainchild of students at the school

NINE couples waltzed, quickstepped, rumba’ed and fox-trotted around the school hall as their steps were scrutinised by a judging panel, which included former professional dancer Cassey Gaywood and headteacher Derek Trimmer.

The idea came from Year 8 student Stanley Scott, who thought it would be a great way to raise money and get people dancing.

He loves the show and wanted to see how staff would fare on the dance floor.

The youngster and a group of other Year 8 students put together the acts, posters, video, promoted the event and sold tickets to raise money.

Stanley said: “When I made the suggestion to teachers at the school gates a few months ago, I never dreamed it would become something so spectacular. It’s been amazing.”

Heads of Year 8, Sophie Morris and Lauren Pinney, hosted the event in the style of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, chatting to the couples after each dance and responding to the judges’ comments and scores.

The victorious winners were deputy head Niel McLeod and languages teacher Rosie Glentworth, who impressed the judges with their charleston.

Their scores were an impressive 10-10-10-9 and the pair chose to donate the ticket proceeds of £264 to the charity JDRF, which funds research into type 1 diabetes.

Victorious Mr McLeod said: “It went really well. It was great fun and a great event, which the students thought up and brought to life.

“I only found out I was competing a few weeks ago through a bit of recruitment work by the Year 8 students.

“They paired us and then we were given our dance and a lesson was organised for us to get to grips with it.

“Outside of that lesson, the staff probably got together two or three times, but we couldn’t practice all that much given the busy schedules.

“We were really nervous before the event because we didn’t want to let anyone down.

“I had absolutely no previous experience. I was just an enthusiastic amateur known previously only for bad dancing.

“It took us all out of our comfort zones, but the students did such a great job in putting on a professional event and the staging was amazing, with thanks to help from Marchant Estate Agents in Hove.”

Given the roaring success, it looks like teachers will be dusting off their ballroom gowns and tuxedos next year too.

Mr McLeod said: “I think that was the call. It was really well supported by the staff and it all came from the students – so I’d certainly like to see it return next year. And, on top of it all, we’ve raised money for charity. So it was a huge success.”