Groups from across Aylesbury prepare for this year's Honeycomb Festival

Groups from across Aylesbury Vale are preparing to take part in a festival of music, dance and drama at the Waterside Theatre next week.
Urban Strides performing at a previous edition of HoneycombUrban Strides performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb
Urban Strides performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb

The Honeycomb Festival takes place from April 10 to 12 and showcases the talents of more than 800 young people from Aylesbury Vale and further afield.

It is currently in its third year under the name 'Honeycomb', having previously been known as Activate, and is described by organisers as a 'performance extravaganza'.

This year there are themes for each night of the show.

Urban Strides performing at a previous edition of HoneycombUrban Strides performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb
Urban Strides performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb

The opening night - Wednesday - is musical theatre night and will feature numbers from The Greatest Showman, Wicked, Blood Brothers and Shakespeare monologues.

Dance styles is the theme on Thursday and then on Friday the theme is street dance, contemporary, jazz and Irish.

Leanne O’Neill, director of Aylesbury School of Dance, who are performing on Thursday said: “We love performing at Honeycomb, not only do we get to perform one of our pieces on the Waterside stage, we get to watch all the pieces from the other groups and catch up with groups that we haven’t seen since last year at Honeycomb.

"Because there is no set theme we have to adhere to at Honeycomb, we are able to submit a piece choreographed by our dancers.

Risborough Youth Theatre performing at a previous edition of HoneycombRisborough Youth Theatre performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb
Risborough Youth Theatre performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb

"This gives them the opportunity to hone their choreography skills, be super creative and look at different elements such as spacing on a larger stage.”

Jessanny Mayhew, performing arts leader at Cottesloe School said: “Our dance students have been performing at Honeycomb for the last six years and it has become a key date on our performance calendar.

"This year we are so excited to bring a piece to the musical theatre night from our BTEC students to give them the same opportunity.

"There aren’t many non-competitive musical theatre and drama performance platforms in the area so we’re so pleased that Honeycomb expanded to provide one!”

The Susan Diane School of Dance performing at a previous edition of HoneycombThe Susan Diane School of Dance performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb
The Susan Diane School of Dance performing at a previous edition of Honeycomb

The running order for the festival is as follows:

Wednesday April 10:

Theatretrain

PNF Drama Eliza: Taming of the Shrew

Adele Peters Performing Arts School

Chiltern Academy

PNF Drama Eliza: Sense

TR2 Drama Group

Thame Youth Theatre Middies

Holly Jones

Stagecoach Thame

SDSD Stages

PNF Drama Ruby: Alice in Wonderland

Stagecoach Aylesbury

Bedgrove Junior School

Mayhem Theatricals

Aylesbury Performing Arts Centre

Spotlight Musical Theatre School

Risborough Youth Theatre

ArtsEd

Thursday April 11:

Kobika Youth Dance Company

Doorways

TSOD - theFIX

Anna Rose Dance - Ballet

Junction2

Spirit Irish Dance

PYTS Contemporary

JSDA Dance Academy

Castielli School of Dance Rising Stars

Shift

Claydons Academy

Aylesbury School of Dance

SDSD Tappers

MSDA Elevate

Kandeez Dance

Bierton Combined School

Dance Inspired - The Hop Steppers

Ignite Cottesloe School Dance Company

Urban Strides Junior Crew

Friday April 12:

Kobika Senior Dance Company

Castielli School of Dance Empire

Stoke Mandeville Combined School

Stage Plus

MSDA Pulse

PYTS Seniors

Ashmead Combined School

Aylesbury Performing Arts Centre

Tuffney Performing Arts Academy

FuzzyLogic

Chiltern Academy

Theatretrain

Barley Hill Primary School Dance Club

KF Performing Arts

The Grange School

Dance Inspired Royal Steps

Anna Rose Dance - Modern

Thame Youth Theatre Dance Troupes

Urban Strides Senior Crew