Ballroom blitz to mark school’s anniversary

It will be Strictly Hulme Dancing at the Chamber Road grammar school when amateurs and professionals take to the floor.

The school is hosting a ballroom blitz as part of its 400th anniversary celebrations.

A team of award-winning professional dancers will be showing guests and contestants some slick steps on Saturday.

They are Chris Tighe, Cara Durkin, Matt Tomaszewski, Natasha Whittam, Paul Maguire, Rachel Daniel, Mark Simpson and Lisa Kenyon.

The team are consistent national finalists and between them currently hold three out of four nationwide titles, and area titles for the North-East and North West of England.

They make regular TV appearances at the Royal Variety Performance, with Paul Maguire competing in BBC’s Strictly Dance Fever.

They have appeared in a number of films including Looking for Eric with Eric Cantona, directed by Ken Loach, and Brideshead Revisited.

The school hall will be the venue for a hotly-contested championship, sticking to TV’s Strictly Come Dancing format.

And the judges could include famous Oldham soap stars, and even old boy Prof Brian Cox, who has been invited back to school to take part

The school’s development director, Zenos Christo, said: “It will be held just before February 14, so it’s Valentine’s weekend. We will have a full sound and lighting system and just like the TV show.

“There will be footage of the dancers in rehearsals, and a panel of judges, with professionals showing how it’s done.”

Tickets are already half sold and available from school, at £7 adults, £5 child, or £20 per family.