Olympic performance by SDC Students
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- Created on Tuesday, 31 July 2012 14:43
COLLEGE STUDENTS from South Devon have performed in the opening celebrations of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Weymouth to thousands of onlookers.
Forkbeard Fantasy theatre company led the Devon section of the celebrations - involving performers from all over the South West - and South Devon College students performed alongside ‘Team Devon’ in both the carnival procession during the day and the 20,000 capacity evening show.
Forkbeard - who recently performed an exclusive show at the South Devon College's Paignton campus - had asked college students to collaborate with them on the project, entitled 'Battle of the winds' and originally created by Bristol art companies Cirque Bijou and Desperate Men. The college's fashion and textiles students managed the whole project, designing, creating and producing all the costumes, accessories and props for the procession.
Project leader and College Textiles lecturer Sam Aspden said: "This was such an amazing experience for all the students of South Devon College. Performing to such huge crowds at such an historic event was an incredible thrill for everyone and the atmosphere was just wonderful. All the staff and students have worked so hard and performed so professionally - to see it all come together and to represent Devon was fantastic. The students have learnt so much and have had such an invaluable experience, and I am so proud of them all!”
College theatre and performing arts students performed in their Team Devon characters all day and in the spectacular evening show in the Weymouth Live Site beach front arena. Hair and beauty students provided the make-up, full body paint, wigs and hair creations to compliment the performer’s characters.
The carnival spanned the length of Weymouth seafront and esplanade, with hundreds of performers from the South West performing in front of thousands of spectators. The evening show featured thousands of performers in front of a 20 thousand capacity beach front arena, with thousands more outside watching on big screens. The 'Battle of the winds' show was a 3 hour live interactive piece featuring each region fighting to be the one to ‘bring the winds’ to the Windsurfing and Sailing Olympics.
“We all had a once in a life time experience that brought the entire south west together. It was a truly unique experience and one I will always treasure,” said South Devon College performing arts student Katie Sowden, 20, from Paignton, “I feel very honoured to have been part of one of Britain’s proudest moments. Thanks so much to everyone involved for such an amazing week!”
