Dancers raise thousands in 24-hour challenge

James Bamford (front row, third from right) set out to raise funds for the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil

A group of dancers has raised thousands of pounds after dancing continuously for 24 hours.

Eleven dancers completed the entire event, raising money for the refurbishment of the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil, Somerset, with more than 150 taking part throughout the day.

The theatre closed in May 2023 for what was meant to be a year-long renovation, but has remained closed after the £30m plans were halted over rising costs.

James Bamford, 20, who ran the event, said it would be "heart-breaking" if the theatre could not be saved.

Running from 09:00 BST on Saturday through to Sunday, dancers took part in a series of hour-long classes ranging from contemporary, to tap, to Bollywood, as well as dance exercise classes and themed musical theatre sessions.

The event raised more than £3,000, to be split between the fund to renovate the theatre and a young dancer bursary fund run by Mr Bamford's dance company Project Dance.

Mr Bamford grew up in Yeovil, and the Octagon was where he first performed as a teenager in local productions including pantomimes.

He is returning to the town this year to choreograph the annual festive pantomime.

Dancers took part in a huge range of workshops, from jazz to line dancing

He said: "Because there are lights and everything going you don't feel tired, but the legs ache epically."

Mr Bamford, who recently appeared in the Barbie film, said the restoration of the theatre was a vital part of ensuring young people in Somerset had access to the arts.

"From an arts perspective, growing up somewhere rural, you're just not connected to the arts in the same way or have the same opportunities," he said.

"It would be heart-breaking to see a chance like this [the refurbishment of the Octagon Theatre] ripped away," he added.

"If you don't see it growing up you kind of think it's out of reach, and that's very true for rural settings like Somerset.

"You need to be shown it's possible, to go on and achieve it yourself."