VE Day celebrated with special performance

Nine students from Solent's BA (Hons) Acting and Performance and Musical Theatre courses performed at the Carlton Place Street Party, beside a full-size Spitfire. Hundreds of city residents flocked to the party on Sunday 11 May, enjoying the musical talents of Solent students among a range of other activities put on to bring together communities and commemorate the selfless acts of service men and women.

The performance, which saw students sing and dance, was choreographed by Elisha Smith. When choreographing the performance, Elisha took inspiration from the favoured styles of the 1940s, including the Charleston and Jive. She says, "It's been a pleasure to honour VE Day in such a beautiful and expressive way. I'm grateful to everyone who's been involved."

Each student not only had the opportunity to grow their confidence when it comes to public performances but make a meaningful contribution to a major civic event. Jon Grace, who performed a solo, says:

"This was a great way of commemorating the sacrifice that so many people made in the war, and a good way of bringing people together."

As a civic university, Solent regularly connects its students to opportunities in the city which are designed to have a positive impact on Southampton's diverse communities. Across a range of artistic disciplines, including performances like these, the University's Department of Art and Music proudly showcases the talents of its students, while instilling a sense of civic pride among their learning community. Course Leader Performance, Annie Sanger- Davies, says:

"Our performing arts students are fantastic at making the most of opportunities that come their way. Being able to perform at public events is so important, not just because it is fun and speaks to our ethos of connecting with local communities, but also because having to perform in public is a vital part of their training - and is a very different experience to training in rehearsal rooms. 

"I am constantly proud and inspired by the warmth, dedication and energy our students put in to embracing these chances that come their way. They really cared about being a part of Southampton's VE Day celebrations and had a really enjoyable day - it was great to see the audience singing along too!"

Find out more about Solent's music and performing arts degrees here.

Image credit: Roxanne Bennett | Roxanne B Photography