STUDENTS at a school in Alresford have had the opportunity to take part in this year’s Perins Arts Festival.

With activities ranging from dance and music to drama and martial arts, and from art, photography and movie making to public speaking, the school was buzzing with students trying out new skills.

The workshops on offer were varied and included a chance to learn more about drama improvisation techniques and comedy with performer Emma Stroud, as well as a session about working with text by international playwright Mark Wheeller.

Budding singers had a chance to take part in a musical theatre workshop with Daisy Wheeller, who has just finished a pantomime season playing Cinderella.

There was also a Stomp workshop with the percussion group who perform in theatres all over the world. They use everyday items such as dustbins and plungers to create physical theatre productions.

In the art studios, there were a variety of themes for a competition to have paintings displayed on the school walls, the maths department provided a Rangoli tile-making workshop, and year seven pupils were treated to a visit by author GP Taylor. His presentation had everyone laughing out loud and was deemed a huge success.

The Integr8 Dance Company taught an array of dance styles including hip hop, breaking, locking, popping and house wile the drama studio was filled with all kinds of music from classical instrumental and solos to rock and pop music and classical singing.

The drama was thought provoking in some cases and hilarious in others. The public speaking competition was judged by members of Alresford Rotary Club and students spent a morning researching their topic before giving their speeches.

And there were tantalising aromas in the food tech classrooms as students entered a cooking competition to produce a healthy two-course meal for two people.

While all this was going on, Nspire, a team of student reporters, were busy following the events, taking photographs and interviewing participants. At the end of the week they produced a newsletter about the arts festival which was sold as a souvenir of a fantastic week, said a school spokesman.

And the final evening was a culmination of the week. A full house of students, proud parents and staff turned up to watch a showcase of drama, music and dance. The judges had a really difficult time trying to pick winners because of the standard of entries, but the overall winner of the performing arts competition was flautist Charlotte Sandell, 15, who played a beautiful piece by Ian Clarke called Hypnosis.

Key stage four winner was 14-year-old Anya Rhodes, who sang Stone Cold by Demi Lovato, while the key stage three winners were Rose Shadbolt, Max Anderson and Phoenix Collins (year seven) for their drama piece Lost on the Train.

Elly Patterson, 14, won the non-performance award for her superb photography.

And, for the first time, new technology allowed the audience to vote for their favourite performance, which was a drama piece called When I was Younger and performed by a group of five year eight girls.

This year, 135 pupils from district primary schools attended, with their parents, a preview show of the finals night. They also had a chance to vote for their favourite act which was a showcase of lively dance.

A year six parent commented: “It was a fantastic showcase of real talent. The comperes were polished and very funny and the acts were all excellent, a real variety. Wish we were coming to see the full show!

“The Phantom song gave me goose bumps, can’t wait for July!”

Ms Alexiou, director of creative Arts at Perins, said: “It was such a pleasure to see so many pupils take part within the arts festival.

“We hopefully provided something for everyone and the response from the finals night has been incredible. We are extremely lucky to work with such a talented group of individuals and we are already looking forward to what is in store for next year.”