DOZENS of young dancers have stepped onto the stage for the first time – nearly three years after their dance school was formed.

Knight Fever spread throughout the audience as dancers strutted their stuff earlier this month.

Gemma Knight set up Haddington-based Knight Fever Dance in August 2019 but saw planned shows sidelined by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finally, 130 budding dancers were given the chance to thrill audiences at The Fraser Centre in Tranent.

East Lothian Courier: Knight Fever Dance put on its first ever show earlier this monthKnight Fever Dance put on its first ever show earlier this month

Gemma told the Courier that it had been a stressful six months leading up to the show but she was delighted to say it had been a success.

She said: “We had the whole school doing the same dance – From Now On, from The Greatest Showman – and we popped the confetti cannons at the end. The atmosphere was just electric!

“It was absolutely fantastic.

“The kids pulled it off and it was absolutely amazing. I cannot wait for next year.”

The dance school, based at Haddington Golf Club, is home to more than 150 youngsters.

Dancers have the opportunity to learn a variety of dance styles, including jazz, hip hop, commercial and lyrical.

East Lothian Courier: Knight Fever Dance put on its first ever show earlier this monthKnight Fever Dance put on its first ever show earlier this month

Originally, the dance school planned to make its show debut last year.

However, more than a dozen dancers tested positive for Covid-19, which forced the cancellation of the show.

That came after nearly two years of challenges brought on by the pandemic.

Gemma, who lives in the town, was pleased to say that, despite various hurdles, they had come out the other end stronger.

She said: “When we did go on Zoom, all my students were fantastic.

“I worked really hard to keep the kids enthusiastic because they were not mixing.

“It was really, really difficult to keep their attention but also making sure you are there for them technically and making sure their bodies are doing the right thing.

“That was a big challenge!”

East Lothian Courier: Knight Fever Dance put on its first ever show earlier this monthKnight Fever Dance put on its first ever show earlier this month

Not only were the dancers – aged from pre-school to S6 – demonstrating their dance skills but also their kindness.

Collection buckets were passed round at the end of the performances to raise money for Flora Gentleman.

The Aberlady youngster was diagnosed with stage-four neuroblastoma in April last year. Her parents were tasked with raising more than £300,000 to take her to New York for special treatment.

A revised target of £252,000 has been achieved, with the dance school adding £530.44 to the total.

Gemma said: “Autism is close to my heart. Flora is non-verbal and I could not imagine going through those challenges and fighting such a rare cancer. When I noticed lots of things in the Courier about what was going to be on, I thought ‘that is a girl that we should help’.”