Get 'em while they're hot! That's the word re: tickets for the In Motion School of Dance's 11th dance showcase, which opens at City Hall theatre on Friday evening.

Entitled 'Dancers at Work' and directed by In Motion owner Lizz Pimental, it will feature dancers from pre-ballet to professional levels in the areas of jazz, tap, ballet, modern and pointe, as well as parents and tots. As always, spectacular costumes and imaginative staging will be the hallmarks of what has become an annual, and much enjoyed, fixture on the arts calendar.

"The dance showcase is a critical part of the students' dance education and as a part of their participation," Ms Pimental says. "Dancers learn co-operation, stage presence and projection of their individual personalities. It is important for them to have performance experience and our annual showcase gives them a creative outlet in a safe and nurturing environment."

Looking back over the students' development in the past year, the director says the dancers "have demonstrated a passion for dance that keeps them striving and dedicating themselves to the art form".

"They have spent hours in the studio preparing for their pieces, which makes the show fun and energetic. The variety of dance styles and music, with lots of high-energy choreography and dancing, is guaranteed to entertain.

"We are thrilled with the amount of hard work the students have put into their preparations and I think their enthusiasm has bled over to the parents as well this year. We saw an overwhelming turnout for our first day of ticket sales, with parents obviously excited about the show."

In fact, Ms Pimental says that the past year has been an exciting time for her school and she has seen a far greater commitment from her dancers, which has manifested itself in several wonderful opportunities for them, both locally and abroad.

In addition to selected students participating in the Success Broadway Dance Center's winter intensive with winners of 'So You Think You Can Dance', and the Tri-Cities Ballet Academy summer intensive, one student was accepted into the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet's summer programme, for which entry is very competitive.

Currently, eight In Motion students are pursuing careers in dance and the arts at such renowned institutions as the North Carolina School of the Arts, the New World School of the Arts and Dean College. The dancers also perform locally for charitable events as an integral part of learning and giving back to the community.

The school now has seven teachers, who also dance and choreograph for In Motion's in-house dance ensemble, 'Concepts in Motion', which will have a company show in July.

'In Motion is grateful for its teachers' dedication and hard work to ensure that this year's showcase is as big a success as those in the past, and for helping to maintain the professionalism that the school has become known for," Ms Pimental concludes.

Following Friday's opening night, 'Dancers at Work' will continue through May 17. Tickets (adults $38, students $28) are available from City Hall box office between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, or on line at www.inmotion.bm.