A Ross-on-Wye dance studio put on a dazzling show to celebrate six years of business.

The Mizz Twisted Cherry Studios showcase was not only to celebrate their time in business but also to recognise the hurdles and adversity the studio has had to overcome in the face of Covid-19.

Business owner Natalie Morgan-Dew told the Gazette: “We had a mini showcase yesterday (Saturday, July 30) to celebrate our belated birthday of being a business for six years and having the studio for five years that we couldn’t mark earlier in the year due to Covid uncertainties, it was just at the studio as again the pandemic meant we couldn’t organise anything too big.”

Unlike their large annual showcase which takes a substantial amount of time and preparation, planning for the celebrations had to be done on a short term basis.

Natalie said that despite the circumstances she still wanted to mark the occasion and celebrate the business’ successes over the past six years, as well as surviving a year of being shut down, followed by having restricted numbers, a third of their normal capacity.

The students performed routines that they had learnt from their six week routine courses, including aerial and burlesque.

The show was a trip down memory lane for some as they witnessed all the routines from years passed as well as more recent ones.

Jackie, aged 60, performed her very first burlesque routine. She was taught by Mizz Twisted Cherry even before the company had a premises. Natalie remarked that it was lovely to watch everyone expressing themselves, enjoying and celebrating the business and the studio. The studio hopes to get back to performing events soon as businesses continue to open up and they can get back to celebrating a haven of expression for so many people.

At the beginning of the summer the Gazette reported on the studio’s body positivity mission to make sure that no-one feels their shape or size makes any difference whatsoever to their choice in what they wear over the summer.