Kick off those Sunday shoes with talented students

Dust off your leg warmers and get ready to bust a move Kevin Bacon-style when St Edmund's College and St Mary's College students combine forces to bring Footloose: The Musical to life on the Ipswich Civic Centre stage.

Any child of the 80s or earlier can tell you the story (and songs) of Footloose - Ren moves from the city to a country town only to discover dancing is forbidden after some of the town's youths were killed in a car crash on their way home from a night out. After much heartache, Ren convinces the reverend to allow students from the high school to host a seniors' dance. Footloose has it all - music, dance, drama, fun, love and youth rebellion.

St Edmund's performing arts directors Petrina Gibson and Jodie Madsen have refreshed the Broadway musical to be more relevant to Ipswich residents. The town Ren moves to is no other than Marburg.

Danny Chaille stars as Ren while Shalyn McComas plays the female lead of Ariel, the reverend's daughter.

More than 100 talented students are involved in the production, dedicating three afternoons a week to perfecting their singing and dance routines. Among the hits are Holding Out For a Hero, Let's Hear It For the Boy and, of course, Footloose. All these chart-topping hits and others will be performed by the St Edmund's school orchestra.

Former student Yana Mair has also returned to kick off her Sunday shoes. The former St Mary's student, who is now a dance teacher, helped choreograph the musical.

Footloose: The Musical is on at the Ipswich Civic Centre on July 15-17. Tickets cost: adult $22; concession $18; Child under 18/student $12; family $58.

To book tickets or for more information, go to http://www.ipswichciviccentre.com.au/