Wallace High Dance Team Returns to NICMAC 2026 with Stunning Success

Following the success of their debut last year, the Wallace High School Dance Team once again took to the stage at the Northern Ireland Creative Movement & Aerobic Championships (NICMAC), held at Lisburn Leisureplex on Thursday 5th March. The team, made up of pupils from Years 9 to 13, competed against schools from across Northern Ireland in one of the province’s most established dance competitions. Building on the momentum of their inaugural year, the dancers returned with a range of routines showcasing their talent and hard work throughout the year.

What is NICMAC?

The Northern Ireland Creative Movement and Aerobic Championships is one of the longest-running and best-known dance competitions in Northern Ireland. Held annually at Lisburn Leisureplex, the event brings together schools, dance academies and independent performers from across the province to compete in a variety of categories, including team routines, solos, duets and trios. Performances span multiple dance styles, including Jazz, Lyrical, Contemporary, Commercial and Street Dance, and are judged on technique, choreography and overall presentation.

The Wallace Dance Team entered seven performances into the schools’ competition, including four group routines, a Lyrical duet, a Contemporary solo and a Commercial solo. The competition was fierce, with over 1,200 performers and more than 350 entries from schools including Friends’ School Lisburn, Banbridge Academy, Hunterhouse College and Belfast Royal Academy.

Performances

The first performance came from Sophie Grieve (Year 12) and Lucy Walker (Year 12), who entered a beautiful Lyrical duet in the Intermediate Pairs Division to Anatomy by Kenzie. The girls delivered a performance filled with elegant technique and emotion, earning them 1st place.

It was then time for the Intermediate Team dances. Wallace’s Intermediate Team kicked off the section with a Contemporary-Lyrical performance to Silk by Wolf Alice. The dancers conveyed the ethereal and moody melody through seamless transitions and expressive emotion, securing a 1st place trophy.

The Intermediate Team then returned to the stage for their second routine, switching to an energetic Jazz-Commercial performance to Voulez-Vous by ABBA. Wearing eye-catching ABBA-style jumpsuits, the girls fully embodied the sassy disco beat, showcasing impressive stamina and confident stage presence. Their performance earned another 1st place trophy.

Next, it was the turn of the Junior Team. Their first dance was a haunting Contemporary piece to Something Wicked This Way Comes by James Warburton. The captivating routine saw the girls portray the story of witches, earning them 2nd place.

The Juniors also demonstrated their versatility with a high-energy routine to the iconic I Don’t Dance from High School Musical 2. Trading their witch personas for baseball players, the dancers staged a playful dance battle. The routine blended Jazz, Commercial, Street Dance and Funk to create a highly entertaining performance, which finished in 2nd place.

The final performances from Wallace came from Year 11 pupil Pippa McCullough and Year 13 pupil Alexa Yeung. Pippa impressed with a feisty and confident Commercial routine to a remix featuring Swagger Jagger by Cher Lloyd and Run the World (Girls) by Beyoncé, earning her a 1st Place Gold medal. Meanwhile, Alexa delivered an emotional Contemporary performance to Harry Styles’ Falling. Her routine highlighted her exquisite technique, earning her a 3rd Place Bronze medal.

The Wallace High Dance Team

Now in its second year, the Wallace High Dance Team continues to grow as a vibrant part of the school’s extra-curricular life. The team brings together pupils who share a passion for dance, providing them with an additional opportunity to represent the school.

Founded in 2024 by teachers Miss Cairns (Biology teacher and former Wallace pupil) and Miss McCallister (History teacher), the team has quickly established itself within the school community. Both teachers bring extensive dance experience and qualifications. Running weekly rehearsals, they have worked closely with the dancers, choreographing a range of routines for competition.

The team also receives valuable support from Miss Allen, who helped organise costumes for the routines.

Reflections

Reflecting on the team’s achievements, Miss Cairns said:

“It has been fantastic to see how much the Dance Team has grown in such a short time. The pupils have shown incredible commitment in rehearsals and have worked extremely hard to perfect their routines. Being able to provide opportunities like this is so important, as it allows students to showcase talents and creativity that may not always be visible within the usual school setting. Seeing their hard work come to life on stage at NICMAC was incredibly rewarding, and I am so proud of the way they performed. They truly are an asset to Wallace.”

Miss McCallister added:

“Competitions like NICMAC are a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to showcase their talent and creativity. The girls supported one another throughout the day and represented Wallace with great enthusiasm and professionalism. It has been a privilege to watch them develop both individually and as a team.”

The team would also like to sincerely thank Miss Allen and Miss Dickson for attending the evening session of the competition to support the dancers. Their encouragement meant a great deal.

Looking ahead, the Wallace High Dance Team hopes to continue building on their success and create further opportunities for pupils to perform and compete.

You can keep up to date with all the latest news from Wallace High via http://www.instagram.com/wallacehighlisburn

You can find out more about our Dance Team’s success in 2025 below:

The Wallace High Dance Team Shines at NICMAC Dance Competition