Pro Class Choreography

Each week all of our talented team meet to rehearse and learn new choreography ready for future events and bookings.

One of our recent favourites was Jai Ho choreographed by Nicole…

Take a look at this video of it and everyone hard at work in the studio –

Check out our Youtube channel for loads more videos of Manic at work!

If you are interested in booking Manic to entertain at your event, please get in touch by emailing manic_sproductions@yahoo.co.uk

Manic Mondays – Wedding Fair Season

If you’re getting married in Portsmouth chances are you will have seen the Manic team over the past few weekends at one of the many wonderful wedding exhibitions.

As mentioned in more detail in a previous post here, Matt and Nicole teach private dance lessons to couples looking to enhance their magical 1^st dance moment. But Manic have also been the company behind some of the South’s biggest bridal fashion shows.

Bridal fashion show production is a wonderful string to Manic’s bow and we always receive such lovely feedback. We take time to pick music that really inspires and complements the beautiful gowns our models are so lucky to wear and always add our own unique staging style and personality to each show.

These gorgeous pictures are courtesy of PMN Wedding Exhibitions and features our 6 Manic models performing at the Guildhall Portsmouth. The beautiful dresses are provided by Creatiques and Cameo Brides and the handsome suits are also by Cameo Brides.

If you are holding a wedding fair and would like to WOW your brides with a show stopping catwalk show, Manic can help! Manic Stage Productions pride itself on producing entertaining, visual, inspiring and professional catwalks that really do help elevate your event. 

For more details please email Matt and Nicole at – manic_sproductions@yahoo.co.uk

A Few New Faces at Manic

 We recently auditioned for new professional performers to join our Pro Team!

Manic Stage Productions is growing fast and we are getting more and more exciting bookings and enquires coming through each week.

We are thrilled to introduce 6 new Manic members who we hope will love being part of our fun, family feel team!

Val

Natasha

Jessica

Bethany

Megan

Luke

Keep an eye out for our member of the month blog coming soon where you can read more about one of our wonderfully talented girls or guys in loads more detail!

Do you think you have what it takes to be part of Manic Stage Productions? Then we need you! Do you enjoy a new challenge? Thrive working as part of a talented dedicated team? Prepared to meet weekly to perfect your individual skill and rehearse group performances? Then get in touch with your CV and headshot.

Email Matt and Nicole – manic_sproductions@yahoo.co.uk

See it here 1st!

We wowed at the awards!

We have received such a great compliments about the entertainment we provided at The Business Excellence Awards that we just couldn’t wait to show you all the highlights.....

Here is a selection of the 30 minute musical medley that we performed for the 300 strong audience at the Guildhall Portsmouth on Friday evening ~ ENJOY!

PLAY Youtube Video Highlights

To book Manic to entertain at your event contact Nicole or visit Manic Stage Productions for more information. We produce bespoke entertainment to suit your needs or have many musical medleys already up and running for short notice bookings. Choose Manics show team for your event and say YES to the best in the area!

Manic Mondays - Lots to tell!

This weekend Manic Stage Productions have been "Manic" and when our feet finally touch the ground we will post all about it in loads more detail!

Just to tickle your taste buds read on…

The team have performed at the Guildhall twice this weekend, once for the Business Excellence Awards and on Sunday for PMN wedding exhibitions where we produced and performed a fantastic bridal catwalk show.

As always our party host’s were out and about entertaining happy birthday children and their friends at various Manic Pop Parties.

And to top it all off we have hired 6 new pro team members!

Don’t worry all the above will be posted about in more detail before the end of the week.

We hope you had a great weekend in the sunshine :-)

We can now reveal...

We are off to the awards!!

You may remember a previous blog about a special event we were rehearsing for…Well today we are excited to announce that Manic have been booked to entertain at this years Portsmouth News Business Awards on Friday night!

Last night the team had their final rehearsal and Nicole proudly told me the show is looking fantastic. 5 of Manic’s talented girls will take to the stage to wow the cream of the Portsmouth Business world with a 30 minute musical medley.

The audience will be transported to the bright lights of Broadway when Manic Show Team take to the stage and perform dazzling dance routines from Grease, Chicago, Moulin Rouge and Mamma Mia! Our sensational singer will add to the event with live vocals with the whole piece showcasing 13 different songs and 5 costume changes.

The Portsmouth Business Awards are awards to celebrate what’s great about Portsmouth’s local business. The News’ editor Mark Waldron, who is one of the judges on the panel said “This is a fantastic opportunity for business to showcase what they do and to tell The News’s daily readers exactly why they deserve recognition – especially in today’s economic climate.”

Ooh and did we mention that for the 2^nd year running Manic Stage Productions have been short listed for ‘Team of the Year’.

 Wish us luck!! :) 

Manic Mondays - Dance Party for a Pop Princess

This weekend Manic hosted one of their fun kids dance parties at the Horizon Leisure Centre. 12 little ladies enjoyed fun and games led by Manic's Becca at their Manic Pop Party. 

With 2 hours of pop music, prizes and a performance to the parents, made for "the best party ever" said one of the happy party goers. Mum and dad were equally thrilled - "We haven't had to do a thing, it's been great to sit back and watch the action!"

Becca taught the pop princesses to strut the gaga catwalk, modelling quirky accessories and dance like Beyonce to their favourite chart toppers! Parents clapped and cheered as their children took to the stage for show time and the girls felt like real pop stars with all the cameras flashing.

Horizon Leisure Centre currently offer the fantastic birthday experiences hosted by Manic for children of all ages and abilities. With themes such as - Pop Party, Glee Club, Dinsey Magic, Tiny Tots and West End Wonders children can choose their favourite theme for their perfect birthday party. Each party is structured to work towards " Show Time" where the children get sprinkled with magic star dust to give them the confidence to perform to family and friends at the end. Horizon Leisure Centre also offer a choice of party food menus, so everything is taken care of for you! For full details please contact Horizon Leisure Centre on 023 9247 6026.

Parties can also be booked directly with Manic Stage Productions and would then be held at a venue found by the parent. This option does not include food but would be for a reduced price. For more details, please email manic_sproductions@yahoo.co.uk

Matt & Nic made MANIC

Manic Stage Productions was founded in 2005 by Nicole Louise Geddes & Matt Newman. They met way back in the year 2000 when they both trained at the acclaimed Performers Dance College under the direction of Brian Rogers. They spent 3 intense years to achieve diplomas in dance & musical theatre as well as becoming qualified ISTD dance teachers. They then headed out into the industry as professional dancers, where they both performed extensively on TV and in the theatre. Their CVs include performances with in the UK and abroad, alongside famous names such as Lionel Richie, Kylie Minogue, Anita Dobson, Cannon & Ball to name but a few, and have been lucky enough to add places such as New York, LA, Las Vegas, Dubai and many European destinations to their paid travels!

Matt is originally from Portsmouth and when Nicole married her Sailor school sweetheart she also found her self living here in the seaside city. It was as if Manic had always meant to be and with a friendship that seemed to have been made a lifetime ago, it made sense for the two of them to join forces. Their joint love of the performing arts, industry knowledge and solid friendship compelled them to start up a company that would provide Portsmouth and its community with the same high class entertainment and levels of teaching as they had both been so lucky to have experienced over the years.

The name Manic Stage Productions was actually thought up by Matts mum! We call it our "Friendship name" just like brangelina, Jedward and Tomcat ;-) Unlike the rocky relationships of the star couples just mentioned, Matt and Nicole are joined for life by Manic and after 7 successful years in business they wouldn't have it any other way.

Today Manic Stage Productions has surpassed their expectations and has certainly grown in size. It has provided a friendly, enthusiastic, professional performing arts service to many performing arts companies, schools, and businesses across Portsmouth and always provide them with the best service in the area. Their ethos is to offer opportunities to Portsmouth based, self employed, trained and working dancers and singers outside of London, right here in their home town. This ensures that top quality highly trained individuals can share their talents with the people of Portsmouth. They encourage each performer to embark on other opportunities on stage and screen across the globe with the knowledge, that when they return home, Manic Stage Productions will endeavor to have work for them.

Not content with stopping there Nicole and Matt are constantly developing new ways for their business to flourish and succeed and realise that their own growth is key. Nicole graduated August 2012 with a BA Honours Professional Practice Degree in Performing Arts Management. Whilst Matt is currently in his second year studying for his Certificate in Education.

Manic Stage Productions had their hard work and dedication was recognised last year when they were shortlisted for Portsmouth News Business Awards - Team of the year and they are excited to announce they are once again contenders for this years awards!

PPA in Schools

PPA – standing for preparation, planning and assessment is a compliance with the national agreement – designed to enable teachers to focus more effectively on their teaching, increase the role of support staff and provide every pupil with a chance to achieve greater success.

Manic Stage Productions help schools raise standards and tackle workload by offering Manic’s creative team to provide teachers with the minimum 10% guaranteed PPA time required. Manic’s PPA Workshops have become very popular throughout Hampshire helping develop school’s PPA strategy by offering additional staff. With Manic’s unique and versatile teaching methods, they bring to life the national curriculum using dance and drama giving pupils a chance to develop their creativity and confidence. Each week Manic supplies their qualified performing arts teachers to many school across Portsmouth. They help releave the pressures of PPA and provide both the staff and children with an exciting alternative.

Solent Infants School have used Manic for the past 5 terms to work with their Year 1 pupils.  Manic work closely with each school to create lessons that suit both age and ability whilst installing confidence and creativity. This term the children are working with Manic's Emma, learning the dance style - Contemporary!

Contemporary requires the children to explore the total movement potential of the body. It allows them to express a personalised vision, often through experimentation and collaboration. Manic encourage the children to develop new, more individual approaches to moving their body and begin to try choreographic possibilities.  The children have had great fun and are always pleased to see Emma and get involved.

The Head Teacher – Lucy Wilby from Solent Infants School is really pleased with Manic’s work. She said “We are very aware that PPA within our school represents a significant amount of our pupils’ curriculum and this is why we have to get it right! Each term we sit down together and plan for the next series of sessions adapting the bespoke provision to match our learners needs. Our pupils look forward to their ‘Manic’ time and even those who were previously reluctant to join in can be seen bopping around before the session has even started! We feel that our children have made strides in their physical development thanks to Manic.”

If your school would like more information on Manic Stage Productions and our PPA package, please email your request to nicole_manic@yahoo.co.uk

Manic Mondays - Weekends Wedding Fair

This Sunday Manic’s Matt spent the day chatting to many brides to be at the Holiday Inn (Southsea) Wedding Fair. Over 30 exhibitors were there to offer advice and inspiration at the venue’s 1^st Wedding Fair of 2013.

Manic Stage Productions offer a unique 1^st dance choreography service to help couples practice and perfect their 1^st dance. It’s a very special moment that the bride and groom share on their wedding day and many couples now choose to spend a few hours before the big day having private dance lessons.

Matt and Nicole personally teach these lessons together, giving the bride and groom both the dance skills and confidence required to step on to the dance floor for their magical 1^st dance as man and wife.

The day was a huge success and Matt gave inspiration to lots of brides to be.  Manic have helped lots of couples with their 1^st dance such as Zita and Patrick. Patrick said “We managed to pull off our dance routine during the wedding, it went well. Nor me or Zita knew we could dance but you had more success with us than anyone else. The dance routine became the highlight of the party”.  Matt and Nicole’s private dance lesson make happy couples happy and relaxed knowing that they have practiced and perfected the perfect 1^st dance to their ‘special song’.

Are you getting married soon and want to practice and perfect your 1st dance for the big day? Email Nicole and Matt to organise your own private dance lessons.

manic_sproductions@yahoo.co.uk 

Manic's School Clubs

Working with children is a big part of Mainc. Over the past 6 years Manic have had the pleasure of working with over 30 schools across Hampshire and beyond. Sharing our creativity and watching children develop their skills and confidence is very rewarding. Each member of Manic's professional dance team are qualified in teaching dance. The girls can be booked to teach many styles of dance and performing arts to children of all ages.

St Johns College (Southsea) provides its lower school with 4 of Manic’s After School Clubs -

Street Dance and Drama for year 3-6

Pop Dance for year R-2

Mini Dance for Nursery

Tony Shrubsall, the head teacher at St. Johns is delighted with the work of Manic Stage Productions. He said “They (Manic) provide a very high level of professionalism in their approach and deliver a valuable service to our children. The children enjoy the activities greatly, and staff are impressed with their ability to communicate so effectively with children from a wide range of ages and abilities.”

After school clubs are very popular and provide children with a broader range of experience and interests. They form part of the Government’s extended school agenda and are designed to help balance work and family commitments. Under the Government’s extended services initiative, all schools are supposed to provide access to after school care, because of this Manic’s after school programme has dramatically evolved, proving to be extremely beneficial for the overall well-being of a child. Manic’s clubs provide each child with a friendly, safe and fun environment to learn regardless of gender, cultural background, physical and mental abilities.

If you child’s school would benefit from fun, interactive, affordable performing arts clubs, then please email us for an info pack – manic_sproductions@yahoo.co.uk