IT is a show which has been two years in the making, but pupils of Katrina’s Dance Academy will finally get the chance to perform live on stage tomorrow.

The aptly titled The Show Will Go On will be performed at Blackburn’s Empire Theatre.

Katrina Baldwin, who runs the academy, said: “We hold a show every year but due to lockdown we have had to miss staging two of them.

“To be honest we did begin to wonder if we would ever get the chance to put performers on stage again, we can’t quite believe that it’s finally going to happen.”

The show will feature over 40 pupils from the dance academy aged from four to 18.

“For the last nine months we have been rehearsing over Zoom which has been a real challenge,” said Katrina. “I am so proud of all the dancers for their dedication. They have had so much to contend with what with home schooling and other restrictions and yet they spent several hours every week on Zoom working on their various routines. It’s not ideal to try and teach when you have all these little faces on screen and understandably one or two did drop out but the commitment they have show is remarkable.”

The Show Will Go On features routines from well known musicals including Mamma Mia, Hairspray and the recent West End smash Six.

“We finally managed to get back to face-to-face rehearsals last month,” said Katrina. “Some of the girls have never been on stage before but they will be fine.”

The show has proved so popular that an additional matinee performance has been added at 1pm and extra seats have been made available in the balcony.

“We did an online video to raise money for Derian House during lockdown,” said Katrina, “and we will be holding a raffle in aid of East Lancashire Hospice at the shows this weekend.

Katrina established her academy 17 years ago and it is based at St Bede's dance studio in Blackburn.

The Show Will Go On, Empire Theatre, Blackburn, tomorrow 1pm and 7pm. Details from www.blackburnempire.com