We have some very talented colleagues at Trafalgar who love their own moment in the spotlight!

MATRIXX REVOLUTIONS

First, we catch up with Leanne Palin (Crewe Lyceum)…
Following on from the craziness of our Worlds trip to Florida in April, it was full steam ahead to prepare for my own cheerleading club’s 20^th Year Anniversary Show – to be performed at none other than our own beautiful Lyceum Theatre – an even bigger task than ferrying my child back and forth across the country for Team England practise.

After weeks of no sleep and copious amounts of wine, the 80-strong squad performed a two hour show packed full of stunts, tumbles, dance and gymnastics to a packed (and very loud) auditorium, for my show MatriXX Revolutions. I was delighted, that after a social media appeal, almost 30 past members of the Matrix family came back to either help out backstage or take part in the show. Many now fully grown adults, in full time jobs, at university or have moved away. Some even have children of their own, and some of which are in the squad! We also had past members in the audience and it really meant the world to know that all of them wanted to be involved because Matrix has (or does) still mean something very special to them.

My final routine was Pride themed – set to the famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech by Martin Luther King.  Twenty years ago, I also had a dream.. and that dream was to create a little community cheerleading club – a place where young people could go that didn’t cost the earth but that could help raise confidence and build long lasting friendships. Little did I know what impact that dream would have on the rest of my life and the lives of many others too.

The reason Pride was chosen as the finale was to try to capture everything that makes Matrix special… that having a dream is achievable, that regardless of age, gender, size or orientation – there will always be a place on the team if you have a dream. Part of what I wanted to say about my whole Matrix experience is that almost all of the best times in my life (as well as some of the best people I’ve ever met) have come from the Matrix era – the bestest of friends and the most incredible experiences and feelings – all centred around this little community club from Crewe, and for that I’m extremely grateful.

It has been an incredibly intense few weeks after a mammoth year – what with our normal competition schedule, a special birthday year, a trip to Blackpool Tower ballroom and an unforgettable Worlds experience where literally all my cheerleading dreams came true, this show was the culmination of that.

Matrix was a dream born from my own experience of wanting to connect with something special – to be part of a team, a family of friends who had your back and who were there for you in a way you didn’t even realise you needed. I had that experience and I’m forever grateful – it made me want to push harder and inspire others – to create a legacy for young girls and boys to be the very best they can be.

The finale was a full on UV rave which literally blew the roof off the Lyceum with everyone on their feet – an image I’ll never ever forget. Never have the words of the Matrix God himself Morpheus meant so much ….. Nobody knows what the Matrix is, you have to see it for yourself.

Here’s to the next 20 years…. (after a week off at least).

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TEAM IMAGINE TREAD THE BOARDS

Jazmyne Evans acted as Company Stage Manager, and the cast included Niamh Lawrence, Kevin Wing, Leisa McEwen, and Louise Redmond. Well done Team Imagine!