Chad Taylor (hip-hop choreographer) & Courtney Hayles (spoken word artist) continue to tour their immersive performance experience to year 6 students transitioning into year 7 to Manchester schools.

Meet Chay, Tyrese, Jordan, Sasha, and Amy as they navigate their first day with apprehension, get lost in the corridors, encounter big kids in the playground, have their first math lesson with Miss Carter and make new friends on the basketball court.

“Starting secondary school is a minefield…new faces, unspoken rules, and the pressure to fit in. For Chay Honours, an introspective 11-year-old who finds comfort in classical music and books, the safest path seems to be invisibility. For Jordan King, the charismatic ‘cool kid’ with a flair for performance and people, high school is a stage. And for Tyrese Knight, Jordan’s loud and fiercely loyal best mate, Year 7 is just the next chapter in a legacy they built together in primary.

But everything shifts when Jordan spots Chay reading his book at breaktime, lost in his thoughts, which reflect a side of himself he’s long hidden. What starts as playful curiosity becomes a genuine connection- one built not on popularity, but on shared vulnerability and unspoken understanding.

As Jordan and Chay’s friendship deepens, Tyrese begins to feel the ground shift beneath him. The trio’s dynamic fractures as loyalties are tested and identities begin to form. Chay, slowly emerging from the background, finds strength in friendship, the flicker of a crush, and the quiet confidence of being truly seen.

Sasha Shines, a sharp and self-aware peer, challenges the group’s assumptions about gender and identity, bringing her own quiet fire to the mix. Her presence becomes a mirror and a catalyst for growth. Set in the fragile space between Year 6 and Year 7, where one moment you’re being read to on the carpet, and the next you’re navigating crowded hallways and social hierarchies. It’s about the messy, magical in-between… the moment childhood ends and something new begins.”

Chorlton High School: “They listened to a unique soundtrack while dancers guided them through feelings, classrooms, rhythms, vibes, and our school environment. The captivating piece focused on powerful themes of belonging, finding your own way, making new friends, and meeting new challenges – truly embodying the emotional journey of transition in a creative and unforgettable way.”

Russell Bennett, Art, Design & Music Teacher & Artsmark Lead at Manchester Secondary PRU: “Thanks so much to you and the wonderful dancers and writers, tech support etc. It was an amazing spectacle seeing our students transfixed on a live dance performance, with it being the first live show for many of them potentially.”