Newham College students created West End-style spectaculars during performances at a recent international festival of young people’s skills.

Over 400 spectators cheered and applauded the students’ creative talents on display at WorldSkills at the ExCeL exhibtion centre in Custom House recently.

Around 80 students and teachers collaborated to stage two 20-minute performances that featured beauty, hair and fashion design as well as song and dance talent. Both performances were designed and prepared in two weeks with rehearsals taking up 12 hours a day.

A Motown song and dance performance was based on the 2006 ‘Dreamgirls’ film and was produced by Martk Walcott, the college’s head of performing arts.

Raffy Adigun,18, a student determined to be London’s best choreographer, developed the dance moves.

Mark Walcott said: “It was spectacular, even more so when you consider that it took two weeks to audition and rehearse. Some of the

students showed they’re good enough to perform on the West End stage.”

The fashion show featured students modelling imaginative hair and clothes.

They impressed experts by working with companies to help members of the public have a go at nail beauty and IT know-how.

College principal, Denise Brown-Sackey said: “I have the great pleasure of attending WorldSkills and seeing the talents of young people around the country. The standard was very high and we are very, very proud of our fashion, hairdressing and performance arts students. They’re a credit to the college.”

Around 150,000 visitors attended the WorldSkills London 2011 Competition at ExCeL from October 5 to 8. They saw competitions and demonstrations of the skills of young people from around the world and also heard careers advice.

Newham College trained volunteers, had two exhibition stands and hosted two showcase performances and ‘Have a Go’ demonstrations in nails and accessing the Internet.