As material to work with, Pitchford's stage production isn't a patch on Grease or West Side Story, lacking the passion of the former and blood and guts of the latter.

It is a weak, silly tale of a city boy who sets a backward small town alight by overturning a preacher's unlikely ban on dancing, winning his girl from the bad boy at the same time.

With a two-hour running time, this was probably the longest of McAlister's shows. And given the banale story, it was probably too long for the pupils who have packed matinee shows all week.

There were few memorable songs, the exception being Holding Out For A Hero, but the live music, by Beacon Hill School music teacher Scott Gibson and his band, could not be faulted.

Leading actor and choreographer Kin Chan, 24, looking every bit a young John Travolta as city boy Ren McCormack, overcame limitations of the plot - as well as sound glitches on the night - to rally his dancers to an exuberant finale.

McAlister once again attracted a range of talent for her 50-strong cast of singers and dancers, the youngest age 11.

As for budding stars, this year it was the turn of untried Gretchel Yaneza, a 16-year-old from Rosaryhill School. She shone as Ariel, the rebellious daughter of killjoy preacher Reverend Shaw Moore.

And one of the youngest performers, Japanese charmer Ryutaro Yanagita, 11, from King George V School, will obviously dance on to greater things. He is already a face in several commercials and has joined his mentor Chan on television.

McAlister broke with tradition by employing four professionals, including Chan, to lead her students. Amuer Calderon, as the preacher, was one of them. He displayed the force of his operatic voice but was less convincing acting the grief-stricken father who lost his son in a road accident - the cause of his dancing ban.

Footloose, for all its cliches, is a metaphor for what the YAF is all about, setting the spirit of youth and creativity free. And it certainly succeeded in getting the audience to its feet for the finale.