DRAGONS traditionally have a fearsome reputation, their fire-breathing exploits a legendary part of fairytales - but Sheffield schoolchildren are inviting this one out to play.
And all turns out happily ever after when the giant beast is tamed and even decides to have a dance with them! Worried parents should fear not, however.
It's part of the opening performance of Sheffield Children's dance festival, taking place during the coming weeks and involving more than 630 youngsters.
Pupils from Abbeydale, Greenhill, High Bank, Hinde House and Philimore primary schools will come together for the show, called Follow The Dragon at Ponds Forge at 7.30pm tonight.
Professional dancer Rebecca Hayter, who is running the festival, said: "The performance is on a traditional Chinese theme, where dragons are different from those in Western fairy tales.
"He's not frightening - in Oriental folklore, dragons have a friendlier reputation and it's a traditional part of celebrations that people follow a dragon for good luck."
The giant creature's body has been made by children from the schools and Abbeydale youngsters are getting under its skin for the performance, to be its 'legs'.
Its brightly-coloured head - which features eyes which change colour and is so large it has to be moved by two children during the dance routine - has been made by Sheffield artist Kate Woodfield.
During the show, dozens of children from each school take to the stage for about 10 minutes, performing separate scenes, each with an Oriental theme. The first involves the dragon, which is teased by two groups of children, who want it to play and dance with them.
The creature then watches as youngsters from the different schools dance around giant pieces of origami, make circular patterns with parasols, dance with masks and use giant fangs in a kung-fu style routine.
Props have all been made by the youngsters, working with Rebecca plus fellow artists Sam Musgrave, from Barnsley, and Faye Roberts and Caroline Gayter, both from Sheffield.
Rehearsals have been taking place over the last few weeks, which was a challenge because many of the pupils had not performed before.
But Rebecca is confident the enthusiasm of the children, aged between nine and 11, will make the event a success. "They have been extremely excited about it," she said.
The 26-year-old has been working with former teachers from Greenhill - who could remember her as a pupil 15 years ago.
"I found it really hard calling them by their first names," Rebecca admitted.
Three other performances involving schoolchildren are also taking place for the dance festival, .
Dance In The Plants is being held in the Winter Garden on Thursday at noon and 1pm, Abundance - involving dances on the theme of Picasso paintings, takes place on Monday in Sheffield Central Library Theatre at 2pm and 7.30pm, while Olympic Dance is in the Winter Garden at midday and 1pm on July 8.
All shows are open to the public and those in the Winter Garden are free. Tickets for Follow The Dragon and Abundance cost £3.50 from Sheffield Theatres box office on 0114 249 6000.
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