ON a hot and sticky Friday evening, the first thing that struck me about the LeAF Studio annual show was the sheer amount of energy on stage.

The students, ranging from year nine right up to year 13, burst into Lighthouse, Poole a bundle of beaming smiles, passion and raw talent, with not a moment's falter throughout the evening – an impressive feat when it's still in the mid to high 20s outside.

From Hairspray and Cats to In the Heights and Rock of Ages, the audience were taken on a whirlwind tour of both best-loved and lesser-known musicals and movies, each section boasting super sharp choreography and phenomenal vocals, flowing seamlessly from one show to the next.

In Act One, I loved the fresh take on The Book of Mormon and Six tunes, and there were some beautiful, contemporary dances in the Rocketman section, with a brilliantly confident performance from the young Elton John.

Act Two's Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer was particularly impressive and the entire Everybody's Talking About Jamie section was also a highlight – it really felt like we were sitting in a West End theatre, rather than Lighthouse.

Stand out vocal performances came from the duet in the Wild Wild West section, and a moving solo from In The Heights, with the evening finishing with a bang with a tribute to Rock of Ages.

These incredibly talented kids are on the brink of stardom and I have no doubt that every single one of them will succeed.