ABOUT 400 youngsters will show off their dancing skills in a festival next week.

Plug and Play, at Durham's Gala Theatre on Tuesday, will mark the culmination of six months' work by 15 County Durham schools, ranging from infant to secondary.

The project was devised in conjunction with Tin Productions and is a partnership between Durham County Council's Artslink scheme and The Forge Arts and Education Agency.

It has focused on working with teachers in each of the schools to help them acquire skills which they can pass on to pupils.

The scheme was designed to raise the profile of dancing in the curriculum, as well as forging links between professional artists and teachers.