A SHAW dance teacher will be jigging with delight if she makes the final cut for a forthcoming Christmas television advert for the UK’s largest retailer.
Tesco’s festive promotional ‘Everyone’s Welcome’ campaign features five short films; the first of which promoting turkey has already aired to a controversial response from viewers.
But Anna Kirkpatrick has yet to discover if her scenes, which were shot recently on location in Chester, will end up on the cutting room floor or on the small screen to an audience of millions.
Either way, Anna is delighted to have made the final 14 ladies from an original audition in Manchester which featured around 300 hopefuls.
“I don’t know if I have made the final cut because there is no guarantee,” explained Anna.
“One girl told me she had filmed for something else for five days and was literally on a split second. It is the luck of the draw.
“We auditioned on the Monday, the next day I received a phone call saying I’d been selected for the filming which took place the following day in Chester,” she explained.
“There were 14 ladies as Zumba instructors and the same amount of men as rugby players or models involved in a 12-hour shoot.
“I think our advert was to promote a party feel with alcohol which isn’t great for me as a children’s dance school teacher,” laughed Anna.
“But it was an experience because I haven’t done anything like this before.
“We were sent to hair and make-up to ensure we looked festive.
“And we also went to the wardrobe department because you couldn’t wear anything branded. I even had to change my Adidas trainers.
“It was a long day but an experience and very enjoyable,” added the former Rushcroft Primary School pupil, now an official licensed Zumba instructor who runs Anna’s Dance.
Tesco’s first Christmas offering received criticism from some viewers who felt it unnecessary to include a Muslim family.
However, Tesco responded saying: “Everyone is welcome at Tesco this Christmas and we’re proud to celebrate the many ways our customers come together over the festive season.”