125 people aged between 14 and 87 will join Ballroom dance instructor Kevin Ford to learn to dance at the start of a free eight week course.
The lessons, which started on Friday (August 26), have been funded by World of Dance; a London 2012 inspired People Dancing Programme funded through the Legacy Trust UK, Arts Council England West Midlands and Advantage West Midlands.
To date over 1000 people have taken part in dance workshops with dance artists visiting lots of different settings including care homes, young people’s summer school activity sessions and resident association meetings. Dance artists have got people on their feet to dance at fetes, fundraisers and health fairs.
People Dancing is a three year programme of activity aimed at encouraging mass participation in dance and dance related activity across the West Midlands.
Part of the region’s plans for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad, the programme provides the opportunity to bring West Midlands communities together, to celebrate the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The challenge for this programme is to encourage more people to take up dance and dance related activity so that it becomes part of their lives, resulting in them feeling fit and well in both mind and body and having fun.
Councillor Hazel Lyth, cabinet member for sport, leisure and culture, said: “The World of Dance project has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark and as such is officially recognised as being part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The project is inspiring people of all ages, skills and abilities to make dance part of their everyday lives.
“Dance is a great way for people of all ages to keep fit and healthy and to have such a wide diverse age range taking part helps to show that ballroom is an activity accessible to everyone.”
The Stoke-on-Trent programme is also delivering a number of free dance workshops for community groups. Any community group or event organizer wishing to book a workshop in Bhangra, Ballroom, Belly Dance or Salsa should contact Vanessa Darlington on 01782 236156 Email: vanessa.darlington@stoke.gov.uk.