It’s not easy to have the confidence to perform, especially when you haven’t had experience in it before. With no one watching (apart from me) it was a fun way for them to practice. You are all fantastic dancing superstars.

Can’t wait to watch the final video. As you can see from our reactions above, it’s gonna be good xxx

Well done everyone, you danced your socks off! I’ve added a couple of photos below

If you’d like to learn more about St Giles Hospice, or get involved in their fundraising events please go to http://www.stgileshospice.com.

St Giles Hospice are raising some well needed funds by aiming to keep dancing from 9am to 9pm on Saturday 8th October at Darlaston All Active in Willenhall Road, Darlaston. Create Dance will be taking part, holding a beginners session 1-2pm so it would be great if you could come along and support this wonderful cause.

There’ll be something for everyone at this fabulous fundraising event, with Zumba, salsa, hip-hop, ballroom and Bollywood just a few of the styles you can try.

This is a brilliant opportunity to have fun with friends, family or work colleagues while raising money for St Giles Walsall Hospice.

Entry is just £5 per person.

To join in with this dance extravaganza, or for further information, please call 01922 602520 or email rachel.ridler@walsall.nhs.uk or natalie.newman@walsall.nhs.uk.

Lessons can be arranged for individuals or a small group. All levels welcome.

I had the pleasure of working with the group over two sessions and had great fun. All the young people made me feel very welcome and they had a passion for performing and dancing which was fantastic to see. The group have been asked to perform at the London Marathon this month providing entertainment for the masses. Although we didn’t manage to complete the whole routine, they will do a superb job in finishing it off and putting their own groove on it. They were full of ideas so it’s not going to take them long!

I hope the group have a fantastic time in London and enjoy their performance. You will all be amazing.

Dancing is a great way to exercise, let off some steam and enjoy time with friends. Even if you’ve never danced a step, it’s never to late to try. You may just find yourself a fun new hobby and get into shape at the same time.

You don’t need any prior experience, or a wardrobe full of tutus to join, just enthusiasm. So if you’re ready to get your dance on, take a look at the classes below for kids and grown-ups, why not give it a go:

Mondays (5.30pm-6.30pm), Teen Hip Hop, Lodge Road Community Centre
Tuesdays (5.30pm-6.30pm), Junior Hip Hop, Great Barr Community Hub
Thursdays (7.00pm-8.00pm), Adult Hip Hop, Doug Ellis Sports Centre
Fridays (7.30pm-8.30pm), Teen Hip Hop, Great Barr Community Hub

Happy New Year everyone, lets make it a good one!

The play, written by Paul Webb, tells the tale of the knights who murdered Thomas à Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, at the command of King Henry II. The knights then flee to Knaresborough Castle in Yorkshire where they ensconce themselves for a year to avoid the wrath of the public and the Pope.

The story wonderfully emphasises the contrasting personalities, repressed sexual desires, fears and violent mood swings of the four knights. The script is thoroughly entertaining, oozing with comedy derived from the use of strong language, and sexual content. The actors deserve huge credit for playing these complex characters so effortlessly and with superb comic timing. It will have you laughing your socks off.

Big congratulations to the Director Jean Wilde for bringing this intelligent story to life. The set was cleverly designed to represent the grand, cold and grey feeling that life in a castle conjures, and the lighting, music and costumes all help to magically transport the audience to Medieval England.

The show is running till Saturday the 6th November, and is most certainly worth a watch. If you are not busy tonight or Saturday night why don’t you pop into the Hall Green Little Theatre and support your local actors.

Time –  7.30pm – 10.10pm

Ticket Cost – £6

More Information – http://www.hglt.org.uk/

Cast

Fitz:                Steve Parsons
Traci:             Edward James Stokes
Brito:             Oliver Harvey-Vallender
Morville:       Ara Sotoudeh
Catherine:     Katy Campbell
Becket:           Sami Moghraby
John:              Sami Moghraby
Wigmore:     John Bourbonneux

Creative Team:

Director:                  Jean Wilde
Set Design:              Patrick Ryan and Jean Wilde
Lighting Design:     Patrick Ryan
Sound Design:         Dean Taylor
Costumes:                The RSC

For those who can’t remember why Charlie won – just look at some of her best bits:

For anyone interested in being part of the new show and having a shot at becoming Britain’s favourite dancer, auditions are happening at the following venues:

17th October, MANCHESTER -Freemasons’ Hall, 36 Bridge Street, M3 3BT (doors open at 8.30am)

19th October, GLASGOW – City Halls, Candleriggs, G1 1NQ (doors open at 8.30am)

21st & 22nd October, LONDON – Interchange Studios/Hampstead Town Hall Centre, 213 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4QP (Tube: Belsize Park) (doors open at 8.30am)

If you wish to audition in either BELFAST or CARDIFF you can contact SYTYCD directly on 020 8225 6240 or email soyouthinkyoucandance@bbc.co.uk.

What You Need To Bring
ID (ONE of the following):-

- Passport
- Drivers license
- Birth certificate (with additional photo ID)
- Music – in the event that you are asked to perform a solo

What To Expect
In your audition:-

- You will be asked to dance in a group with other auditionees
- You may be asked to perform a piece of choreography created by the SYTYCD team and presented to you on the day
- You may also be asked to perform a solo you have created yourself, to your own choice of music. It can be no longer that 1 minute 30 seconds.

Good luck to anyone auditioning – Nigel Lythgoe and Arlene Phillips are waiting for you!

The World Health Organisation has predicted that by 2020, depression will be the second most common cause of morbidity worldwide, behind heart disease. Depression is a mental disorder that displays depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration.

For some time now, the positive link between exercise and mood has been clear. However, Birks (2007) noted that people suffering with depression found it difficult to maintain motivation for exercise due to the sometimes solitary nature of gym-based exercise. Also, in many areas gym membership can be high or there may be a lack of local provision, making it difficult for people to access facilities. Therefore an alternative to independent exercise may prove more beneficial. Recent studies at two different universities found that dance lowers levels of stress hormones and significantly lowers levels of depression.

Dance not only is a great form of physical exercise, attending regular dance classes can also provide wider benefits. Social interaction, shared experience, concentrating on learning a new skill and the self-confidence that can bring all contribute to an improved self-esteem. Dance is also a great form of expression. It can very difficult to talk about feelings and emotions therefore using music and dance to express thoughts may provide the release mechanism needed.

Birks (2007) studied a group of volunteers who all had received a formal diagnosis of depression from their GP or other suitably qualified healthcare professionals. All participants scored 15 or above on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) indicating mild to severe levels of depression.

The participants were asked to attend eight one-hour salsa classes over a nine-week period and after re-assessment at the end of the study all showed notable improvements. Although this study was based on salsa, their is no evidence to suggest that the results wouldn’t be the same using other dance styles, so long as there is a common interest in the style chosen.

If growth is greatest in teenagers, a dance style which speaks to the younger generation such as hip-hop may have a huge impact in terms of releasing anger and pressures as well connecting with other young people facing similar issues. Some of the most influential artists have made very public the personal struggles they have faced, which has then been reflected in the music they have written. “Cleaning out my Closet” by Eminem was written about his mums abusive behaviour and “Everyday Struggle” by Biggie was written about the challenges faced by children growing up. These are issues which young people can relate to, and dancing to this music may help people think about their own personal situations.

For many people, the thought of taking medication for depression is unappealing, however this may be unavoidable and the need for such medication should not be ignored. Dance classes however may be an unexplored option for the many people suffering from depression. Dance may provide a simple form of self help that could be used alone or alongside medication or any other treatment recommended by a GP.

At present, only a small percentage of GPs use exercise as a treatment option for mild to moderate depression and it is not clear how many GPs would use exercise as a preventative measure for those experiencing bouts of low mood, or showing early signs of depression.

There are so many dance classes held in purpose built studios, local gyms, community centres, church halls and school halls up and down the country, there is bound to be something in close proximity to you. Use sites such as the following to find a class local to you:
www.danceweb.co.uk
www.yell.com
www.touchlocal.com
www.freeindex.co.uk

For those people out there struggling with depression, giving dance classes a try may be something small but amazing you can do for yourself. Getting the confidence to attend a regular dance class may provide a change in your mindset you simply weren’t expecting. Learning new dance moves, listening to good music, moving your body, exercising and laughing with others can’t possibly feel the same as sitting at home, feeling lonely. It might not be the answer for everyone, but isn’t it worth a try?

For specific medical advice, please consult with a your GP for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions regarding depression.

References
Birks, M. (2007) The benefits of salsa classes for people with depression. Nursing Times, 103 (10), Pages: 32-33

Making such a huge leap was not easy, and headteacher Mary Simmons was appointed to lead the school’s improvement. Her immediate aim was to inspire the leadership team to improve the school’s learning environment. Other measures included providing opportunities for pupils to learn in a range of ways beyond the classroom.

One of the measures taken by the school was the National Healthy Schools Programme, which provided dance as a physical activity option to increase fitness levels. Dance was found to positively impact on behavioural and educational standards. The 250 children aged between 3-11 years were originally offered aerobics classes which then evolved into less traditional activities which the children might not otherwise have had the opportunity to do. Year 4 pupils were offered Ballroom classes and Years 5 and 6 were offered Jive and Salsa classes.

Behavioural and educational standards increased and the school is now regarded as one of the healthiest schools in its region. Additionally concentration levels, teamwork skills, and the social atmosphere have all improved. The school also believes that the children themselves have ownership over the healthy schools agenda that in turn encourages them to implement the healthy behaviour in their free time.

For any teacher considering introducing dance into school life, hopefully this good news story has convinced you. Finding an activity that can unite children of all ages and get them excited can really help in the battle of engaging children in the classroom, and there are so many different styles available its hard not to find something that could benefit your students. Hip hop, jazz, salsa, contemporary, tap, ballet, Irish, lindy hop, African or bhangra to name a few. Teachers can even use a mix of styles to help encourage pupils to think more creatively.

If your school has used dance, and have been able to see changes in pupils behaviour it would be great to read your comments and post them on the website to help encourage other schools to do something similar.  From a personal point of view, I danced throughout my entire school life at break times, after school and really wherever I could. It provided me with a much needed confidence boost, helped me to concentrate and feel alert while in the classroom and was a fantastic form of exercise. Starting dancing in Primary School really gave me the passion I now have for dance.

The story regarding St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School was taken from the original article “Strictly ballroom proves a winner” by Nicola Hyde, published in Future Fitness, January 2009 p19.