Volunteers Needed for Dancing Showcase

News release

20th August 2012

Organisers of a major two-day showcase featuring dancers from across the county are calling for volunteers to help put the events on.

The team from Dance4Life is calling on around 25 members of the public to sign up as ‘dance buddies’ to help out in the run-up to the events and at the events themselves on 17th and 18th November.

The dancing spectaculars are the final showcase of the two-year £180,000 Dance4Life project which aims to increase the number of adults involved in dance across Lincolnshire.

Anyone over the age of 18 with an interest in dance and a friendly nature can become a dance buddy volunteer. Perks include free dance classes as well as a free welcome bag which includes a Lincolnshire Dance jumper and T-shirt. The cost of travel will also be covered.

The events will spread from Lincoln across the county and will include interactive workshops, healthy food, photo exhibits and final show. Keyna Paul, Director of Lincolnshire Dance which is the parent organisation of the Dance4Life programme, said: “For the past 18 months we have been working tirelessly to give adults in Lincolnshire a chance to get involved in dance.

“This final two-day showcase is a way to demonstrate all the good work we’ve done and what opportunities are available and will continue to be available once the project ends.

“It really will be something spectacular and we hope that anyone taking part will develop a passion for dancing.

“But we can’t make that happen without the help of volunteers over the next three months and during the events. Being a dance buddy is a great opportunity for people to build their CV or change career – this could be a good starting route to becoming a dance instructor.”

On Saturday 17th November activities will take place at The New Life Church and The Healthy Hub in Lincoln city centre. Final details are still being decided, but it is expected there will be dance workshops, food, photo displays, personal stories and performances from groups which have been set up as a result of the project.

On Sunday 18th November four rural locations – Spilsby, Holbeach, Binbrook and Scotter – as well as Lincoln will host a traditional céilidh open to all members of the public. They will all be scheduled to start at the same time across all locations, bringing synchronised movement throughout the county.

A meeting is now due to be held on Thursday 30thAugust between 7pm and 9pm at The Dance Box on Dixon Way, off Dixon Street in Lincoln where people interested can find out more about being a dance buddy. During the meeting, people can take part in taster dance sessions including the Cha-Cha-Cha and West End show numbers and enjoy a buffet.

“We need people to volunteer about five hours of their time in the run-up to the event and then pledge to be available on one of the days,” added Keyna.

“Around 15 people are needed for the Saturday event and a further 10 for the rural outreach event on the Sunday. Dance buddies will join in activities, signpost people to different areas and offer general information on the Lincolnshire Dance programme.”

If you are interested in attending the meeting, register for a place by calling Alex Law on 01522 522525.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Dance4Life is a p[rogramme offered by the charity Lincolnshire Dance and is funded through the Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Fund, which is supported by Lincolnshire County Council and NHS Lincolnshire. The scheme aims to give adults who may not have had access to dance or lacked confidence a chance to try different disciplines.

• Lincolnshire Dance is a charitable organisation launched in 2000 to offer a chance for people from all walks of life to become involved in dance in some way. The idea was to change hearts and minds to get people involved. As part of that programme, a two-year project called Dance4Life was launched as a spin-off from the Change4Life scheme.

• Dance4Life is targeted at adults and works to break down barriers which could stop them taking up dance; it’s about encouraging people who may have lacked confidence – sometimes with the help of a dance buddy – creating opportunities in areas which have been poorly serviced previously such as small towns and villages, offering quality classes which will appeal to adults ranging from burlesque to street dance, and giving people the chance to become a qualified dance instructor.

Cerri Delaney
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
cerri@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @cerridelaney

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