Strictly Come Dancing stars' tips for Darwen pupils

22 January 2009

Publication: Lancashire Telegraph

TWO hundred children from Darwen learnt some new moves today when they met stars from the Strictly Come Dancing television show.

Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova, who have both won the BBC competition, were launching a new initiative for health and fitness called Essentially Dance at the Lowry in Salford.

Pupils from the Darwen Aldridge Community Academy and their feeder schools St James’s Primary School, Holy Trinity Primary School, St Paul’s Primary School, Ashleigh Primary School and Sudell Primary School attended the event.

The couple cha cha-ed their way into the children’s affections with a high-tempo showcase of their talents and a candid question and answer session before pupils from the Academy displayed their dancing skills to raptuous applause from the crowd.

The Essentially Dance programme has been started by Rod Aldridge, Darwen Academy founder who has a life-long passion for the sport.

He said: “The dancing fits into a lot of educational frameworks such as sport and healthy lifestyle.

“Dance makes you very receptive to learning, increases interaction between boys and girls and gives them a skill for life.”

Darren and Lilia had the entire crowd on their feet at the end of the morning, putting them through their dancing paces for a ten minute Latin dancing session.

Lilia said: “For us as professionals to teach children and see their progress is brilliant.

“So many people do not get the opportunity to dance, and it’s very important that more young people in England have the chance, and the country produces more champions.

“Having dancing in schools means that people have easy access.

“When I was growing up in Russia my Grandma signed me up for lessons in my school and I have never looked back.”

Keegan Howarth, 13, was one of the dancers who performed the cha-cha-cha infront of the group.

He said: “I’ve never done dancing outside of school so it is a great opportunity to try something new.”

Vice principal for entrepreneurship, Jade Parkinson-Hill said: “This is an opportunity for pupils who don’t necessarily enjoy traditional sports such as football or netball to have a go at something active in a positive way.”