School scheme to improve children’s fitness through ballroom dancing
Over 2,500 school students aged 5-18 are being asked to take their partners for the Cha-cha-cha, waltz, jive and quick step in a pilot scheme aimed at improving their health and self-esteem by learning ballroom and Latin dancing.
The scheme called 'Essentially Dance', officially launched on February 24, is being piloted in 29 primary and secondary schools across England by The Aldridge Foundation with professional dancers Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova from the BBC's popular Strictly Come Dancing TV show and City Limits Education. This complements the initiative announced by Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, to examine how promote health and fitness among adults through dance.
Over the next three months, 52 teachers and classroom assistants will receive practical training sessions with professional dance and PE experts supported by a training resource, which includes a step-by-step DVD led by Darren and Lilia, a booklet with easy to follow sessions and a CD with suitable music.
The new initiative, which meets the Government's Every Child Matters outcomes on health, enjoyment and achievement, targets to reduce childhood obesity and the National Curriculum's Key stage 1-5 provision for Physical Education, aims to:
″ Improve young people's health and fitness
″ Build confidence and self-esteem
″ Improve cross-gender and inter-generational relationships
The outcomes for both teachers and children will be independently evaluated by Roehampton University. The Foundation plans to make the final training resource available to all schools following a launch this summer.
Rod Aldridge, Chairman of The Aldridge Foundation, said he wanted to harness the popularity of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing TV programme to inspire a new generation to take to the dance floor: "Essentially Dance is about inspiring the nation's young people to get on their feet to enjoying the physical exercise and confidence you can gain from ballroom dancing."
"Ballroom dancing used to be seen as something old fashioned and inaccessible - but by making it part of the National Curriculum we can breakdown those barriers and give young people from all backgrounds the chance to benefit."
Professional dancer Darren Bennett, who learned to dance when he was six said: "Not everyone who learns ballroom is going to take it up as a profession and win trophies but that's not the point – it's about having fun, getting fit and mixing socially with your peers."
A similar scheme was pioneered in New York public schools, which featured in a documentary Mad Hot Ballroom and Hollywood film Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas. An evaluation study showed that engaging young people in the discipline of ballroom dance gave students who struggled academically an outlet of expression that boosted their self esteem, confidence and classroom behaviour.
Ends
The pilot scheme is being officially launched with Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova on February 24 at two schools in Bromley, in London, and Falmer, near Brighton. For more information visit www.essentiallydance.com or contact Petra Coveney at the Aldridge Foundation, tel: 020 7925 7905 or email petra.coveney@aldridgefoundation.com
Notes to Editor
- Essentially Dance is being funded by the Aldridge Foundation www.aldridgefoundation.com. In partnership with City Limits Education.
- It is being piloted in 29 schools at five key sites: Darwen near Blackburn, Salford, Rotherham, Bromley in South London, and Falmer near Brighton.
- How can it promote healthy life-styles? Current government statistics show that two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight. Through giving young people a new option which is accessible to all, we can raise physical activity levels amongst them and their communities. According to the NHS, ballroom dance can burn up to 300 calories an hour.
- Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, stressed the role dance can play in improving health and fitness in the adult population, and has pledged to convene a working group to explore how we get all generations active through dance. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5683676.ece
- How can it promote inter-generational and cross-gender relationships? Ballroom dance is an activity that anyone of any age can take up. It promotes communication between men and women and boys and girls, and provides who families with something they can enjoy together. A dance programme in Rawmarsh, entitled Families Come Dancing allowed groups of all ages to forge new relationships.
- Who ran the USA schools dance programme? It was pioneered by dancer Pierre Dulaine and featured in a documentary called Mad Hot Ballroom which inspired the Hollywood film Take the Lead. For information on this programme and evaluation research visit:
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