TWO FRIENDS ‘STEP UP’ TO PROVIDE INNOVATIVE DANCE CLASSES
Two long-term friends are stepping outside of their usual roles to run innovative dance classes in North Lancashire.
Georgina Moore, an accountant, and Sally O’Brien, who has worked with adults with learning disabilities for 23 years, have undertaken intensive dance teacher training and are now running classes in Carnforth and Morecambe.
Georgina’s class, Dance Fit, is a dance exercise class for adults of all abilities. It runs at Carnforth High School Dance Studio on Wednesday evenings from 7pm to 8pm.
She explained: “There are loads of exercise classes out there, but so many are fitness-based, or have fixed choreography. I don’t enjoy ‘fitness’ style classes as I miss the creativity that dance brings, so I can now bring this to my classes. Dance Fit feels like a dance class, rather than a fitness class. It should particularly appeal to women who may have gone to dancing classes when they were younger.”
Sally runs Dance-ability, aimed at adults with learning disabilities. She feels that there is a real need for these classes in the community. Her class takes place at the Trimpell Club in Morecambe on Thursdays from 6.30pm to 8pm.
Both classes cost £5 each per session. (Support workers/carers free for Dance-ability).
Georgina, who lives in Bolton-le-Sands, explained how the classes came about.
“We both spotted gaps in the market for specialised dance classes in this area. When last year, a Keep Fit Association (KFA) teacher training course ran in the North West, we immediately signed up. Our families are growing up and we both felt it was our time to pursue our passion for dance further.”
The training the pair undertook was very thorough, taking 10 months part-time and included written exams in anatomy and physiology and in health and safety.
“We have both achieved Level 3 KFA qualification to teach Dance, Movement & Exercise to adults. The course was run by the KFA in Bolton,” added Sally, who lives in Crag Bank. “We have learnt how to teach safe dance exercise and we can offer alternative movements within the class so that it appeals to all ages and abilities. We do not have fixed choreography – we use a variety of music and different dance styles.”
“We’ve been friends for 18 years,” Georgina said. “Our mutual love of dance has fuelled that friendship. We’ve both danced for many years, since childhood. Sally went to the Northern Ballet School, then trained at the London Studio Centre after leaving school. I work for BCS accountants in Bolton-le-Sands, a firm headed by my husband, Nick. I wanted to do something with dance when I left school but I let my head rule my heart and opted for a sensible job!”
Sally added: “For the past 13 years we have danced in teams of adult dancers from across the North West and performed at the Royal Albert Hall, the Birmingham Symphony Hall and Blackpool Winter Gardens. All this has all come about via the local ‘KFA Moves – Lune Valley’ which offers access to lots of opportunities for people who love dance.”
Georgina will be choreographing her first team performance this Spring for the Lune Valley team to perform in May at the KFA North West regional event.
“Once you have a love of dance, it never leaves you!” she said.
- Dance Fit – Contact Georgina 07732 038961
- Dance-Ability – Contact Sally 07507 065570