Cardiff Council is launching a new and exciting Street Dance Club which kicks off on Thursday (15 September) at Channel View Leisure Centre, Grangetown.
Every Thursday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm anyone aged between seven and 16 years are invited to attend the workshop style session which is run as part of the 5×60 programme, a Welsh Assembly Government initiative whereby pupils are encouraged to take part in 60 minutes of physical activity five times a week.
Street Dance is already a big hit on the 5×60 scheme at Fitzalan High School, Mary Immaculate High School and Cathays High School and the demand has now branched into the local community.
Following some popular Street Dance sessions at community fun days, the decision was taken to launch the club in Grangetown, with many pupils from all three schools living in the area.
5×60 sessions are run in Fitzalan High School by 2Step Dance Company, whose instructors Emma Brown and Maria Katzi, are accredited Sport.Cardiff coaches. They will run the community club and already have a fantastic rapport with the school, pupils, parents and the leisure centre.
The launch will also include a performance from ShapeZ, a successful street dance group made up of seven year 11 pupils from Fitzalan High School. The group formed from the 5×60 Street dance club and they have gone from strength to strength.
After winning two 5×60 competitions last year they entered the Welsh Street Dance Championships in May this year, coming a fantastic second in their category. As a result they will travel to Bochum, Germany in September to represent Wales in the World Hip Hop Dance Championships.
Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Sport said: “It is fantastic to see such great achievements from a plan which was initially introduced to get kids active in school and is now branching out into the community. Now that these clubs are setting up outside the school it shows the programme is growing from strength to strength and some great successes have surfaced from the 5 x 60 scheme.”
Maria, co-founder of the 2step dance company, said: “I am really pleased that we are able to set up a new Street Dance club in the Grangetown area. Street Dance has really taken off in the local schools and this gives the young people a chance to continue taking part in their own community. Street Dance is a great way of keeping fit and healthy while having fun at the same time”.
The class runs every Thursday and costs one pound. For more information or to attend the launch please contact Abby Neal on 02920 873936.
