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?Dancers show off their moves at council classes held at the Expressions dance studio in Kentish Town |
Strict exercise regime steps up to challenge
Town Hall using dancing boom inspired by hit TV show to promote new fitness classes
IF the lure of the cha-cha-cha is enough to make Strictly Come Dancing winner Alesha Dixon get out her dancing shoes, then it’s good enough for Camden Council.
Health chiefs at the Town Hall are trying to use the booming popularity in dancing generated by glitzy TV talent shows to help residents dance themselves fit.
Tomorrow (Friday), Camden’s Active Health Team will be showing how a little bit of salsa, a spot of tango or even some belly-dancing can be good for the body and the mind with a free-to-all Dance Day, showcasing council-run classes. And all ages are welcome.
Sue Gibson, 63, from Tufnell Park, is a regular at the dance sessions: “We’re the second Ginger Rogers,” she said of herself and her classmates.
Francesca Di Fonzo, 37, is a dancer from West Hampstead who is halfway to gaining her apprenticeship to become a dance teacher for the council.
She said: “Dancing helps me feel energised, happy and inspired. I enjoy the body’s movement and the music.”
The Dance Day has been designed to get people moving to tap, R&B dance, disco and funk, and contemporary dance. It has been billed as a chance to become the next Alesha, the Mis-teeq singer who triumphed on BBC1’s popular dance contest.
“On the TV you see someone who has never danced in their life get up to a high standard in just 10 weeks; it’s really inspiring,” said Mark Malone, manager for the Camden Active Health Team community programme.
Those who excel may even end up performing on stage at the annual Camden Summer Dance festival on July 8.
The event is to take place in One KX, a new community exercise venue in Cromer Street, King’s Cross.
Mr Malone said: “A lot of people think to get fit you go to the gym, but there are lots of other options.”
Camden Council’s Active Health team runs around 50 exercise classes each week, ranging from Tai Chi, dance, healthy walks and sport. Many of the classes are designed for disabled people who are wheelchair-bound, with other exercises designed to improve bone or heart strength. |
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