Born to Dance

DANCE troupe Diversity are to front a Government health campaign aimed at getting children to boogie their way to a healthier future.

The Britain’s Got Talent winners are joining forces with the Department of Health to launch the Let’s Dance with Change4Life campaign that will see youngsters across the nation getting free taster dance classes.

Kids will have the chance to win a dance workshop with Diversity, as well as free dance classes.

The competition asks 5 to 12 year olds to recreate one of three dance routines choreographed by the 11-strong street dance group.

Children will be copying the group’s moves from an online guide, with the real Diversity then picking the winner and offering them a dance workshop and tickets to their tour.

Ashley Banjo, 21, the group’s choreographer, who grew up in London Road, Wickford, said: “Dance has been such an important part of all our lives. It’s a great way to keep fit, burn energy and have fun with your friends and family.”

To enter the competition, visit www.change4life.com/dance.

"The Dancer believes that his art has something to say which cannot be expressed in words or in any other way than by dancing... there are times when the simple dignity of movement can fulfill the function of a volume of words. There are movements which impinge upon the nerves with a strength that is incomparable, for movement has power to stir the senses and emotions, unique in itself. This is the dancer's justification for being, and his reason for searching further for deeper aspects of hi...

There are very few ballet dancers who capture the public imagination to such an extent that they are known, throughout the world, by a single name. Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev went one better, becoming — and remaining — ballet’s only mononymous double act. To dancers of my generation, Margot and Rudi were ballet royalty, the undisputed stars of The Royal Ballet throughout the Sixties and Seventies.

For part of their reign, between 1974 and 1981, I was a pupil at the Royal Ballet...

“How do I get over the fear of falling when I do a pirouette on pointe?” one of my students asked recently.

I rode horses a lot as a kid.  And, since I loved to ride bareback, I fell often.  The ground is a long way down from the back of a horse.  Once you get used to falling off a horse, falling out of a lift with a partner or falling out of a pirouette is not so frightening.

But it is in our nature to fear falling.  The prospect of falling causes tension, and tension will REALLY thr...

Tutus and other ballet skirts require some extra care. Firstly, never throw it in the washing machine or the dryer. In order to get the tulle fabric straight and flowing, you can use a warm iron on the skirt by placing a towel between the iron and the tulle. When ironing, only iron the tulle part of the skirt, not the top layer (unless the instructions said that ironing it was possible); many top layers have delicate ornaments that can be damaged by heat. Lastly, don't squish the tutu eith...

After wear, shoes should be put somewhere warm and dry to 'air'. The block should be packed tightly with 'tissue paper wrapped in plastic'. This will ensure it does not lose its shape and that the shoe dries out through the surface and does not simply remain damp inside. If the shoes are not allowed time to dry between classes then their lifespan will be considerably reduced. Extending Shoe Life If you are to get the most from your shoes then they must be well cared for. Please ensure the ste...