Active Westminster is marking the United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3, 2019) with the first of three free disability Dance Westminster workshops.  The event will take place at Moberly Sports Centre, operated by Everyone Active, and run in partnership with local inclusive dance company Step Change Studios.

The workshop takes place from 11am to 3pm and is open to people with disabilities aged 11 and over who live, study or work in the borough.  Dance Westminster will enable people to experience an inclusive, engaging dance class and learn a dance routine. The workshops are very informal with the emphasis on participation and enjoyment. Carers, family, friends and spectators are very welcome to cheer people on.

At the end of the session, participants are invited to take part in an audition where they can perform the routine and any other moves they want to show-off. Ten finalists will be selected from across the three workshops. They will be partnered with a professional dancer who will train with them ahead of competing together in the Grand Final on January 23, 2020 in the ballroom at Porchester Hall.

The three workshops are as follows: each with a different theme:

• December 3, 2019 (11am to 3pm) at Moberly Sports Centre, 25 Chamberlayne Rd, NW10 3NB – Latin theme
• December 7, 2019 (11am-3pm) at The Tresham Centre, 27 Tresham Crescent, NW8 8TW – Musical Theatre theme
• December 12, 2019 (9.30am-2.30pn) at City of Westminster College, 25 Paddington Green, W2 1NB – Bollywood Hip Hop Fusion theme

Rashmi Becker, Founder of Step Change Studios and recipient of the Westminster Active Award for Inclusion agrees: “Dance is a fantastic way to connect, to be creative and improve wellbeing and I set up Step Change Studios to address the lack of opportunities for disabled people to participate in dance. As guardian to my disabled brother I know first-hand the positive impact that physical activity has on quality of life. One in five people in the country has a disability yet disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive as non-disabled people. I am looking forward to working with Active Westminster and Everyone Active to improve participation in physical activity for more people in our community”.

“We are honoured to be hosting this inclusive dance workshop and audition in our dance studio, especially as it marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities,” says Chris Yearley, Everyone Active General Manager. “Dance Westminster is a great initiative and we were only too pleased to extend our help and facilities. We know that seven in 10 disabled people want to be active yet many face barriers in terms of accessibility and limited programming. Dance Westminster will tap into people’s fascination and love of dance competitions.  We look forward to welcoming everyone and seeing their dance skills in action.”