Community Dance Isle of Wight is opening its classes to the local community for free next week (10th to 14th March 2025) as part of the national Let’s Dance campaign.
This initiative, spearheaded by Angela Rippon CBE, is all about raising awareness of the benefits of dance on both physical and mental health, bringing people together through dance and encouraging those that don’t usually dance to give it a go.
Hainsworth: The classes are not just about dancing
Michelle Hainsworth has training in Dance for Older Adults, Dance and Disability and Dance for Parkinson’s and offers contemporary and creative dance opportunities for over 55s, as well as dance for wellbeing classes for those who are less physical or who have chronic conditions. She says,
“The classes are not just about dancing. They are about bringing people together to have fun and make connections.
“I have lived with Fibromyalgia for 23 years and I know from first hand experience that dancing has helped me feel better physically and mentally.”
Make a Move taster
As part of the ‘Let’s Dance’ initiative, Michelle is offering a free Make a Move taster on Monday 10th March. Make a Move classes are intended for people living with a neurological condition that affects their movement such as Parkinson’s, MS or stroke survivors.
The taster will last an hour and start at 11am at Camp Hill Sports and Community Club, Newport.
Activities can be done seated and/or standing or a mixture of both, and the class is intended to be light hearted and fun and help improve balance, co-ordination and fluidity of movement.
Creative, contemporary dance class
On the Monday afternoon, 1.20pm-2.30pm, there will be an opportunity for over 55s to try a creative, contemporary dance class, Barre None, also at Camp Hill Sports and Community Club.
DanceMakers’ group
Finally, Michelle’s DanceMakers’ group are opening their doors too on Friday 14th March.
This class is for those people who need a more gentle form of exercise and consists of seated and standing dance (and there is tea and cake on offer too!). This class meets at St Johns Hall, Newport at 10.45am-12.15pm.
Just turn up
There is no need to book, just turn up wearing loose fitting clothes or for more information email Michelle: [email protected]
News shared by Michelle, in her own words. Ed
