Biggleswade's Imagination Dance creates opportunity for performers with additional needs

Imagination Dance runs sessions at Saxon Pool and Leisure Centre offering activities for everyone from toe-tapping tots to adults who like to move and groove.

In fact, classes are proving so popular that a new session – Moving on Up - has been introduced for adults.

Company director, Hannah Reynolds, said: "For many it's about being accepted into an inclusive environment. Some dancers tried going to mainstream lessons but felt that they didn't fit in or that it was too strict - they couldn't concentrate for a long period of time.

"At Imagination Dance you don't necessarily need to join in, but as long as you feel happy and safe that's what matters.

"It's a huge sense of joy seeing people dancing - seeing people grow from having low self-confidence into a beautiful dancer.

"There's a sense of pride and creativity."

Classes run on Friday evenings and include: Imagine and Move (age three plus) - focussing on sensory movement, self awareness and social skills; Magic Movers (seven plus) - a creative dance class working on confidence and social skills; and Moving On Up (age 16 plus), focussing on creative skills and dance technique.

Hannah told the Chronicle: "The feedback from everyone has been brilliant and some love it so much that they arrive early each week.

"Some dancers are non verbal but you can see from the smiles on their faces how much they are enjoying it; one parent even said that he has never been able to provide the joy that we provide his son."

There are also a wide variety of props at each of the classes from shaker eggs, scarves and hula hoops, to hats, parachutes and bubbles.

Hannah added: "You have nothing to lose by coming and giving it a go!

"It's important to include everyone in society, because if you exclude a child with additional needs, you are not just excluding them, but their family and friends, too.

"If you include a person when they are younger, then they feel they can achieve more when they are older - jobs, education."

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For information about Movement to Music, a class for older adults, email: [email protected]