Red Cross Blogs

Making a sign and dance with an integrated dance project

By Victoria Watts
July 1, 2010 at 10:50 am

At a recent Dance for Life event in Andover, an integrated dance project took part, made up of a group of students with and without physical and learning disabilities Carla Dow talked to four of the dancers from Eastleigh College – Zarah Foley and her dance partner Michael Stevens; and David Hunt and his dance partner Melissa Mallows.

Carla: What is an integrated dance group?

Michael: There is a foundation course (TFC) at college for school leavers with severe learning difficulties who want to develop their life skills and become more independent. We team up with the TFC course and have at least one dancer to each TFC student. It’s great for all of us. Melissa and I are on the stage with David and Zarah not to help them but to dance alongside them.

Melissa: It’s very much about learning from each other. For example, the Makaton sign language was taught to us and we helped the group with their balance.

Do you enjoy being part of the group?

Melissa: It’s amazing to be part of the group – it’s funny, it’s emotional and we have a great time. I spend most of my week looking forward to our rehearsals. It’s also a great way to improve our sign language, and everyone’s confidence and team skills.

Michael: We get monumental amounts of pride out of it. It’s great to see all the hard work the group put in and what they get out. Anyone watching can see that you are capable of doing things that you may not have thought possible. It’s really quite humbling.

Zarah: I enjoy dancing – it makes me feel happy and I am very excited.

What made you take part in Dance for Life?

David: I’m here to do some dance. Our dance is about helping. I’m really enjoying it. We have been practising lots.

Melissa: It’s a great opportunity to be able to take part in a big dance competition with an international charity. With the TFC group, it’s really good for them to get out and meet new people and feel that they are part of the same team. They are no different from the other dancers when we are all on stage performing.

Michael: We are here primarily to raise money for the Red Cross, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to give Zarah’s class the chance to perform.

What is the dance about?

Zarah: The dance is about the Red Cross helping, but we also help each other in the dance, even in the rehearsals. We include signing and I enjoy that because it helps my learning. The other dancers had to learn signing so we all understand each other, and in return the helpers in our group taught us how to balance.

How does it feel to be taking part?

David: I feel very excited to do this dance. I’m competing against the other dance groups and we do hope to win, but we enjoy taking part as well.

Zarah: I love dancing – it comes naturally to me. And I like performing on stage – it makes me proud inside. Some of the balancing I had to practise a lot to be able to do it, but now I can do it on my own. I feel proud.

I do feel a little bit nervous about being on stage but I have lots of friends around me and we are taking part in the dance and that’s what counts to me.

What do you think of Dance for Life?

David: I had heard about the Red Cross before this competition. I feel very lucky to be a part of the charity event and we have fun doing the dance and being on stage.

Zarah: I feel happy that I have been able to help a lot of people through the Red Cross by being in Dance for Life.

Michael: It’s a fantastic opportunity for anyone to be part of. Everyone knows what the Red Cross is so it’s great to be part of that.

Find out more about Dance for Life

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Tags: Dance for life

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