Students step out as
role models
FOUR Southwark College
By PAUL BLAIR
performing arts students stepped
up to the plate and acted as role
would be performed at the Royal Festival Hall.
models for a group of young
Dance United was founded in 2000 with the
offenders as they prepared for a
belief that dance has the power to change lives.
Since then the organisation has delivered a
dance show in the borough earlier
number of projects across the UK and
this month.
worldwide. Recently it has begun working with
Duane Mason, Jack Paterna, Chelsea Mason
young offenders on community sentences.
and Cameron Henricus all took part in a
Pauline Gladstone, a special advisor to Dance
three-week project, presented by charity
United, said: “We work with marginalised
organisation Dance United, which culminated
groups like young offenders. A project has just
in a Performance of Momentum in the Clore
been successfully piloted in Bradford where
Ballroom at the Royal Festival Hall on
these young people are ordered, as part of their
November 13.
sentence structures, to attend a dance acade-
Programme
my, five days a week for 12 weeks.
“They have effectively been sentenced to
This show charted the transformational
dance,” said Pauline. “Many have never danced
journeys of a group of young people from
before yet through intensive training, hard
Hackney, Lambeth and Croydon, and was part
work and commitment they improve to the
of the Southbank Centre’s programme of
point where they can perform to a high
performances, exhibitions and events connected
standard. That makes them feel very good
to the criminal justice system.
about themselves.
Members of Dance United also visited the
“The aim is to create through dance the
college to work with BTEC First Diploma
circumstances under which young people begin
Performing Arts students who did not take part
to see themselves as achievers rather than
STAGE SUCCESS: Southwark College students took part in the project in the show. They were given the opportunity
organised by Dance United at the Royal Festival Hall to learn some of the dance routines that
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