In September, Greig City Academy used a Leader Award Grant from the Jack Petchey Foundation to fund a variety of dance related activities.

The Foundation funded a series of eight training sessions and were able to supply unique, hand-detailed costumes for the dance troupes. They also subbed the cost of necessary transport. This enabled the Academy to perform in local, regional and national competitions.

The project enabled the Academy’s dancers to experience and practise a completely new style; Afro House. This extended the group’s repertoire. Throughout the sessions, the students developed skills in ballet, street dance, traditional African dance and acrobatics. The group developed their listening skills as well as mental dexterity through repetition and rehearsal. As well as that, their ensemble work helped them learn to respect their fellow dancers, as well as build their own confidence and stamina.

The Academy competed against young people from across the country, giving them the chance to see a range of different dance styles and to think about the sorts of training they would like to have in future.

The Key Stage 3 troupe took first place in the Haringey finals of the Youth Games and went on to represent the borough at the London Youth Games, where they again took first place with an outstanding score of over 95%! They also finished at the top in the South East regional finals of the ‘Great British Dance Off’.

As well as that, they were also part of the national finals of both competitions and although they did not emulate the first place success they had in the regionals, they were proud of their performances, and determined to try again next year!

The group were delighted to perform at the Haringey Jack Petchey Presentation Evening at the Bernie Grant Centre in June. They were thrilled to be performing on their ‘home ground’ with an audience of local people.

Want to apply for a Leader Award Grant but not sure how? Take a look at this page.

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