PESS Youth Dance

In autumn 2004 our Dance Development Worker Elaine Bennett facilitated a new large-scale girls' Community Dance project, working with nearly 1,400 girls in the year throughout schools in the Bridgend area.

The Physical Education and Schools Sports (PESS) project was initiated and managed by Sports Council for Wales and is supported by The Welsh Assembly Government.

PESS aims to give teachers inspiration, confidence and technique to lead their own dance projects within their schools, and we were pleased to promote and pass on the benefits of dance to teachers and pupils in Bridgend Borough through this new programme.

Youth and Community Dance

Our local Youth and Community Dance groups developed in 2004-5, in addition to our schools’ dance programmes in the Borough.

New youth projects and dance workshops started at The Berwyn Centre, working with 300 young people in Nantymoel, and with young people at Blaengarw Workmen’s Hall and KPC Youth Centre in Pyle.

We also worked with adult group Split Level Dance Theatre from Persondy Day Centre in Aberkenfig, developing movement and mobility and exploring creative expression through dance.

Dance Blast!

Carlson Dance visited Valley and Vale in spring 2004 to run workshops with Nantymoel Junior School and local young dancers from many of our Community Dance workshops, culminating in a fun dance theatre performance at The Berwyn Centre in Nantymoel which was enjoyed by all.

Thanks to Carlson who gave all our dancers and audience a great chance to try out or watch a range of new dance moves and styles, showing how dance can be fun, creative, moving and inspiring.

'Putting Girls First'

To celebrate International Women’s Day in March 2004, our Community Dance department ran another girls' dance programme, 'Putting Girls First', working with more girls from all our local Comprehensive schools and creating new pieces which were performed in early summer 2004 in two celebrations of their achievements.

This project is supported by Bridgend Sports and Arts Development Departments, using dance and creativity to increase active participation levels for young girls in the Borough.