I cannot believe how quickly the last 18 months have gone by – they have absolutely flown by and what a whirlwind it has been!

18 months ago I had only just received a bursary from Exercise Movement & Dance (via Wheelchair Dance Sport Association UK [WDSA UK] ) to attend a Wheelchair Dance Instructor’c course run by the WDSA UK.  Since then:

• I have partnered up with Disability Advice Service Lambeth who were successful in their bid for start up funding for a wheelchair dance class from Lambeth Council’s Legacy Fund.
• I successfully attended an intensive 5 day level 2 training course to qualifiy as a wheelchair dance instructor.

         

• I considered many names before deciding on Wheel Be Dancing (whilst waiting to be called into a Jury whilst on Jury Service!)
• I created the logo for Wheel Be Dancing (whilst waiting to be called into a Jury whilst on Jury Service!)

• I created this website
• The very first class of Wheel Be Dancing opened on January 13th 2015

• I have since run 4 terms of Wheelchair Dance Class at our venue in Aspire Health & Wellbeing Centre West Dulwich with regular participants returning each week.  The first three courses were funded by Lambeth Legacy fund and the last one by Sportivate via WDSA UK.

• We, the class, have performed at the official launch of the Into Sport Project which is a collaboration of 5 Deaf & Disabled People’s organisations working to support Disabled People to increase their participation in Sport & Physical Activity.  We performed to 75 people followed by a taster session of wheelchair dance which was a great success!

• We received sponsorship in Kind in the form of Baseball caps from the Jenson Corporation.

• We have performed at the Liberty Festival at the Olympic Park as part of the National Paralympic Day in July 2015.

          

 

• I have taught at 2 large teadances at the Copper box Olympic Park as part of a team of WDSA UK Instructors with 350 + in attendance at each teadance

                    

• I have attended a 2 day instructor course delivered by De Veleta, Holland.

• I have delivered 4, 1 hour taster sessions in Bromley, Southwark and Sevenoaks to young people with Learning Disabilities and to young people with physical disabilities.

• I have started developing Wheel Be Dancing merchandise for sale.

         

What a start! I can’t wait to see what the next 18 months brings!

Stay tuned for further developments – watch out Kent – here we come!!!

             

 

More to follow but check out those that have already been added to our photos and video page!

Wheel Be Dancing Wheelchair Dance Class

Rollator Dancing

I’m really excited to announce that we will be very soon incorporating Rollator Dance in our sessions!  Our very own Wheelchair Dance Instructor Patricia Reilly (Tricia) is attending a three day Rollator Course this weekend at the Stoke Mandeville Olympic Lodge – no rest for the wicked!

What is a Rollator? I hear some of you ask!  See below one type of Rollator.  Great for people whose balance is not very good to give them support and confidence.

Tricia will try to get some video footage or photos to share with you so keep tuned!  Check out our video page for a one page video diary from the first ever course she attended (let’s hope she’s not as exhausted as this time!) and some footage of her learning to wheelchair dance.

                    

Patricia Reilly (Tricia)                              Rollator

 

 

Our Artist colleagues at Block 336 have a new exhibition.  It’s running over the next 2 months so do try to get along to it if you can!

IT IS AS IF
 Vong Phaophanit and 

Claire Oboussier
Private View: 1st May 2015 | 6-10pm
Exhibition: 2nd May – 26th June

Block is pleased to announce IT IS AS IF, a new video installation work by Vong Phaophanit and Claire Oboussier.Vong Phaophanit was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1993 and the artist duo are best known for their architectural and site specific works that examine themes of identity and dislocation. Fully supported by the Wellcome Trust, IT IS AS IF extends these concerns to explore topographies of memory and deterritorialisation and their confluences with the landscape of the human body.

Featuring a film work from a specially performed operation by Professor Roger Kneebone alongside two new video works, the maze-like installation invites us to become lost within its network of passages and a discoverer of a new sense of place, time and meaning.

Welcome to Wheel Be Dancing!

We introduce ourselves by saying our name whilst making a dance movement

   

 

Our warm up exercises

    

In Line of dance listening for instructions for our warm up dance

 

Great news! As our free classes are coming to an end we are able to open up the Lambeth Wheel Be Dancing Class to people from any Borough.

The new term will start Tuesday 21 April 2015 2pm – 3.30 pm.  This term is still subsidised so don’t miss out! £4 per session Pay as you go or Pay for the 10 week course up front and pay £3 per class – I do love a bargain!

If you want to discuss anything before you attend give me a call on 0779142463 or drop me a line at wheelbedancing@yahoo.co.uk.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Tricia

Patricia Reilly

Can it really be nine weeks ago that we started our very first wheelchair dance class Wheel Be dancing?  Where has the time gone?  It is true time flies when you are having fun!  Here are some snaps of our first and second classes.  Stay tuned for more photos of us in action – to follow shortly.

Week 1 – our very first class!

Week 3 – our membership had grown and has been consistent ever since!

Below is our beautiful Line of Dance.

      

      

So yesterday I was privileged to be one of the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association UK (WDSA UK) Instructors teaching at an over 50’s Tea Dance organised by Motivate East & Active People Active Park (APAP) at the Copper Box Arena in Stratford.  Targeted at older people the event promoted good health and regular exercise and featured a variety of information stalls.  Over 330 people attended and feedback was favourable.  There were Champion Ballroom Dancers and Champion Wheelchair Dancers present who performed several routines.  Participants then chose to learn the moves to a Samba either as a Standing Dancer or a Wheelchair Dancer.  Lunch was provided (and very nice it was too!) before the open session of the Tea Dance begun when everyone had a chance to dance freestyle and dance with the professional dancers and instructors present.

As I was on the floor  a lot I didn’t get to take my regular photos but others did so I will post as and when I have access to them.  For now check out the pictures below.

I had a fantastic time and hope to see a regular Wheelchair Dance Class happening at the Copperbox in the near future!

The St Bernards Waltz

Me above in the blue Polo shirt showing participants the moves

Wheelchair Dance Champions Stephen and Linda

Wheelchair Dance Champions Stephen and Linda