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Dancing is good for the body and soul
Are you an Alesha Dixon or a Gary Rhodes? Are you as uncoordinated as a GMTV presenter or as graceful as a cricketer?
Are you an Alesha Dixon or a Gary Rhodes? Are you as uncoordinated as a GMTV presenter or as graceful as a cricketer?It doesn't matter how bad or good you are at tripping the light fantastic, one Peterborough woman can help you to enjoy ballroom, cha cha cha and the rest. Jemma Walton paid Mavis' Dance Hall a visit.
YOU can forget a bottle of wine and a DVD. And you can forget your lairy nights out, sipping a dodgy blue cocktail and wishing that weird bloke in the corner would stop staring at you.
Because, as everyone knows, Saturday night isn't about having a quiet night in or a big night out. Saturday night is currently about two things and two things only: X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing.
If your Saturday doesn't involve Simon Cowell talking about "This Competition", Bruce Forsyth moaning at the audience when they don't laugh at his jokes or Bruno Tonioli shouting "Fabulous! Bellisima!" it isn't worth doing, frankly.
And let's be honest – how many of us have secretly practiced our "audition song" in the kitchen when there's no one else around, or performed a little cha-cha-cha as we do the washing up?
Amazingly, some of the celebs actually end up dancing properly by the end of the show, and, with the right tuition, many of us could too.
I spoke to Mavis Stephenson, who has run her own dancing school in Fletton for 24 years, to get her 10 top tips for dancing success, Strictly-style.
Top tips: how to dance Strictly-style.
Mavis' special charity event
Mavis Stephenson runs the Mavis Dance Hall on Fletton's High Street. She charges 6 per class, and has a new beginners' class starting after Christmas. She charges 26 per hour for private tuition. Call 01733 346249 for more information.
Mavis is also holding a special event tomorrow to raise money for Myeloma UK. Myeloma is bone marrow cancer, and affects three of her clients.
"There will be Christmas card stalls, arts and crafts stalls, cake stalls, a huge tombola, plus we will also have some second-hand dancing clothes for sale," she said.
The event runs between 10am and 1pm at her dance hall, entry is free.
Places where you can learn to strut your stuff
IT might not seem like it, but Peterborough is a city of dancers. If you've ever fancied learning how to shake your thing properly, there are lots of classes there to help you learn.
Poledancing classes are held in the Dancefit studio in the Courtyard Retail Park, in Norfolk Street, just off Lincoln Road. Beginners' classes start every couple of weeks, and the course costs 75. For more information see www.poleprincess.org.uk, or e-mail enquiries to enquiries@poleprincess.org.uk.
Belly dancing with JellyBelly Dancing, aka mother and daughter team Lynn and Faye Semeraro. Classes are held in and around Peterborough during the week, workshops are held throughout the year, and there are also classes for mums at home, 50-plus and shift workers.
Call Lynn on 01733 260800.
Welland School Of Dancing provides ballet, tap, and modern theatre classes for ages three to adult. A 12-week term's tap dancing costs 47 per child. The school is based at The Ballroom, Stamford Walk, Stamford. Call 01780 765383 or see www.wellandschoolofdancing.co.uk for more information.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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