Peterborough’s got soul.... and still dancing one year later

On March 5 last year, Peterborough’s Jumped Up Theatre put on its first ever Body andSoul dance class at the Key Theatre.
Chloe's Body & Soul class live from the KeyChloe's Body & Soul class live from the Key
Chloe's Body & Soul class live from the Key

Two weeks later these Northern Soul inspired dance classes had to go online, and they’ve kept on going.

The classes were originally only meant to run for 20 sessions but thanks to an original grant from the Community Lottery, and then donations from participants, plus two small grants from Postcode Lottery and a Parish and Community Covid 19 grant, the classes have kept going every week, and will continue to at least May 2021.

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The classes provide an opportunity to exercise and socialise. For many of their participants the class has been one of the only chances to see and speak to friends over the last year.

One participant said that the classes were: “Better than therapy!”.

“We were overwhelmed by the numbers who attended the first classes, and we have retained an enthusiastic group who have continued to dance with us through the year. The classes are part of our Northern Soul project but it’s Chloe from Chloe’s Dance Company who leads the sessions, and it’s her bubbly, charismatic personality that has kept us all dancing happily.” explains Sarah Saxby, Jumped Up’s Marketing and Admin Officer.

Over the last year each participant in the class has burned over 24,000 calories, done over 290,000 steps, and listened to over 3400 minutes of Northern Soul and been joined by participants from 4 different countries and the North West, the birthplace of Northern Soul.

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Jumped Up celebrated their one year anniversary by broadcasting the class from the Key Theatre earlier this month.

If you would like to join the free class, which runs every Thursday from 10am- 11am, just sign up via the Jumped Up Theatre website or social media. See: JumpedUpTheatre.com/northern-soul or [email protected] and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @JumpedUpTheatre

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