DanceSyndrome was established in 2009 by Founder and Creative Director Jen Blackwell. Jen has Down’s Syndrome and wanted to follow her dream of being a dancer and dance leader.
The DanceSyndrome ethos is that everyone has the right to follow their own interests and passions, whether they have a disability or not. DanceSyndrome offers dance leadership opportunities to people with learning disabilities and empowers them to co-lead high quality inclusive dance workshops which are delivered to disabled and non-disabled participants across the North West.
In 2010 Jen advertised for dancers – and got over 100 enquiries. She selected 14 dancers to work with, half of whom had learning disabilities. Together they have grown into a dedicated, inclusive group of learning-disabled Dance Leaders and performers.
If you ask Jen why she started DanceSyndrome, the answer is simple. “I live for dance, it’s my passion and my life. I have a right to a life of my choosing. My future lies in dance. I’ve always wanted to share my passion for dance with others and to get everybody dancing.”
Essentially, that is what DanceSyndrome does; in addition to performing on stage at events and conferences, the charity now provides five community workshops that are all fully inclusive, allowing anyone, regardless of age, race, gender or disability, to come along and join in at a pace that suits them in a supportive environment.
The workshops are designed and co-led by a learning-disabled Dance Leader and a supporting Dance Artist and many participants have described it as inspirational to see a dance activity that is led by a person with a disability.
In the last three years, DanceSyndrome has gone from strength to strength. Jen won Inspirational Woman of the Year at the 2015 EVA Awards. The Dance Leader team won the Sporting Choice Award at the 2016 Learning Disability and Autism Awards. Becky won Volunteer of the Year at the 2016 Lancashire County Council Pride Awards. DanceSyndrome was chosen as Not-for-Profit of the Year at the 2017 Red Rose Awards.
Significant funding has come in to the charity from Spirit of 2012, Big Lottery Fund, Natwest Skills and Opportunities Fund, Arts Council England and many other local funding bodies.
I am proud to work for such an inspiring, and exciting organisation, which has empowerment and friendship at its heart. Jen is clear that in spite of the many accolades DanceSyndrome has acquired in the past eight years, its most important achievement is the friendships that have been forged among the dancers who are involved. Long may these continue.
Further information:
To find out more about the life-changing work that DanceSyndrome does, visit www.dancesyndrome.co.uk or email [email protected]