Strictly Stars Share the stage with Essentially Dancers

Hundreds of schoolchildren and older people took to the dance floor at Huddersfield Town Hall with Strictly’s Darren and Lilia.

Essentially Dance stars Darren and Lila

They were celebrating the end of the first year of a hugely ambitious two year programme of Latin American and ballroom dance in Kirklees delivered by Kirklees Council and NHS Kirklees in partnership with Essentially Dance.

Darren and Lilia opened each of the four sessions with a performance of Fever which received tumultuous applause from the dancers and spectators watching this unique celebration of Essentially Dance in Kirklees. Darren then invited the dancers to showcase their skills in the waltz, jive, cha cha cha and quickstep. Later in the session Lilia and Darren led a session to teach all the dancers to salsa – encouraging all to do the moves and learn the steps together.

Pupils from 23 schools attended the celebration, having learnt the dance steps in PE classes or after-school clubs.

Olivia Tetley from Headlands School in Liversedge said,”Today was really good, everything was good. Darren and Lilia were really nice and I liked the dancing.”

In the final session of the day older people from groups across Kirklees joined pupils from 7 secondary schools. Joyce Dyson and her dance partner John Brown enjoy dancing regularly at a weekly Essentially Dance class at the Galpharm Stadium. Joyce, from Newsome, said,” I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Darren and Lilia were really good. I loved the dancing and I enjoyed watching the older people dancing with the younger ones.”

A dancer from Lindley Chimes said, “It was absolutely fabulous – when’s the next one?”

PRESS RELEASE FROM KIRKLEES COUNCIL ONLINE NEWS