A BARRY community dance charity will reopen its studio door after lockdown after securing funding from the Arts Council of Wales’s National Lottery Fund.
Motion Control Dance (MCD), based in the YMCA Hub, was recently awarded a £15,500 grant to help stabilise the charity for the next six months.
This funding was vital for the charity to be able to reopen after the lockdown and continue to enrich lives through movement.
For the past 20 years, MCD has delivered weekly classes, workshops, training, and performance opportunities.
The tutors have created many memorable experiences for those participating in the activities and also for its audiences.
Its services help individuals to express and appreciate themselves through dance sessions that can help broaden horizons and develop new skills.
MORE STORIES
Motion Control Dance in Barry secures Place For Sport funding
Motion Control Dance secures sprung floor funding for its Barry YMCA hub
MCD works across the community at grassroots level with a motto that everyone can have a Chance to Dance.
Before lockdown, MCD was delivering bespoke dance services in the Vale, working with more than 2000 individuals a year.
Weekly, the tutors were delivering 28 hourly sessions with 274 members aged three to 85 years.
The movement-based sessions are delivered with an aim to increase general health and wellbeing and tackle social exclusion through the medium of dance.
It works with education, schools, and local organisations to engage individuals in physical activities that develop confidence and self-esteem, social skills, motor skills and which create new friendship groups.
Motion Control sessions are inclusive and range from hip hop, breakdance and contemporary dance for children and young people to adult fitness classes with Turn D’Up and PDT.
The charity are the only providers for disability dance in the region with classes for children, young people and adults; recently the charity has been working with older people in creative movement, LIFT and Tai Chi with classes across the Vale and in various care homes, the next phase will be to create a session for people with Parkinson’s.
Since working in the community in 2000 and having knowledge of national and local government and health agendas MCD knows that there is a need for its services as people are living longer, physical inactivity, obesity and mental health amongst children, young people and adults are becoming major health risks in Wales. These sessions will be available both online and in house once the charity reopens to ensure everyone can access and enjoy them.
This funding will allow the great work MCD provides to the community to be able to continue with so many other dance schools having to close for good due to lack of income. The National Lottery is playing a critical role in supporting people, projects and communities during these challenging times and we are thankful to the Arts Council of Wales in believing our dance charity was worth saving.
MCD chairman, Rhys Jones said: “It’s such positive news to receive at such a tough time for many business, charities and agencies come to grips with covid and face significant decisions as to being able to return, make changes and in some circumstances they have to close; this money will be utilised to support the next six months for the charity and ensure that it continues to provide the such needed service at a grassroots level within the Vale of Glamorgan, a big thank you to Lottery Good Causes for your support.”
For details, visit www.motioncontroldance.com or check out its social platforms.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here