Features and Reviews

Dancing at Tea Time

The Scala Hall was filled to capacity with enthusiastic dancers creating a party atmosphere as they enjoyed the music and tea time spread provided by the Brixham Young Volunteers.

Hosting the event the Young Volunteers were surprised and delighted to see so many responding to the invitation to their Tea dance. Despite being a rainy Saturday everyone was in high spirits including the Beacon Wheelchair Dancers specially invited to demonstrate their dance skills. They brought a different dimension to the dance floor with their integration of group members dancing in wheelchairs together with those dancing more conventionally on two feet.

Performing with keyboard and vocals, Nigel encouraged waves of eager dancers to take to the floor in a variety of dance styles before enjoying sandwiches, quiches, cakes and cream teas as the Beacon Group took to the floor with a demonstration of their Ballroom, Latin and Formation routines.

Talking to Sue Cummings, a teacher of wheelchair dancing who coaches the Beacon Dancers, she explained how the group were now affiliated to The Wheelchair Dance and Sport Association they formed last September.

This has allowed the group to encourage any one with a disability to dance together, including blind and deaf, as the established Wheelchair Dance Association in Great Britain only focuses on dancing where the dancer is able to propel themselves in a wheelchair or use an electric one.

Sue said “This organization wants to encourage everyone to have the pleasure of dancing and so anyone able bodied or with a disability can dance together. Those who want to use a chair or require pushing around in a chair can also get involved.”

Sue and the Group's Assistant Coach Ruth travel nationally coaching groups and encourage this more continental approach to wheel chair dancing. At Easter time this year members of the Beacon Group went to Holland and took part in wheelchair dance competition where Paul, who celebrated his birthday at the Tea Dance, gained silver for his routines and another wheelchair dancer trained by Sue was whisked on to the dance floor by a Serbian dancer to enjoy a Waltz. Whilst the continent focuses more on dancing couples, British wheelchair dancing has focussed on formation dancing, and the new association wants to encourage all ways of dancing, as well as mixing abilities.

During the afternoon The Young Volunteers joined the Beacon Group for a formation dance choreographed by Sue in collaboration with Young Volunteer Zac. Members of the Young Volunteers have enjoyed months of dancing with the Beacon Group joining their weekly meetings, however this particular piece was described as work in progress as they had little time to practice it all together!

Nevertheless everyone thoroughly applauded the dancing, the quality of the food and the entertainment value of the whole afternoon. The Young Volunteers had taken taking the time and trouble to get hold of many sets of china to serve the tea with, arranged a large raffle and everyone mixed with ease thanks to their well organised event!