Students from the University’s UP for Sport Volunteer Scheme have seen their efforts at coaching bear fruit at a special show at the New Theatre Royal. For the past nine weeks they have been teaching ‘streetdance’ to youngsters aged nine and ten from schools across the city. Streetdance is a hip-hop dance style made popular on the streets of America which has taken off in the UK. The competition was a chance for local children to show parents and friends their skills.

Over 100 children performed at the New Theatre Royal on Monday 8th and the event was a massive success culminating in a performance from University streetdance troupe, Most Wanted. The project was part of Schools Sports Partnerships, a national scheme to engage youngsters from some of the city’s most deprived areas and encourage more children to take up a fun form of exercise. It was run in conjunction with the Heart of Portsmouth, a local scheme which puts schools at the heart of local communities. Children from Newbridge junior school took home the first prize with second and third places going to Isambard Brunel Junior School and Flying Bull School.

This was the fourth time the annual event has run and the University’s dance coach, Carly-Ann Purcell said it was the best event yet and in the interval even the judges took to the stage. She said: “The children had a great time and I was really pleased with their enthusiasm and proud of what they had achieved in just a short time. It’s a fun way to exercise and I hope some of the children will carry on dancing.” Carly, who choreographs routines and trains Most Wanted, runs dance classes in Portsmouth for children aged between five and ten and for older children from ten upwards at the Nuffield Sports Centre in Portsmouth.

To get a look at the Judges (2nd to Nun/220 crew), Carly-Ann and members of Most Wanted in action have a watch of this footage from Portsmouth Charity Dance Day: