Creating a new home for adult ballet community

Aim: To refurbish a building to create an accessible, welcoming space for adults of all ages and abilities to enjoy dancing and socialising

Our vision

Complete Ballet CIC is a Community Interest Company offering a unique mix of dance classes and social opportunities to adults of all ages in South Tyneside. Our vision is to be ’more than a ballet class’ and we aim to achieve this by:

Improving the health and wellbeing of those that take part

• Reducing isolation and loneliness by bringing people and communities together over a shared love of dance
• Breaking down stereotypes through proving that dance is for everyone -no matter your age or ability
• Increasing interest and engagement in the performing arts

What we do

Our Silver Swans® classes (aimed at over 55s) and Seated Swans (chair based ballet), offer adults the chance to take part in gentle exercise which improves fitness, strength, posture, balance and coordination. The lessons also are also great for reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and have proved to be particularly beneficial for people living with brain injuries, lung conditions, dementia and Parkinson’s Disease. Classes are relaxed, friendly and lots of fun!

We‘ve grown from one ballet class a week, to now providing more than 80 ballet and dance fitness classes each month. Adults also have opportunities to take part in lots of other exciting events and activities, including…

Intergenerational dance classes with the children in their lives…

 Flashmobs…

Theatre productions…

(Photo credit: ID Event photography)

Christmas performances in care homes and hospitals….

And ballet exams…

This is how members have described how classes make them feel…

One of the biggest impacts classes have (as reported by our members), is on improving social networks and connections. We arrange lots of opportunities for people to get together over a cuppa after class, at theatre shows, or even trips away.

People build wonderful friendships and they enjoy dancing together.

Since the business began in 2023, it has grown to provide ballet lessons to more than 170 people, aged from 26 to 93! Our classes are currently delivered in hired spaces in community buildings across South Tyneside. 

(Photo credit: Maggie Davison/MD Photography)

Our project

The demand for classes has meant that we’ve outgrown our existing, hired spaces and now is the right time to move to our own self-contained unit in South Shields. With excellent links to public transport and a more prominent location in the town centre, we will be able to engage more people in dance and wellbeing activities, and work collaboratively with businesses and the health and social sectors in the community. 

Our existing members are excited to make the move, and shared their thoughts and ideas about the space at a recent social event in June. Many have said they are looking forward to having a ’place to call home’. 

Funding for this project will be used to develop a central, safe environment and allow immediate and longer-term growth plans to be delivered. We are crowdfunding to create a space that will secure the future of the business, and to extend the impact we can have on the community. 

In addition to delivering more dance classes and performance opportunities, the plan is to offer a range of wellbeing and social activities from the new space, with the primary focus being on improving the health, wellbeing and social connections of adults in South Tyneside.

The new premises brings an empty building in a key area of the town’s 365 Regeneration Programme, back into use. The premises needs refurbishment and money raised will go towards the essentials we need -including suitable, safe flooring, internal alterations to the layout, ballet barres and additional seating for a socialising area. 

This is what the premises looks like at the start of the project…

And this is the inspiration we’re working towards…

The company is run by Director, and award-winning dance teacher, Rebecca Yates, whose passion for inclusive dance, and care for those she teaches, has created a wonderful community, as well as a successful business. 

We are a not-for-profit company which means we reinvest any surplus we make, back into the community. Almost all of the refurbishment and redecoration work will be carried out at zero cost by volunteers -our community of adults is more than ready to pick up a paint brush! However, this is the biggest project we’ve undertaken so far, and we are relying on funding and donations to create a space to be proud of. Please help us reach our target. Our classes truly change lives and every penny will make a difference. 

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 26th August 2025 at 10:31pm