Giving children with challenges free dance lessons

Aim: Radiates is a creative dance programme based in Cambridge offered to children who have experienced bigger challenges in their lives.

Colours of Dance Radiates is a creative dance programme offered through primary schools in Cambridge, to all children, but which is particularly beneficial for those who experience bigger challenges in their daily lives. This might include, but is not limited, to children with neurodiversities, disease, disabilities or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) such as family adjustments.

Radiates classes are delivered as part of the weekly school timetable for a whole year, and they provide the opportunity for a child to use movement to develop their imagination and creativity, to connect with their senses and their peers and explore their own feelings about the world and their place in it. The benefits of creative dance as part of a holistic approach to education are well known - aiding the achievement of good outcomes not only in the area of physical development, but also positively impacting cognitive, social and emotional skill development. 

Radiates is wholly funded by charitable donations, so that financial need is no barrier to accessibility.

By donating to this Crowdfunder your donation could be tripled as Radiates have applied for a grant from the Mortgage Advice Bureau Foundation. If our application is successful donations will be match funded 3:1*.

So for example:

A gift of £20 could become £80, as £60 match-funding would be added

A gift of £50 could become £200, as £150 match-funding would be added

A gift of £100 could become £400, as £300 match-funding would be added

A Gift of £250 would become £1,000, as £750 match-funding would be added

Aims are for children to:

• learn the concepts of Creative Dance.

• enjoy the self-expression of creative dance

• take part in non-competitive form of exercise

• Children to connect their emotions with expression

• develop a child’s non-verbal communication through body language and self-expression

• relax and escape from the day

• thrive in an environment where there is no wrong or right in their dance

• feel a valued and respected member of the community

• have the freedom to express their creativity and imagination

• connect with their bodies & their senses

What are the first changes we would see?

Participants see an improvement in:

• Physical exploration
• Creativity
• Communication (new ways of expressing feelings and ideas)
• Recognising themselves as a valued and respected part of community
• Autonomy
• Coordination and control of their body
• Positive interactions with peers
• Posture, balance and coordination, through core muscle strengthening

Participants will have the experience of:

• Feeling respected
• Feeling included
• Practicing self regulation
• Making decisions
• Understanding consequences of decisions
• Feeling listened to on their own terms
• Participating in lesson directions and planning (e.g. expressing enjoyment of a music
• track, talking about what they liked best in the class etc.)

What are the longer term impacts we would want to see?

• A holistic (cognitive, social and emotional) positive outcome in the child - which includes:
• Physical and emotional resilience
• Responsible decision making
• Social and self awareness
• Relationship skills
• Increased self esteem
• Positive body image
• Better access to dance and creative movement across the city
• Better participation of excluded communities in artistic opportunities in the city

*Match funding is capped at £250 per gift. Up to a maximum total amount of £5,000 from MAB Foundation