Words by Angela Clark
Photos by Caroline Finn
In a world designed by and for able-bodied people, those with a different range of abilities often miss out.
Now a local dance school is trying to create a dance space for all.
April’s Street Feet studio in Dalmuir runs a wide range of dance classes from Hip Hop to Ballet.
And for the past year April Stuart Macrae has run a weekly class for adults with additional support needs.
April explained: ‘‘One of my friends who works in Social Care said there wasn’t really anything out there for adults with disabilities.
“She saw all the opportunities my kids were getting – they do big competitions and shows – and said her clients would absolutely love it.
“So she brought them along to the studio and I ran classes for the first few weeks and they were really enjoying it.
“I decided to run the classes and make it an open class for anybody with any kind of additional needs.’’
Demand for Dance
April was overwhelmed by the response she got after posting on local Facebook page, Call Yerself A Bankie.
It confirmed there was definitely a demand for dance classes for people with additional needs.
April continued: “People think if you have a disability then you can’t dance.
“That’s not true there are many disabled dancers and they do just as well as everyone else.
“They put more heart and soul into it than the kids who are training all the time because it does mean so much to them.
“And these classes give them the chance to do a dance show and enter competitions like any other kid.”
Last December her additional needs group, the Unity Dance Crew, performed their first show at Glasgow’s Barrowlands and in February they danced their way into the hearts of everyone at the Full Out Championships in Clydebank Leisure Centre.
April said: ‘‘The energy the group gave at both events was amazing. When they came on stage the place was in uproar.
“They lit up the whole place. People were saying it was a nice touch to have the group dancing in the Full Out Championships where 12 schools compete.
“It was a humbling experience and so special.
“They did their team dance and got medals and trophies. One of the dancers told me they’d never had a trophy or medal before, it meant so much to them.’’
Helping One Another
The group has also helped April get back on her feet after struggling with her own mental health during the pandemic.
She said: ‘‘Sometimes I still have a wobble with my mental health but come Wednesday when I have my additional needs class, I know as soon as I go into the class I will feel better.
“When we went into lockdown in the March I had taken on the full rent for the building; that still had to be paid.
“I fell pregnant with my second child so I had no work and no money plus my older boy was sick and spent two years of his life in hospital.
On top of that I put on five stones in weight.
“We think people with additional needs need us but that’s not always true, sometimes it’s the other way about.’’
Everyone is Welcome
April aims to add extra classes for adults with disabilities and introduce new classes for school age children.
She is also trying to secure funding to install a lift in the building so people with mobility challenges who want to dance can join her classes.
She said: ‘‘Our problem right now is trying to put on these classes for disabled students as we don’t have a lift so we are looking to see how we can make that possible.
“Everyone is welcome in this studio.
“One of the parents who joined my school was rejected by three dance schools because her son was autistic.
“I have six kids with autism in my classes.
“100% they should be included. They are kids, they are human beings just because they have different needs they shouldn’t be excluded.’’
The studio enrols and teaches all ages and abilities and also runs a boys-only dance class taught by a male dancer to try and challenge the stigma which often stops boys from learning how to dance.
April wants everyone to have the same opportunities and play her part in championing diversity and ending discrimination.
For information on all classes available contact April on 07392819293 or email Da**********@ho*****.com