Dancing across the Humber Bridge is a fun curtain-raiser to Hull dance school’s appearance on international stage
Dancing all the way across the Humber Bridge and back is not something you get to do every day.
But members of a Hull dance school are readying themselves for a return bop across the bridge to Barton upon Humber. The sponsored danceathon is the first fundraiser on Empire Dance Centre’s calendar, to help fund dancers in their visit to Birmingham International Tattoo next February.
Empire is the only dance school from Yorkshire to be invited to take part in the prestigious event in front of more than 20,000 people. Dance school principal Laura Powell said: “We dress up in our T-shirts, put a portable speaker in a trolley one of the dads pulls for us and we’re off and dancing over the bridge.
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“We hope people put a donation in our buckets and that the lorry drivers give us a honk when they see us.” Members of the dance school, whose ages range from three upwards, will also get involved in supermarket bag-packing, sponsored walks, dance school party nights and raffles, all in a bid to cover the cost of the 2025 Tattoo - a showcase by the Armed Forces, their affiliates and performance groups - which takes place at the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham and will run over two nights.
Laura said: “I’ve been performing in this event since I was eight years old, and I still love it 30 years later. Honestly, it’s just the best weekend.
“A couple of years ago I was asked to bring my school along and there were five dancers that year. This year there are 18 or 19 dancers, aged from six to their mid-40s, and parents and children dancing together as well.
“Dancers get to be part of a huge, professional performance in front of a paying audience, which is an incredible experience for them. It’s not just the dancing and performing that they enjoy, it’s going away on a dance trip with their dance friends and families, staying in a hotel together, eating meals together and generally just making memories that last a lifetime.
“The United Kingdom Freestyle Disco Display Team is made up of dance schools, primarily, from the Midlands, Derbyshire and now Yorkshire. Over 300 dancers aged from five years old up to adults, of all abilities, all perform together, learning the routines separately within their school.
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“It is one of the most popular performances of the night at the event.” Dancers from Hull, who are destined to appear on February 8 and 9, begin their rehearsals next week.
Empire Dance Centre, which runs classes at North Hull Community Centre, in 37th Avenue, and at Marist Parish Hall, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. You can find out more by searching for @empiredancehull across social media platforms.