Winning pupils from Admiral Lord Nelson School
Over 350 pupils coached by students from the University’s UP for Sport Volunteer Scheme competed in an annual streetdance competition at the King’s Theatre yesterday.
The pupils from 15 primary and secondary schools were taught ‘streetdance’, a hip-hop dance style made popular on the streets of America, for nine weeks by University students.
The coaching gave local schoolchildren the opportunity to engage in structured dance sessions and to showcase what they had been taught on a big stage in front of family and friends. The event culminated in a performance by University streetdance troupe, Most Wanted.
The University’s dance co-ordinator, Carly-Ann Purcell, said: “We were pleased to get so many schools and pupils involved in the competition, especially this year when there is even more of a drive to encourage local young people to take part in sport with all the excitement building towards the Olympics.
“It was a hugely successful event enjoyed by all and the university students were very proud to see how well the pupils performed. Dancing is a great way to engage youngsters and I hope this event will encourage more children to take up this fun form of exercise.”
Despite significant cuts to school sports provision this year, the event, which has been running for the last five years, is even bigger and better thanks to support from the University and Portsmouth City Council.
Pupils from Court Lane Junior School took home first prize in the primary school competition and pupils from Admiral Lord Nelson School won first prize in the secondary competition.
UP for Sport is a sports coaching scheme run by the University of Portsmouth, which aims to provide opportunities for university students to share their sporting skills with the local community.
Carly-Ann, 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.
For more information contact carly-ann.purcell@port.ac.uk
