Dance school supports sick children

STUDENTS at one of the region’s performing arts schools for young people have spent the past week dancing their hearts out in support of sick and injured children.

Since Monday, young performers with the Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts, or BCMA, have been showing off their moves in an effort to promote the Dance For Sick Kids initiative.

The institution is taking part for the first time, and BCMA director Paula Heenan said the cause is an ideal one for students to get behind.

“It’s a great concept, to get everybody up and dancing,” she said. “There’s lots of charities that get people to do runs and push ups and that sort of thing but to get people dancing, it’s something everyone can do at home.

“We’ve been encouraging our students to register individually so we’re supporting them with their dancing.

“We’ve got a handful already dancing so it’s about getting the word out to their parents and other people.

“Some are filming themselves dancing and putting it up on social media to encourage people so it’s great to see.”

Cash raised from the effort will go towards Ronald McDonald House Charities which support more than 4700 families with sick and injured children each year throughout Victoria, Tasmania, and Sydney.

Held during National Families Week, the BCMA community will be promoting and fundraising for the effort until Sunday, with a private event to highlight the initiative slated for tomorrow.

“It’ll be a big dance party on the afternoon from 3pm to 4pm with not just our students but their friends and families,” Ms Heenan said.

“We’ll encourage them as well to register and raise funds and we’ll be providing the space for an hour or so on Saturday.”

The school’s Dance For Sick Kids effort follows on from their other recent charity support.

“We had the Dolly’s Dream [anti-bullying] week last week,” Ms Heenan said.

“We don’t usually do a lot of outside charities but it’s been two weeks in a row of very good causes for us to get behind.

“We’re in a unique position in that these children all have opportunities to dance and are well enough to dance. It doesn’t hurt to stop and think about others who aren’t well enough to do so.

“We can support them by doing something we love.”