PUPILS from Bradford schools have learned the joys of dancing and choreography by working with a local university.

More than 250 pupils from across West Yorkshire joined forces with Physical Education students at Leeds Beckett University to create dance choreographies.

The collaboration involved children from nine schools in the region who were taught by 29 Leeds Beckett student teachers over a number of weeks, culminating in a day of workshops and performances at the University’s Headingley Campus last week.

The full-day event was part of a project led by organiser Dr John Connell called ‘Breaking Boundaries for Leeds and Bradford’s Tender Shoots. It was designed with students, teachers, artists, and anyone with an interest in teaching and raising the profile of dance in schools and the community, in mind.

The pupils who took part were aged between 6-10 and the Bradford district schools taking part include Allerton Primary, Shipley CofE Primary and Saltaire Primary School.

Undergraduate Izram Chaudry, who is in his second year of study, said the day had surpassed his expectations, adding: “The atmosphere was electric.

“Being a spectator to the performances was a real highlight as each dance was carefully and collaboratively crafted by student teachers with the pupils and in my opinion were of a standard worthy of Britain’s Got Talent.”

Shipley CofE Primary teacher Vicki Blake, who attended the event with her pupils, said: “Most of our pupils’ knowledge of dance is from the television so therefore many of them think dancing always has to involve being in partners and moving around a ballroom, which leads to many of our pupils, particularly the boys, being reluctant to join in with the dance aspect of PE.

“It was fantastic for the class as a whole to understand that dance is a form of expression and that they themselves were able to come up with their own routine based on everyday activities.

“The performance aspect of the day was brilliant and, as their PE teacher, I particularly enjoyed seeing the increased confidence with which all pupils performed.”

Physical Education undergraduate Sam Collins, also in his second year of study at the university, said: “The young people took it in turns to complete dance performances in front of an audience with lights and music which was very exciting. Some parents and teachers were in the audience too which meant there was a certain amount of pressure and excitement that pre-empted the dances.”

‘Breaking Boundaries’ involves more than 400 children from schools across Bradford and Leeds who are working creatively with dance.

Dr John Connell, who organised the event, said: “The day was a fantastic opportunity for the young people to experience a higher education institution. Hopefully the pupils, carefully nurtured by our student teachers, may similarly aspire to greater things by attending university themselves and then inspire others to aspire to achieve even more.

“The day’s success goes to the student teachers and what they achieved with the young people performing and the delegates attending.”