Dancers lock in funding to perform at Fringe Festival

A dancer from Chorley is taking her performance troupe to the world's largest arts festival this summer.

Multi-award winning dance charity DanceSyndrome has secured funding to take its performance piece Orbit to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

“We are so excited at the prospect of taking the show to the Edinburgh Fringe,” said DanceSyndrome managing director Dawn Vickers.

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“We really hope that this new audience will be surprised and delighted at the passion, energy and ability of this incredible group of dancers who have overcome many personal barriers to achieve their potential.”

The financial support for the trip comes from Preston-based business StormMeister Flood Protection, a supplier of wheelchair-friendly flood doors.

Funding covers the cost of taking 13 dancers and their support workers to Edinburgh to perform at the festival.

Dawn said: “We are thrilled to have found an inclusive organisation like StormMeister Flood Protection to support our trip to Edinburgh and really appreciate this type of support from local businesses.”

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DanceSyndrome was founded by Chorley dancer Jen Blackwell, who has Down’s Syndrome.

She found it difficult to find opportunities in community dance due to her disability, hence the charity’s ethos - that disability should never be a barrier to following your dreams.

As a result of the sponsorship and other fundraising efforts, DanceSyndrome has been able to confirm a slot at the Fringe Festival in August and will be performing Orbit on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 at The Space at Surgeons Hall.

DanceSyndrome secured Arts Council England funding to develop Orbit in 2016.

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It was so well received that bosses at the charity decided to raise funds to take the show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The charity has been running its fundraising campaign since.

DanceSyndrome is multi-award winning dance charity that delivers inclusive dance workshops, including one at Clayton Green Sport Centre, and dance leadership training as well as inspiring performances that demonstrate a focus on ability rather than disability.

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