London Youth Games are working with Step Change Studios to launch a Virtual Dance event to give all young Londoners the opportunity to stay active, represent their borough and express themselves through Dance during the pandemic.

LYG Virtual Dance will run for six weeks, starting on Saturday 27th February, with each week dedicated to a different style of dance including Street, Latin, Contemporary and Bollywood. Dance professionals, including Joelle D’Fontaine from the At Your Beat dance studio, will introduce the different styles, sharing their favourite moves and inspiring young Londoners to create their own routines.

Members of the LYG33, London Youth Games’ newly formed youth ambassadors group, have helped to develop the London Youth Games’ latest virtual offer, having identified a lack of opportunities for young people wanting to use dance to keep active during the pandemic.

Martha Thompson, LYG33 Ambassador for Haringey, said: “I think it’s really important for young people to stay motivated and inspired through these difficult times. Although this situation is tough, with virtual events like LYG Virtual Dance, we can use this time to better ourselves and experiment with new hobbies such as dancing!”

The LYG Virtual Dance event is open to all young Londoners, whether they have previous dance experience or not. Young people can earn points for their borough by trying out the different dance styles and can win individual prizes by submitting and sharing videos of their dance routines.

Andy Dalby-Welsh, CEO of London Youth Games, said: “Dance is a fantastic way for our young people to get active and express themselves. It’s fun, it requires no equipment, and it’s accessible to all. We want to get as many young people as possible moving and enjoying the positive impact sport and physical activity has on their physical and mental wellbeing.”

London Youth Games is working with London Sport to deliver this inclusive Virtual Dance event through Sport England’s Tackling Inequalities Fund – a fund created to help reduce the negative impact of Covid-19 and the widening inequalities in sport and physical activity.

To ensure that the LYG Virtual Dance event is accessible to all young Londoners, London Youth Games have partnered with Step Change Studios, an award-winning dance company that supports disabled and non- disabled people to dance.

Rashmi Becker, Founder of Step Change Studios, said: “LYG Virtual Dance is about getting Londoners in lockdown to turn on their favourite tracks and move to the music. Whether it’s ballroom in the bedroom, locking in the living room, or getting down in the garden, we want to celebrate the creativity and energy of young Londoners.

“I’m excited to see the different ways people express their personality, creativity, and energy through dance. LYG Virtual Dance is for everyone – all abilities, and an opportunity to show off your moves, and to represent your borough. I hope this experience will encourage more people to dance, as physical and creative development is so important for our wellbeing.”

For more information about the LYG Virtual Dance event, please visit: https://www.londonyouthgames.org/virtual-games/