Dance 21 is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation which provides a dance group, ‘Dance 21’, for children and young people with Down Syndrome and their siblings in the Essex area and Woodford, projecting a positive image of disability. We operate to a professional standard and encourage participation of family, friends and other interested parties in supporting and developing the dance group. Our committee is run by parents of children with Down Syndrome on a volunteer basis.
In the Dance 21 dance groupwe offer a dynamic, fun, structured environment where everyone has the opportunity to improve their potential through dance and movement. We also develop a variety of skills and each child is valued as an individual and a respected team member.
Brief History
The Dance 21 dance group was set up in September 2000 by Mary Schultz, as organiser and Chairperson of Dance 21 with Jean Hunter, as dance teacher. Mary felt that children with Down Syndrome are so much more capable than a lot of people give them credit for and wanted to raise their profile in her local community. Her daughter, Ellen who has Down Syndrome, had attended one of Jean’s other dance classes since the age of five years. She enjoyed it so much that Mary asked Jean if she would be willing to become the dance teacher of a very special dance group of young people with Down Syndrome and their siblings, based in Chelmsford, Essex. Luckily, she agreed and soon after the group began.
Jean has tremendous patience and all would agree that she matches the depth of character, warmth, love, dedication, sense of humour and performance shown by the group. She has shared her caring and giving personality with us all and what started as a small group in September 2000 has gone from strength to strength and currently has over 60 dancers ranging in age from 5 to 35 years old, with six wonderful teachers.
We meet every Thursday during school term time from 5 to 6 p.m. Currently the two Chelmsford groups rehearse at a local Sports and Leisure Complex and Woodford group in a local Church Hall.