Cash-strapped Hamilton dance school gets funding

Mar 12 2009 by Chris Clements Hamilton Advertiser

Dance school is back in step after grant aid

PUPILS at the crisis-hit Reflex Dance School in Hamilton are celebrating after they received vital funding to allow them to gain qualifications.

The Whitehill-based school received £500 from South Lanarkshire Council’s Youth Voice Fund to allow kids to continue on their course to gain special Youth Achievement Awards, important qualifications that are recognised by the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA).

Two of the girls from the dance school - Kayleigh Martin (16) and Claire Wilson (17) - are due to be presented with the awards at Platinum level which, according to the SQA’s framework, is the equivalent of an Advanced Higher.

It is also believed the girls are the first in South Lanarkshire to sit dance exams at this level.

Meanwhile, other girls at Reflex are on their way to gaining Bronze level awards and Dynamic Youth Awards as the Hamilton dance school continues to achieve success.

Dance teacher Lisa Archibald (28) is pleased with the progress of the girls at the school and hopes that their dedication to learning their skills helps the school’s fight for survival.

She said: “The girls successfully applied to the Youth Voice Fund and this will support them with their education.

“The money received will go towards their books and will help them study.

“Because we are a community group, we strive to provide a service that gives young people within the area the chance to not only take part in dance, but also provide them with other opportunities.

“At Reflex we have qualified youth workers as well as dance teachers and this allows us to provide accredited awards.”

Over recent weeks, the Advertiser has reported on Reflex’s fight to stay open after South Lanarkshire Council raised the cost to hire a hall used by the teachers and students of the dance school at Whitehill Neighbourhood Centre.

Organisers of the dance school had negotiated a small nominal fee believed to be about £25 to hire the hall when they set up two years ago.

But now the council are asking them to fork out £81.90 per let which is simply too much for the dance school members.

A council spokesman said this week: “Hall lets for dance groups do not come under the under 16s consensual policy which in general applies to sports groups and uniformed groups.”

Councillor David McLachlan has been advising the group on their options and he said: “The awards for the girls should provided a wee boost for the club.

“As the local councillor for the area, I have been looking at ways to try and resolve the problem that Reflex has, and have still not exhausted every avenue.”