More than 120 dancers and supporters packed the Riverside Centre in Newport on Friday (6th November) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Samphire, an Isle of Wight contemporary dance group for older adults.
The special event, called Connect, brought together 65 dancers from a variety of groups to showcase the range of dance opportunities available to older people across the Isle of Wight.
Taking part alongside Samphire were En-Core Silver Swans, Tia’s Tappers, the Bollywood Belles, DanceMakers and Make a Move, with the afternoon described by those attending as uplifting and inspiring.
The event also raised £370 in audience donations, which will go towards the cost of carers supporting participants in Make a Move, a specialist dance class for people living with neurological conditions affecting movement, including Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis (MS) and those recovering from strokes.
During the afternoon, dance teacher Michelle invited the audience to join in with some of the warm-up exercises used in her wellbeing classes.
Michelle said:
“At one point I had everybody in the room joining in with some chair sequences and laughing and being silly. It was lovely to see everybody having fun.”
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Michelle established Samphire in 2016 after struggling to find contemporary dance opportunities for older adults on the Isle of Wight.
She explained:
“I was looking for a contemporary dance class but there wasn’t much on offer at the time, and nothing for older dancers, so I decided I’d form my own group.”
Over the past decade, Samphire has brought together people who danced in their younger years and others who discovered a passion for dance later in life.
The group has taken part in numerous creative projects, producing and performing dances at locations including St Catherine’s Lighthouse, Cowes Boat Shed, Ventnor Botanic Gardens and Compton Bay.
Film excerpts from some of these performances were shown during the anniversary celebration, offering a look back at the group’s achievements over the past 10 years. Unlike traditional dance classes, Samphire members work alongside Michelle to create their own performances, giving everyone an opportunity to contribute ideas and decisions.
Michelle added:
“When you retire, you often feel a bit lost. You go from being someone who maybe worked in a team where your decisions mattered and suddenly you feel like you have less of a say.
“In my classes it’s not just about teaching people to dance; it’s about fun, friendship, connecting and working together. You also get to keep fit and improve your balance and co-ordination at the same time.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about Samphire, Michelle’s wellbeing classes or any of the other dance groups involved in the celebration can email [email protected], call 07503 153 329 or visit www.danceiow.org.uk.
