LANCASHIRE’S DANCERS #MAKEITBLUE

With group public performances put on hold, dancers in the North West have wasted no time in showcasing their skills on social media.  Celebrities and performing arts academies have been posting their home videos as part of the #MakeItBlue campaign.

Skating star and Associate Creative Director of Dancing on Ice, Daniel Whiston, was one of the first participants in the #DanceItBlue initiative. He performed a dazzling swoosh using off-ice skates from his back garden in Poulton. 

Accrington-based inclusive dance charity, Dance Syndrome, put together a perfectly choreographed sequence to an upbeat version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  Members of the dance group, all with learning disabilities, danced in ones and twos from their living rooms and gardens – holding messages of thanks to the NHS and frontline workers. 

Students of the Poulton-Le-Fylde-based Starmaker Performing Arts Academy compiled a stunning video montage of dance talent, in which 34 young performers appeared to pass the #MakeItBlue poster from one to the other, while performing in isolation at home.

 #MakeItBlue, which originated in the UK events and entertainment industry, is now a global movement. It aims to support members of the events and entertainment industry (and others) who are in need, and to promote mental health awareness through arts, culture and entertainment projects.

 The campaign’s co-founder, Gary White, hails from Salford and has been particularly delighted by the local take-up.  He said: “Our goal is to turn the internet into a dancing sea of blue, using the #makeitblue and #danceitblue hashtags. We want to encourage as many people as possible to join the movement.  Their videos, images and messages, will signal thanks, support and spread positivity as we navigate through these uncertain times.”