| | Professional dance training as a | | 5 | | Dance United relies on the |
| | condition of community sentences | | | | Arts Council, the lottery and youth |
| | is helping young offenders in | | | | offending teams for funding. NPC |
| | Bradford and Leeds find their | | | | says that because the criminal |
| | feet. | | | | justice field is averse to risk, |
| | | | | | fearful of tabloids and keen to |
| | Helen Carter | | | | look tough on crime, the voluntary |
| | | | | | sector – which is not stifled by a |
| 1 | | It is less than five hours to go | | | | sense of what is ‘publicly |
| | before Dance Unite’s | | | | acceptable’ – has a particularly |
| | performance at the Alhambra | | | | important role to play. It explains: |
| | theatre’s studio in Bradford and | | | | “By targeting support at |
| | all is not well. The young dancers | | | | organisations that are making a |
| | are behaving very nervously and | | | | real statement, charities and |
| | giggling when they should be | | | | funders can save children from a |
| | concentrating on their | | | | life of crime and get offenders |
| | performance. Tara Herbert, the | | | | back on the straight and narrow.” |
| | artistic director, tells one of the | | 6 | | Back at the dress rehearsal, |
| | girls to stop scratching. The girl | | | | the dancer who quit is back. |
| | loses her temper, swears, storms | | | | Everyone sits in a circle and she |
| | off in a huff, and is ordered out of | | | | apologises for her behaviour. |
| | the studio. Undeterred, the | | | | “Thanks for having me back,” she |
| | company continues its dress | | | | says. “I just want to make my |
| | rehearsal. | | | | mum proud.” She hangs her |
| 2 | | Dance United uses dance to | | | | head, embarrassed by the |
| | engage young offenders. Its | | | | attention. |
| | academy offers an intensive | | 7 | | After three weeks of training |
| | 12-week programme, 25 hours a | | | | the young people will go into |
| | week, in which young people are | | | | primary schools to help deliver |
| | treated as trainee professional | | | | dance lessons. Rob Lynden, head |
| | dancers and receive a certificate | | | | of programme development at |
| | in basic practical performance | | | | Dance United, says the training is |
| | skills. | | | | about people reintegrating with |
| 3 | | Last year 33 young people | | | | their families and picking up the |
| | were referred to Dance United | | | | pieces of their lives. “The young |
| | from the Bradford and Leeds | | | | people are taken out of their |
| | youth offending teams as a | | | | comfort zone. When they first |
| | condition of their community | | | | come along the kids will moan |
| | sentence. In this area, more than | | | | and scream about everything, and |
| | three-quarters are expected to | | | | then they start to realise it is |
| | reoffend within 12 months – | | | | something they actually enjoy,” |
| | higher than the national average. | | | | he says. |
| | Of the 33 referred to Dance | | 8 | | Connor (not his real name), |
| | United, 19 stayed on the | | | | 19, was permanently excluded |
| | programme and only half | | | | from school because of his poor |
| | reoffended. | | | | behaviour. “I used to find it very |
| 4 | | A report out today by New | | | | difficult when I began dancing |
| | Philanthropy Capital (NPC), | | | | and tried to focus, but now I just |
| | analysing the most cost-effective | | | | blank everything out. I am |
| | youth offending programmes, | | | | applying for university when |
| | highlights the work of Dance | | | | I finish my course. I have met |
| | United. The report estimates that | | | | some amazing people who will be |
| | by stopping even one person | | | | friends for life.” |
| | reoffending, the charity can save | | | | |
| | the community from spending | | | | The Society Guardian, 2010 |
| | about £82,000. | | |
