Our Stories:
Meet Pupils of Allerton CofE Primary School

We learnt different ways in which you can say things, and what impact that has. We also learnt about different languages – morse code, sign language. For the dance, we learnt two different rhythms. We said colours by using how our arms were pointing and we learnt numbers using our hands (traditional Kathak). We learnt a lot!

We loved it… until we had to go out for PE (Physical Education). If it wasn’t on PE day, we’d have done it all week!

Every Friday we’d go into the dance studio and have lots of fun, our feet did ache afterwards! We didn’t get to perform but we did make animations, instead we did free dance moves and recorded it. When we were learning the dance moves it was fun!

We liked Michelle, our teacher. She taught us how to say hello – “Namaste” – and we also learnt poetry. For the film, we wrote a script and recorded it.

Balbir Singh Dance Company offers a synthesis of Contemporary and Kathak dance styles, bringing to life the experiences that represent Britain’s diversity. Leeds Community Foundation’s Mohn Westlake Arts Engagement Fund enabled them able to introduce children from diverse ethnic backgrounds to Kathak and contemporary dance, tapping in to their own cultural heritages.