CHILDREN from inner-city Portsmouth are being given free street dance lessons inside a Somerstown church.

The children learning street dance strike a pose inside St Peter's

Daisy-Mae Hager, 5, Iesha Duah Boateng, 6, and Connie Sneddon, 9, outside St Peter's

The six to 14-year-olds are learning urban moves each week inside St Peter’s Church in Somers Road. The five-week course is being subsidised by the church as part of its outreach to the local area.

The newly-formed dance crew will be performing in Guildhall Square on July 15 as part of the celebrations welcoming the Olympic torch to the city. They’ll also perform on July 29 during a Sunday morning service at St Peter’s.

The street dance lessons are just one of the ways in which St Peter’s Church is serving the needs of the people of inner-city Portsmouth. Worshippers have outlined a set of mission priorities, committing themselves to the people of Somerstown and the city centre.

Street dancer Connie Sneddon, aged 9, said: “It’s really good. We learn really cool moves and I practice at home. It’s good doing it in the church, because the church is really big.”

Carly-Ann Purcell, who runs Portsmouth Dance Academy, has organised the street dance lessons, and is now basing her academy within St Peter’s Church.

“I started the academy in 2007 and was hiring out dance studios,” she said. “But now I’ve bought my own mirrors and hire dance teachers, so I can run lessons anywhere. I met two members of the congregation who were passionate about doing something to help the local community, and I am too. 

“We worked with the Somerstown Adventure Playground and offered street dance to around 15 children – half from the church and half from the playground. They are all doing really well – the young ones absorb it so quickly.

“After the five week taster course is over, the most committed children will form a new street crew and will become a performance group. They’ll do an extra hour a week of practice and they’ll be the ones who perform on July 15. We’ll still run the drop-in group for others who want to join.

“I’d been looking for a more permanent venue because I’d like to have a full-time dance school. I’m now basing myself at St Peter’s as it’s a great place to be.”

The street dance lessons are open to those aged between six and 14 who live in the Somerstown area. For details, see www.portsmouthdanceacademy.co.uk or ring 07738-588581.

St Peter’s Parochial Church Council has agreed three main priorities – the spiritual renewal of the current congregation; serving those most in need in the Somerstown community; and working jointly with their neighbours in St Luke’s Church, which also serves the Somerstown area.

Among the other activities that are planned or that have already started are:

• a mums and babies/toddlers group called Tiny Tots;

• a children’s holiday club, and a disco with barbecue for children and young people;

• dialogue with Surestart about expanding the church’s work with very young children;

• community-building events, including a students’ barbecue, women’s social club, men’s curry club, community coffee, barn dance and community Jubilee party;

• leading assemblies, workshops and lessons at Charter Academy, the only Church of England secondary school in the diocese;

• links with the Workers Educational Association to provide opportunities for adult learning;

• a joint project with Motiv8, the city’s youth inclusion project, to create a garden space by developing some wasteland at St Peter’s.

The Rev Alex Hughes, vicar of both St Peter’s and St Luke’s, said: “The underlying mission priority is that the church focuses on being the church, staying close to their roots in prayer, worship, building community and serving the needs of those who live locally.

“One of the great things about the Church of England is that every part of the country is split into parishes, and St Peter’s and St Luke’s have historically been given this part of north Southsea, Somerstown and the city centre as their parish. Our commitment is to care for the people who live and work in this area, sharing God’s love with them and helping to meet their needs.”