Z1 Community Dance Group

Z1 Dance is a community dance group which evolved from ZIGG which provides developmental training for young women between the ages of 11 and 18. Using activities such as the arts, cookery, fashion, health and beauty the group seeks to encourage young women to become healthier, more confident and more active members of their community.

A couple of years ago there was a growing demand for a dance group and now over 30 girls from Girvan and surrounding villages attend a two-hour weekly dance class delivered by a qualified dance instructor. The girls learn a variety of dance skills including jazz, hip-hop and contemporary. They also do their own choreography.

Whilst the group is aimed mostly at young women, boys are welcome and one young man who was in the group is now working professionally in dance. Five young women have developed into young leaders and now support the younger members of the group and two young women with learning disabilities. The young leaders are about to undertake their Dance Leadership level 2 award and working with Active Schools will then provide taster dance classes to Primary 6 and 7 pupils in the rural primary schools that feed into Girvan Academy.

Z1 has performed at local festivals and fundraising events and more recently has competed at national events including Go Dance and the Dance Show Live at the SECC in Glasgow.

Recent grants from Carrick Futures have helped towards the costs for the dance instructor, venue hire, performance costumes and paid for travel costs to events. The Z1 girls group has also had the grant to help with arts and crafts tuition, cooking ingredients and a theatre trip to Glasgow.

The funding from Carrick Futures has ensured continuity for the group and allowed us to meet the growing demand for dance opportunities in the local area. It is great to see some of the girls become young leaders and taking the dance sessions out to the rural village communities as well. The cost of after school clubs and activities can be a barrier to young people accessing healthy and fun activities so offering free dance through the funding gives them the chance to participate, broaden their horizons as well as improving their health and wellbeing. We do some fundraising ourselves but without the funding, we couldn’t have competed in events 

 

Yvonne McGill, Treasurer

I was able to go up to Glasgow for the first time to watch a Go Dance event. The groups were really good and it makes us want to put more effort into our rehearsals and performances. Six of us also went to Glasgow and joined a flash mob with other groups. Hundreds of us danced in the middle of Buchanan Street. It was great fun 

 

Kelly Hamilton

We did have dance classes after school but these were in year groups and we didn’t get the chance to meet dancers of different ages. Z1 brings us all together 

 

Jenny McCreath