Hemel over-55s set to appear in dance film

Last year, over-55s from across Herts were invited to take part in a new initiative called Dance Re:Ignite, in a bid to get the older generation moving.

The dance scheme,, funded by an Arts Council England grant and supported by Creative Hertfordshire, was based on the belief that dance has a positive impact on mental and physical wellbeing, particularly in older generations.

Following its launch last spring, Dance Re:Ignite reached 4,500 local people through a series of dance workshops led by professionally trained dancers.

The initiative ended with a festival, held at the Western Auditorium, and the filming of a five-minute animated dance film, entitled Togetherness.

Togetherness, featuring dancers from Hemel, Watford, Rickmansworth and Hatfield, will be shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on June 28 under the second presentation of the McLaren Award for Best British Animation.

Audrey Rose Naylor, aged 81, from Hemel, said: “I was delighted to be a part of Dance Re:Ignite and am thrilled to hear the film will be shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival. We were all treated so lovely.

“I danced a lot in my younger years and have come back to it recently. I don’t enjoy regular exercise, however with dancing you are working your body but there is so much more to it. The mixture of music and social interaction adds a whole other dimension. For elderly people, who can feel slightly stooped, you come out feeling an inner strength which makes you feel taller.

“It isn’t just your body though, dancing brings out an inner emotion and something grows between you and the people you are interacting with, which is lovely.”