Pictured above: Jade Falconer, Coventry Sports Foundation's
performing arts development officer (front and centre), with
members of the Strictly Dancing team
A group of sports and leisure staff are honing their dance
skills - strictly for a good cause.
Members of Coventry Sports Foundation have arranged their own
ballroom dance competition to raise money for the Teenage Cancer
Trust after a pupil at one of the dance schools run by the
organisation passed away.
Finham Park School pupil Reena Patel, who was just 16-years-old
when she died from cancer, was a regular attendee at Freeman Dance
School which is part of Coventry Sports Foundation.
As a tribute to Reena, and to raise money for the charity,
members of the organisation have signed up for an event entitled
Strictly Dancing - where 12 couples will battle it out to be named
as the best of the ballroom dancers.
Jade Falconer, Coventry Sports Foundation's performing arts
development officer, taught Reena in her role as an instructor at
Freeman Dance School.
"Reena was a happy, lovely girl who was always smiling and I was
very lucky to have taught her," she said.
"Knowing Reena, and seeing what she went through, means this
charity is very close to my heart and the hearts of the other
members of the dance school.
"The level of support has been tremendous and rehearsals are
going well so far.
"The ability levels are quite mixed. We have teamed up dance
teachers with sports coaches, so we have footballers, trampolinists
and rugby coaches trying to learn how to salsa, it has been quite a
challenge!
"What we are doing is for a very important cause and what
everybody hopes is that we can help to find a cure for this
terrible disease."
The dancers have been rehearsing since September and the
showpiece event will take place at the Xcel Leisure Centre in
Canley on Friday, April 8.
Wendy Jackson, community development manager at Coventry Sports
Foundation, said: "Everyone taking part has given up their own time
for weekly rehearsals and they have really put everything into this
event which I think underlines just how much this cause means to
them.
"We are hoping the performance in April will draw a big crowd -
the couples are all having costumes made for the event and it will
be quite spectacular visually.
"But we need all the support we can get and we would really
appreciate it if any businesses or individuals who think they can
help could get in touch."
There are a number of ways to support the event including the
sponsorship of couples taking part or by purchasing tickets for the
evening priced at just £18.