A lifetime passion for Dance…
and an understanding of the value of dance way beyond it being just another activity,
has led Katy Barrow, Founder of SOSA Dance Fitness and Seated SOSA,
and Sue Wilson, Creator of Starlets Dance, Music & Singing Group (for parents & toddlers)
to create this Community Interest Company.
In the moment of engaging in Music & Dance – mind, movement and music becomes one.
Life issues and stresses fall away, supporting and sustaining Mental and Physical Health.
A lifetime of experience…
We have four fully inclusive long time established, and still currently active, dance/fitness programmes that are suitable for all ages, providing a fun way for community groups to keep active, incorporating 37 international dance styles.
This project will aim to provide free fully-funded dance activities, with the same health and wellbeing benefits as the existing programmes.
The Programmes
Our SOSA Dance Fitness programme is a low impact and high energy dance class for adults and girls, suitable for all ages and abilities; encouraging and promoting health, well being and body confidence through dance.
Simply SOSA is a ‘supported’ dance programme, providing adaptations for those with balance issues, who are able to stand, but feel more comfortable with the aid of a chair, crutch or frame acting as their ‘dance partner’.
Our Seated SOSA Dance Fitness programme is designed with special considerations and adaptations for all levels of ability and ranges of movement with special considerations for older adults, those with long-term health conditions, disabled participants and ANYONE who for one reason or another, is not able to stand to take part in a dance class.
Our Starlets pre-schoolers programme, is specifically designed to promote all aspects of early years development, including coordination, control, speech and memory, as well as enhancing and channelling confidence and creativity. Most importantly, this programme is for the parent (adult) and child to engage in together – building and strengthening family bonds through quality, unstressed time in a shared activity and fostering a lifelong habit and love of exercise through dance. Bringing dance and fitness and families together.
Click on our partner logos below to find out more about each programme
Mission Statement
Enabling Accessibility, Inclusivity and Affordability of our existing dance programmes to vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community.
Company Aims
SOSA & Starlets Community Interest Company will target and reach out to individuals who do not currently take part in regular fitness activity, due to factors including disadvantage, illness, financial pressures or domestic issues.
Our aim is to reach vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community, positively impacting on their lives and nurturing physical, emotional and psychological health, tackling inactivity, obesity and social isolation.
We will provide fun dance activities that delivered in such a way to break down the three main barriers of participation in regular activity; affordability, inclusivity and accessibility.
We seek to give our target demographics the opportunity to access our programmes, free of charge, via our existing online portal or delivering classes in person as and when is required/beneficial.
Our project will target these community groups in their homes, workplace, social, community and residential care settings, to benefit participants’ well being, health outcomes and aid recovery.
Our overall aim, using our unique and innovative approach, is to give EVERYONE the chance to dance irrespective of the lifestyle and personal barriers they face.
We seek to deliver our 3 specialised programmes of dance/fitness services to:-
– Pre-school children age 1-4
– Women and girls
– All adults who are currently inactive
– Older adults
– Those with long-term health conditions
– Disabled participants
– Injury/rehabilitation (GP referral) clients
The Benefits
Our SOSA Dance Fitness programme was created for anyone who loves to dance but doesn’t have a dance partner or the confidence to go it alone. SOSA is low impact and high energy, suitable for all ages and abilities. We want to empower all adults who are currently inactive, to get up dancing and have FUN!
Simply SOSA, is our newest programme, which has been recently developed as a new element to our programme delivery, for those with supported mobility or who simply require the extra support of a chair, crutch or frame to assist with their balance.
Our Seated SOSA Dance Fitness programme provides special considerations and adaptations for all levels of ability and ranges of movement, making it inclusive for EVERYONE who for one reason or another, is not able to stand to take part in a dance class.
Our Starlets programme reaches out to the parent and child, teaching both the adult and child to join together in a shared dance-based activity. They engage and learn together, experiencing positive active time together, in a stress-free delivery, improving the parent and child communication and building family bonds, that may not otherwise be possible to achieve in their normal daily life.
The Delivery
The project aims will be achieved by the individuals ability to access an established online portal, giving free access to the programme/s, and/or to be able to access in person a class where is necessary and beneficial.
National Lottery Good Causes Community Funding – ‘Stay Calm & Stand Strong’
We are absolutely delighted to announce that SOSA & Starlets Community Interest Company has recently been awarded £10k funding by National Lottery Good Causes Community Fund.
SOSA & Starlets CIC offers a fully inclusive, affordable and accessible ‘Specialised Dance Programme for Falls Prevention and improved Functional Fitness’.
Using our unique and innovative approach, this project/programme has been designed with special considerations, using evidence-based research to develop movements and exercises that have been proven to improve strength and balance, reducing the risk of falls, improving functional fitness and promoting higher levels of independence.
SOSA brings the ‘FUN’ factor to supported ‘FUNCTIONAL’ exercise, with balance, strength, co-ordination, mobility and cognitive training incorporated into each one-hour session. This is achieved through the power of dance and movement, with a qualified instructor leading the session, using authentic steps and movements from 37 international dance styles, and music genres spanning the past century.
Our priority groups for this project are older adults, disabled Participants, GP/Health Referral clients and vulnerable adults with long-term health conditions and co-morbidities.
These sessions will tackle social isolation following the pandemic, providing opportunities for social interaction with the chance for our participants to meet other members of their local community, whilst connecting over coffee/tea available after each session.
Further classes and support networks will also be available via our on-line portal.
Having recently completed a successful trial/case study of the Falls Prevention programme, this funding allows us to continue developing the programme further to provide more provision for access and scope to grow a robust referral scheme, including other health professionals and community engagement schemes.
We aim to connect with GP Surgeries, physiotherapists and other community services, with the goal of becoming a part of the NHS social prescribing and injury rehabilitation programmes.
These professional partnerships will further develop the project, leading to a wider audience, more referrals and help secure the future sustainability and longevity of the project.
PLEASE COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM BELOW TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN TRAINING TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT IN YOUR LOCAL AREA
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Contact Us
SOSA Programme
✉ katy@sosastarletscic.co.uk
☏ 07715 252524
Starlets Programme
✉ sue@sosastarletscic.co.uk
☏ 07940 781881
Office
✉ office@sosastarletscic.co.uk
☏ 07944 650665
