 Budding Beyoncés and mini-Michael Jacksons have been getting on down at a professional dance studio as an end-of-school term treat. The pupils were given the chance to finish off a year of dance lessons with a professional session with dance experts from Greens Health and Fitness in Gosforth. Ten dance enthusiasts from Year Eight at Tynedale Middle School in Blyth were invited to strut their stuff on the dance floor by teacher Jo McClarence, who takes the weekly hip-hop class and is also a part-time reception-ist at Greens. "We started the class because the kids see hip-hop as a cool thing to do, which also has the advantage of helping you get fit," says Jo, 25. "We've got a group of about 15 who've really shown they're committed to the class and this has helped to improve their motivation and self-confidence. "The visit to Greens was a huge success and they all loved dancing on the wooden-sprung floor and being able to see themselves in the full-length mirrors. "It was a great way to round off the year and keep everyone motivated for starting classes again in September." As well as being a teacher and gym receptionist, the multi-talented Jo is also a performer with an interest in hip-hop, stage and cabaret dances. She was inspired to get her pupils involved by the teamwork and camaraderie that group dance classes inspire. "When Jo asked if she could use our studio for a school visit, I was more than happy to oblige," says Jill Wright, manager of Greens in Gosforth, who is also a trained dance teacher. "The kids clearly enjoyed themselves and if we've inspired them to continue dancing, the whole project will have been worthwhile." The popularity of classes like the one that Jo runs at Tynedale School is representative of a growing acceptance that kids need to be motivated if they are to get fit and stay fit. Unlike a traditional PE class, which is often seen as a chore, hip-hop classes give young people a chance to emulate their heroes and exercise without even realising it. "The concept of dance-based fitness has never been so popular and it's spreading," says Jo. "People like to enjoy their fitness classes, and things like hip-hop really give you the chance to let yourself go. "And a one-hour dance class is the equivalent of a full gym workout." | 
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