Dance school in plea to help refurb studio

A STREET dance school that has produced world champions has issued a desperate plea for help to transform its studio. Studio Streetwise in Aberdare has launched a campaign to raise the £1,000 needed to renovate its 10-year-old dance space ahead of the international street dancing championships next year.

Formed 12 years ago by Aderdare dancer Farrah Jones, Studio Streetwise started as a small after-school club held in leisure centres around the area. It now has more than 200 students aged two and upwards, and has produced Welsh, British and international champions.

“When I started I just had a class of eight dancers. I’ve always danced so it was just a natural progression to do it as a hobby,” said Farrah. “More and more people started coming and everywhere I was going was too small.”

A decade after setting up the dance studio at Aberaman Industrial Estate, the not-for-profit dance school is now in desperate need of renovation. After shutting the space for two weeks to carry out repairs, Farrah, along with business partner Gemma Owen, aims to fit it with new flooring and toilet facilities and give it a fresh lick of paint.

Farrah, 32, said: “We’ve booked two weeks off to close the studio and start it but as we’ve gone on there’s more and more to be done.

“A few mothers have got together to get paint which has been brilliant. We’re not able to apply for grants so we just have little bits of fundraising to do this.”

To help fund the repairs the group has raised £170 from bag packing in Merthyr Tydfil. An online fundraising page has also been set up to raise the remaining amount.

To donate, visit gofundme.com/streetwise-dance-studio-revamp