Wigan community organisation to open new dance school

Pianos, Pies and Pirouettes have transformed the former St Patrick’s club at Sunshine Community House in Scholes into a dance studio.

Its features include a grand piano, mirrors, ballet barres and a new floor.

It is thought to be the only community centre or dance school in Wigan with a Yamaha grand.

As well as dance classes, they will also be offering singing and piano lessons.

Boxing lessons and tea dances for the elderly will also be offered to the community.

For the first 12 months, each session will cost £1.50.

Co-founder of PPP Alan Gregory said: “The whole building is currently being re-designed.

"Sunshine House is building a brand new cafe/bistro at the front and we’ve just had all new floors, mirrors and ballet bars put in the larger room at the back.

"I’ve also installed a Yamaha Grand Piano that the children will be dancing to.

"Its the only school in Wigan to have a grand piano of that kind as well as a live pianist as far as I’m aware.

"It is mirroring the vocational dance schools.

"We’re looking to open a dance school which offers ballet, modern and street.

“The main teacher will be Donna Wheeldon who famously taught Wigan Warriors how to do ballet.”

The dance school opens on Saturday May 11 with the event running from 10am-4pm with the ribbon cutting at 11am.

Free piano lessons will be given to the first 30 people to sign up for them for three months.

The main reason for setting up in Scholes is to give people the chance to access things they may not be able to otherwise.

Alan added: "I used to work for lots of dance schools including the Hammond which costs £24k a year.

"No-one in Scholes can afford that so we want to open up dancing to children who can’t necessarily afford it.

"The main reason we’re doing it is because I was brought up in a two up two down in Springfield and all I wanted was to be an opera singer and concert pianist.

"It took me until I was 50 and I don’t want any other child to be in the same position I was in.”