In Dance Direction’s venue Hoppet at Kårbacken in Boden, choreography instructions pulse to the rhythm of captivating music and dancing feet. This is where the Dance Direction Summer Camp is taking place, offered during the summer holidays as part of the regional project Dansen når ut.
– During the summer, the project Dansen når ut has offered free dance activities for children and young people in several locations in Norrbotten. The aim is to give more people the opportunity to experience culture and the joy of movement, regardless of where they live or their family’s financial situation, says Kajsa Jakobsson.
She is one of Dance Direction’s dance instructors, who will be five in total this autumn. There is great interest in dance in Boden, and the organization is growing with groups of all ages, from two-year-olds to adult groups and groups for children and young people with special needs. Different types of dance classes take place almost every day of the week.
Dance Direction’s summer camps are specifically aimed at children and young people, both those who have danced before and those who want to try something new.
During the last week of the summer holidays, there were two dance groups, 9-14 years and 6-9 years, as well as Story Dance with a superhero theme for the very youngest.
In total, about 180 children and young people participated in this summer’s dance activities. Two of them are Lovisa, 13, and Hilda, 8. They also train dance during spring and autumn and both highlight that it’s fun that the summer camp attracts more new friends. In addition to participants from Boden, young people from other towns in the county have also taken part.
The dance lessons at the summer camp are also interspersed with other activities.
– Dance is the focus, but there are also collaborative exercises and other activities that create a sense of community, says Kajsa Jakobsson.
Dansen når ut is a regional project that works to create good conditions for more equitable cultural participation and to make dance experiences accessible to children and young people free of charge in Norrbotten.
It is implemented with the support of Region Norrbotten, Länsförsäkringar in Norrbotten, Boden Municipality, Älvsbyn Municipality, RF-SISU, Save the Children, Pionjären, and the Swedish Dance Sport Federation.
TEXT: ANNA BERGSTRÖM
