Oxfordshire ballet school receives professional equipment

Aspire Dance Academy, based at Heyford Park in Oxfordshire, has received proper ballet barres thanks to a donation from Dorchester Living, the housebuilder behind the nearby Heyford Park development.

The academy teaches Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) ballet and tap to around 100 children each week across Heyford Park and surrounding villages. Students previously relied on chairs during practice.

Emma Elliot, who runs Aspire Dance Academy, said: “We are so grateful to Dorchester Living for supplying these barres. This donation makes a big difference to my pupils.”

Classes take place at the Heyford Park Community Centre on Wednesdays and the Heyford Park School Hall on Saturdays, with holiday workshops held at the Heyford Park Chapel.

The portable barres can be dismantled and stored between sessions, making them a practical solution for the academy’s needs.

Paul Silver, chief executive of Dorchester Living, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to help Emma and her pupils with the barres. It’s wonderful to see the impact the Aspire classes have on children across the community, bringing the joy of ballet and tap to so many.”

Aspire Dance Academy has served Heyford Park and nearby villages since 2008.