A NEW �8.9million dance centre has been officially opened amid a carnival atmosphere in Ipswich.
Richard Cornwell
A NEW �8.9 million dance centre has been officially opened amid a carnival atmosphere in Ipswich.
Dancers brought the town centre and waterfront to a standstill yesterday - with hundreds joining in a new dance called Let Yourself Go.
Dignitaries, including Ipswich MP Chris Mole and East of England minister Barbara Follett, danced on an open-top bus which travelled from the Cornhill to the new Jerwood DanceHouse with a colourful and noisy crowd following on behind.
The new DanceEast centre on the waterfront was a hive of activity all weekend to celebrate the opening, giving the public a chance to see its world-class facilities.
The government-funded centre on the former Cranfields Mill site comprises three dance studios, a 200-seater studio theatre, a waterfront caf�, a dance resource library, pilates and therapy suites, showers and changing rooms, creating a new cultural hub for the area.
There were demonstrations and free taster sessions as the public got to grips with a range of dance styles with the Royal Ballet and morris dancers, hip hop to Egyptian belly dancing, musical theatre to ceilidh.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here