Page 22 - Oundle Life March 2025

DANCE
PARTY
Step N Grooves
Started back in 2000, with Steph Newman
as just a teenager keen to earn some pocket
money, Step N Grooves has continued to grow
in size and maintain its unique individuality
and ethos that is at its core.
A bit of an anomaly within the dance world,
the school is non-competitive and
teaches two main genres – Freestyle
Disco and Street dance. Instead of
competitions and festivals, it chooses
to focus its classes on fundamental
musicality and rhythmical connection.
The yearly calendar focuses on working
towards an NATD exam session and an end
of year show weekend. Pupils thrive at Step N
Grooves, becoming strong dancers and make
lifelong friendships and memories.
Mrs Steph Newman is an NATD Fellowship
Freestyle & Street teacher, as well as an NATD
examiner, with diplomas in both Contemporary
and Gymnastic Dance that she uses to enhance
her choreography. She is supported by Mrs
Frances Heather, a pupil since the age of 4 and
now an associate teacher. Mrs Heathers calls
SNG “Her therapy!”. They are also supported by
a HUGE group of dedicated, talented students
Mrs Heathers
calls SNG “Her
therapy!”
who voluntarily role model in the younger
classes, just because they love it.
The school moved from Thrapston over the
bridge to Islip after Covid and their home has
been the lovely Islip Village Hall ever since.
Classes run all year round on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Saturdays and there
is an opportunity to take additional
graded freestyle exam work monthly on
a Thursday.
Currently, pupils range from ages
4-54 years old. The classes are mostly
at full capacity and intake is generally
only twice yearly when current students move
age groups or on occasion when classes begin a
new routine.
Their 25th year December show weekend
is set to be the best yet, re-visiting lots of their
favourite routines from the past and they are
hoping to hold an anniversary ‘silent disco’
party later in the year.
You can find further information out on the
website www.stepngrooves.co.uk
or follow them on Facebook.
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