Brighton’s Dancers have a Home

Brighton Marina has become the new epicenter for the Brighton dance community since Marina Studios opened its doors in early January.  JP and Annelies Omari founded Brighton’s hip-hop school StreetFunk and they are behind this project as well.

JP told Latest Sport: “because of the infrastructure of the city we haven’t had a chance to show it off as much or bring talent in, but we now have a place for more people to come down to a beautiful space.” This new development means they can now bring in renowned choreographers to teach at a high standard.

Lukas McFarlane, winner of Sky 1’s ‘Got to Dance’ gave a contemporary master class for studio members. He said: “Brighton needed a place where dancers could come and train and the facility is just incredible.”

The class itself was set at a pace that some of the younger dancers found difficult, but according to McFarlane, that’s vitally important. “To grow we have to fail and a lot of the younger ones struggled but that’s what’s going to make them amazing dancers when they’re older.”

It wasn’t just the students who found the class hard; StreetFunk teacher Hayley Coppard relished the challenge. She said: “as a teacher that’s something we all need, we get complacent with teaching students and constantly telling them the message but do we take it on ourselves? It was good to be pushed.”

Since the studio opened in January, people have gradually been getting wind of this new space at the Marina, and it’s had a direct affect on class numbers. Hayley Coppard said: “I teach the adults class and my numbers have doubled!”

Eleven-year-old Edith Grumitt took part in Lukas McFarlane’s workshop and she said the diversity of classes now available is impressive. “There’s more opportunity for different kinds of dances that you want to do, it’s a lot easier to do different styles.”

Maia Berliner, 14 was also in the class and agrees with Edith. She said: “I Like the way other dance communities are coming down here to use the space.”