Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore has visited local performing arts club MOOV with Oona to attend one of their children’s holiday club sessions.
Based in Cross Roads, MOOV with Oona is a performing arts and dance school that offers a wide range of classes for adults and children of all abilities.
With classes held in Cross Roads, Bingley, Haworth and Oxenhope, MOOV provides sessions in dance, Pilates, yoga and acrobatics, helping students develop technique and ability while
improving muscular strength, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance, as well as boosting mood and wellbeing.
The school’s dance sessions combine traditional dance styles with contemporary, hip hop, pop, classical and jazz, with a strong focus on having fun in a creative way through movement.
MOOV also runs holiday clubs for children. Lasting for one week, the children learn and rehearse songs and dances throughout the week, ending with a full performance on the Friday. On top of singing and dancing, the children also help with designing and making props and arranging costumes.
Mr Moore joined founder Oona Thompson – along with her mother Loretta and sister India, who help run the holiday clubs – at Oxenhope Community Centre, where the children were rehearsing for a performance of Mary Poppins.
Oona trained professionally in dance and performing arts, gaining a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Dance from Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and earning a BA (Hons) degree from Middlesex University, specialising in Dance, Arts and Creative Industries. She also has teaching qualifications in Acrobatic Arts and is a qualified children’s yoga instructor. Prior to founding MOOV, Oona worked as a professional dancer and toured the country performing in various different shows, working alongside many industry professionals.
The local MP watched the children perform several numbers they had learned from the 1964 film and its 2018 sequel Mary Poppins Returns, including Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, A Cover Is Not the Book, and Let’s Go Fly a Kite.
Mr Moore had high praise for the children and the quality of their performance, especially given they had only started learning the songs a few days earlier. He also paid tribute to Oona, Loretta and India for their hard work in running the holiday clubs and inspiring the children through performing arts.
Commenting on the visit, Robbie Moore MP said:
“It was brilliant to meet with Oona and the team at their children’s holiday club session, and so much fun to see the children perform some fantastic songs from Mary Poppins. Their talent and enthusiasm were wonderful to see, especially considering they only started rehearsing a few days earlier!
“The holiday clubs run by Oona and her team are fantastic. They help children build self-confidence and develop a sense of rhythm, as well as improving social skills and providing fun along the way. It’s also so important for children to stay active, and these sessions have great health benefits too.
“MOOV with Oona offers fantastic sessions year-round for people of all ages and abilities, and it’s a brilliant asset for our area. Do check them out at their website: https://moovwithoona.co.uk/”
