A dementia-friendly choir in Dumbarton has had their wish granted by Scottish ballet.
Dancers Constance Devernay and Jamiel Laurence visited the Every Voice Community Choir at St Augustine’s Episcopal Church recently to reveal that the organisation would be working with them to create a unique performance for their community celebration in the town on June 5 during Dementia Awareness Week.
In addition, Scottish Ballet will continue working with the choir, inviting the ensemble to perform on stage at a performance of The Snow Queen in Edinburgh in December.
The singing group, which is run by the West Dunbartonshire Branch of Alzheimer’s Scotland, is one of five community organisations in Scotland in line for a special experience as part of Scottish Ballet’s 50th birthday celebrations.
Lesley Cumming, Alzheimer Scotland's community activities officer for West Dunbartonshire, put forward the choir after the dance organisation invited people across Scotland to submit wishes.
She said: ‘I am over the moon that our community choir has been granted this wonderful wish to perform with Scottish Ballet as part of their anniversary celebrations later this year.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us, and all those who voted for the Every Voice Choir; the day will be magical for all involved, a once in a lifetime memory.”
Led by St Augustine's choir master Bryan Marshall, the choir was set up in September 2016.
It attracts an average of 50 singers every fortnight at St Augustine's, including people with dementia, their families and members of the community, and performs regularly at the church and elsewhere.
The choir’s wish was one of 400 which were posted online, with over 100,000 votes cast by the general public, before the top 50 were presented to a judging panel which included Dame Darcey Bussell, Susan Calman, Fred MacAulay, Janice Forsyth, Christopher Hampson and principal dancer Christopher Harrison.
The judges chose the final five based on their inspiring individual stories and their impact on the wider community.
Scottish comedian and Strictly star Susan Calman, who championed the choir's wish, said: 'I am so pleased that Scottish Ballet was able to surprise Every Voice Community Choir, to share the wonderful news that their wish of singing and dancing together will come true.
“It is a powerful thing to unite people through such a celebratory performance, and I can't wait to see what they come up with.'
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