BBC One's "ONE Life - Dancing on Wheels"

Broadcast on 17th April 2007, this episode of the "ONE Life" series followed the Concordes, and the Scottish Inverclyders team, to the National Wheelchair Dance Festival held in Blackpool in November 2006. For an insight into wheelchair dancing, the 45 minute programme is recommended viewing. You can watch a clip from the programme on the director's website here. We're pleased to say that we won a great deal of gold medals in Blackpool, beating arch-rival Cornish team, The Choughs, for the first time in countless years! Our thanks go to producer Kate Foster for some of the photos (individually credited in our gallery), and also to a number of TV listings who wrote up short features about the programme.

Evening Post Article

On the 3rd August 2007, the Bristol Evening Post very kindly published a story about the Concordes, in a bid to attract new members. The story focuses on our recent recruit, Holly, who despite being our youngest member in some years, has taken to the dancing like a duck to water. You can read the story here - reproduced with the permission of reporter Martin Booth and the Bristol Evening Post.

BBC Radio Bristol Interview

Our thanks also go out to Radio Bristol, who interviewed our chair person, Julia Hall, on 25 May 2007 at 3.15pm following the debut broadcast of the "ONE Life - Dancing on Wheels" programme. Read part of the transcript of this 10-minute interview below. Thanks for the mention of the 2007 Fun Day, too, chaps!

The Concordes Street Team

You'll also find mention of the Concorde Wheelchair Dancers on posters, leaflets and stickers distributed on fund-raiser days, and displayed in places like hospitals, GP surgeries, supermarkets, shopping malls, and so on. Our thanks go out to the helpful souls who've downloaded our poster or leaflet and distributed them. If you can help spread the word of UK wheelchair dancing in any way, please download and print our promotional materials and distribute where possible.

If you have a website relevant to either wheelchair dancing or wheelchair leisure in general, email Rob and we can arrange to exchange links.

BBC Radio Bristol transcript (extract) 25/5/07, 3.15pm:

Radio Bristol: You are a television star, now, and my goodness me, about time too... Tell me exactly what the Concorde Wheelchair Dancers do?
Julia: We are a team of ballroom dancers in wheelchairs. We have about 12, 13 members at the moment, all ages, all disabilities... We compete, we have fun, and we really enjoy it.
RB: And you are reigning National Wheelchair Dance Festival Champions?
Julia: We certainly are.
...
RB: It's taken seriously, isn't it? Because you have your practices, and there's a lot of pressure to get it right.
Julia: Just to do one part of the show, we did about five hours practice. It's very hard work, but we wouldn't do it if we didn't enjoy it.
RB: Now, I should imagine that the formation dancing is quite spectacular.
Julia: It is very hard, making sure we keep everyone in line. Hilary, our instructor, she certainly cracks the whip.
RB: And who is that who works out the maneuvers?
Julia: In formation, different teams make up the dances, and put them forward to be danced in competition.