Oliver has been coming to our Saturday Superstars classes since 2023, and is now a part of our street crew, TEMPO. Oliver’s experience with TEMPO has led to an exciting new opportunity, as his mum Robyn explains.

“A couple of years ago, Oliver was very shy and lacked confidence. His school report stated that he could barely be heard, even when whispering, and he never put his hand up in class. I was very worried about him, especially with the transition to high school approaching.

I wanted to help build his confidence and rang Yorkshire Dance. They gave me the reassurance is that Saturday Superstars is exactly the type of thing that Oliver would benefit from.

Yorkshire Dance have made a huge difference to Oliver’s confidence and development. Through the support of the staff and groups, including TEMPO and performance at FRESH 2026, he has grown into a much more confident young person. He now performs on stage without feeling nervous and seems like a completely different person when he is dancing or performing.

I am incredibly proud that he has recently been given a lead role in Brassed Off at Leeds Playhouse.

Although he is still naturally quite shy, he can now go into new groups on his own, even if he doesn’t know anyone, and slowly integrate. He has also made some very good friends through Yorkshire Dance.

At school, his confidence has improved significantly — he now puts his hand up and is heard.

Yorkshire Dance has also been wonderful for me as a parent. The environment is welcoming and supportive, all the staff are wonderful and extremely helpful and I have been able to connect with other parents. I even use the space to make jewellery while waiting, which has been really positive for me too.“

Image: TEMPO at FRESH 2026 © Point of View