Image credit: Candice Greatbanks
A woman from Salford who used dance to overcome postnatal depression, has set up a class to help people who are struggling with their mental health.
Candice Greatbanks, 41, is a choreographer who has had a successful career in dance, working on stage shows and cruise ships. She now wants to share the benefits of exercise with others.
“Dance really helps mental health and people come and say that to me all the time,” said Candice.
“I can give something back with this. This is my talent that I can use to make people happy.”
At the age of 10, Candice started at the Hammond School in Chester where she trained daily throughout her childhood for 10 years.
After leaving The Hammond, she went into a varied long professional dance career where she choreographed theatre shows like Sister Act, danced on cruise ships and took part in TV show “Dirty Dancing, The Time of Your Life”.
Image credit: Candice Greatbanks
But when she reached the age of 30 Candice felt like her time as a dancer was coming to a close. Candice went for a complete career change and did car sales for a further 8 years where she learnt “it filled the areas where she lacked”.
But something was calling her name back to what she loved doing.
She added: “I just wanted to go back to dance where I felt most content.”
But this time Candice wanted to help people through her love for dance.
Image credit: Candice Greatbanks
She set up dance fit sessions for the public to attend and also expanded into doing private dance lessons. But along side this she is doing a Level Three counselling course which is where she would like to combine the two.
She said: “I wanted to do the fun dance and the fitness side but also wanted to do the cup of tea and biscuits where I can incorporate some practice of counselling skills.”
From suffering from post natal depression herself, getting back into dance really made Candice feel like herself again and where she healed.
With the colder and darker months approaching, going to one of these sessions will help people to get out of the house to socialise.
Image credit: Owen Farnworth
The sessions will start on November 13th and will happen every Wednesday 12:30 – 14:30 at Guild Hall Community Centre, Walkden, and anyone is welcome. There is a small cost of £6.50 and included in the price is a dance class and cup of tea or coffee afterwards with biscuits.