Nick and Sophie Green, through NSG Performing Arts, inspire, motivate and grow successful and dedicated young people. Their energy and commitment to the children in my school and young people in our community are second to none. Through dancing with Nick and Sophie, children are able to first understand their own potential and then are motivated to work really hard to fulfil it. Nick has been part of the teaching team at Mandeville for three years. His street dance lessons are part of our curriculum so all children, from reception to Y6, have the chance to learn new skills with him. His lessons appeal to everyone and allow children of all abilities to shine, including those with special educational needs and social and emotional difficulties. Mandeville is a very diverse school, both culturally and socio-economically, and Nick has been able to engage and enthuse the very hardest to reach children, as well as those children who are perhaps intimidated by traditional PE lessons, with his style of dancing. Even the boys look forward to their dance lessons! Sophie’s new musical theatre classes after school are very popular at Mandeville too, as she “knows just how to mix fun with singing and dancing and makes you feel so confident!” Outside of the school, Nick and Sophie have worked tirelessly to create groups of children for whom dance is a passion. Their “crews” are made up of young people from very different backgrounds who have come together to learn, compete and perform. They have given these young people opportunities and experiences which many of them would never have dreamed possible. They have taught them so many skills; different styles of dance of course, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to work together, to support each other, to rely on each other and to work extremely hard in order to get results. Nick and Sophie really understand the children they are teaching, and as a result the children have a fierce loyalty to both of them. They feel valued for who they are and never judged; which for some young people is a rare thing. In their work in schools and with the crews, it is really easy to see the difference NSG is making to children’s lives. Increased confidence, self–esteem and concentration are by-products, albeit very important ones, of just having a really fun time dancing to some very cool music. The opportunities that Nick and Sophie are trying to provide for our young people are amazing. From performances at local events to workshops with famous hip hop dancers, national competitions and now an invitation to represent England at a world class exhibition event in Los Angeles, NSG is opening doors to experiences that these young people could not have dreamt of. As a parent of a member of the NSG Youth Crew and as a Head Teacher of a St Albans primary school, I cannot thank them enough for what they give our children and I recommend them unreservedly. Cathy Longhurst
