RESIDENTS of a local care home put on their dancing shoes as they celebrated International Dance Day.

Kernow House care home, based in Launceston received a special visit from Nicky Brice Ballet School this week to celebrate the toe-tapping date.  

Celebrated every year on April 29, the date was chosen due to it being the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, who is widely credited as being the creator of modern ballet.  

Ex-professional ballet dancer and founder of Nicky Brice Ballet School, Nicky, visited the home along with four of her ballerinas. 

Donning their best tutus, the young dancers performed their recitals for an appreciative audience. Afterwards, residents and staff were led through several ballet exercises to get the body moving and channel their inner performer.  

Joan, a resident at the home said: “I have always loved dancing, it was lovely watching the children dance. I used to teach tap dancing. It gave me so much pleasure to see the children and I would really love to see them perform again.

Residents, relatives and staff also enjoyed an afternoon of great live music when Will Keating and Harry Glasson came to perform.

Ian, who lives at Kernow House, went to school with Harry Glasson and has known him for years. In later life they wrote three songs together. Ian wrote the music and Harry wrote the words.

Residents joined in with the singing, and we had a fantastic time listening to both Will and Harry play guitar and sing Cornish Songs. Will Keating is well known for singing ‘This Is My Cornwall’, which Harry Glasson wrote and we all sang along.

General manager, Leigh Stanley said: “Our residents and guests had a wonderful afternoon with the fantastic performers. We do our best to provide a wide range of activities and entertainment at Kernow House as part of the lifestyle enrichment programme for residents, and this was one of our favourites.”

At the end of the performance residents were asked if they would like to have Will and Harry back and a huge roar of ‘YES’ erupted. One resident even tried to make a return booking there and then.