Hip hop dance classes for kids at the Beacon Arts Centre

Artist in residence Nadia Sewnauth has been inspiring youngsters and families with her hit street dance sessions in the waterfront arts centre.

She is now set to take her classes out into the community.

At the same time, performance artist Sally Charlton is also in the Beacon working with closely with youngsters who are have ambitions to be on the stage.

It is all part of a major project by the Beacon to bring the arts closer to the community.

Beacon creative engagement officer Kevin Jannetts, who helped put the programmes together, said: "Nadia is fantastic and the young people are really responding to her sessions.

"It is great to have her here.

"It is brilliant to see the boys and girls giving it their all, joining in with the dancing.

"We are trying to get out and about in the community and bring people into the Beacon.

"That is what our artist sessions this summer are all about.

"We want people to come through the doors, the Beacon is there for the whole community.

"We have boys and girls getting a taste of hip hop, and Nadia is also running classes for toddlers and babies later on.

"They are so popular as well.

"We have also had Sally in working with some young performers, and they are having a great time."

Nadia, who runs her own dance school, Forever Funk, focuses on choreography and performance.

She works with young people as well as women and mothers, specialising in classes for baby bonding.

She said: "The hip hop sessions are great, I am loving it.

"The Beacon is a brilliant venue and place to work."

As well running classes in Craigend Resource Centre, she will be back in the Beacon to offer hip hop movement sessions for babies and toddlers, with support for mothers who have babies in carriers.

The Inverclyde Culture Collective has helped fund number of artists to come to the Beacon and other places to work with the local community.

Royal Conservatoire graduate Sally has been also been working in the young performers Amelia Shand, 11, and Mia Smith, eight, on the theme of fame.

Amelia, who goes to Prominence Academy and recently took on a starring role as Matilda, said: "We are loving this extra time with Sally and learning even more about performing. I just want to be on the stage and performing all the time."

Community outreach co-ordinator Jennifer Hunter, who works with Kevin Jannetts, said: "We want to take our work out into the community to as many people as possible."