Oldham woman makes a move into business
Oldham woman makes a move into business
A 28-year-old woman from Oldham is celebrating the opening of her new dance centre on Dowry Street. Yolanda Blades is a professional performing artist who has extensive teaching and community work experience, which will now be channelled through Earl Dance Centre.
Earl Dance Centre offers a contemporary performance space, which holds dance and exercise classes for all ages, giving you the chance to explore your creative flair and stay physically fit.
Yolanda received dance qualifications from Oldham College and went to London to further her career, gaining a BA (Hons) in Dance Performance. This led her to work and teach in the community and in schools; she was part of a successful dance company, Impact Dance and was also one of the 30 finalists in the Nike Clash Competition 2007.
After returning to the North West from London in 2008, Yolanda wanted to put something back into the community and decided to turn her freelance teaching work into a limited liability company. She began networking and met Gordon Haynes of Goyt Properties. He sponsored her and her idea and oversaw the development of the dance centre through his property company.
Yolanda was referred to business support agency Blue Orchid by Gordon’s daughter and was put in contact with business advisor Deena Kearney.
“Blue Orchid has been a real support network for me and my business,” she said. “When I first met with Deena she really inspired me to think with a business focus. She was there and on hand for any questions and at the end of the phone if I needed her. I attended a bookkeeping and accounts session and the speaker broke it down in an easy way. I was showed a more efficient way of processing the accounts and I was able to put what I had learned into practice. Deena works with many start ups in the area and she has even referred business my way. She was so encouraging and still is.”
Yolanda’s support was delivered though the Intensive Start Up Support (ISUS) programme, which is provided by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) Oldham Partnership and delivered by Blue Orchid in Oldham. ISUS is part of Solutions for Business, the Government's package of publicly funded business support designed to help companies start and grow. The programme is funded by the NWDA, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Oldham Partnership.
The Earl Dance Centre is now officially open and offers a range of performing arts activities from zumba to hip hop, ballet to contemporary. The dance studio can also be turned into a theatre for professional and amateur performances and the facilities can be hired out for dance and other performing arts activities.
Councillor Howard Sykes, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “Setting up a business, particularly in the current climate, is a significant step for anyone so any extra help and support is invaluable.
“The three year ISUS project is providing fantastic benefits for resident in Oldham Borough and across the North West. It is helping to promote self employment across the borough in areas where the number of people working for themselves has been low in the past.
“I would like to congratulate Yolanda on her success in setting up her own dance centre. This is a significant achievement and I wish her every success in her future career.”
Yolanda said: “I wanted to do something good for the Oldham community where I was born. Our slogan is “Love yourself, love life, love to dance” - we want people to grow in self confidence and belief when they attend. We now give children and adults in the area the chance to express themselves artistically and receive professional training. I am excited about the future and hope everyone who passes the door enjoys their experience.” delivered by Blue Orchid in Oldham
For more information about Earl Dance Centre or to hire the venue call 0161 425 8433 email: info@earldancecentre.com or visit www.earldancecentre.com
To find out more about Blue Orchid call 0161 485 4949 or email startup@theblueorchid.co.uk
