A unique fusion of science and dance

Lightyear Foundation breaks down barriers to disabled children accessing educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). With so few informal science experiences for disabled children and concerns for their physical health at an all-time high, we fused the accessible STEM expertise of Lightyear Foundation with the inclusive dance power of Flamingo Chicks to deliver an innovative 3-year collaboration of active learning dance classes for over 18,000 disabled children across the UK, using the wonders of STEM to teach life skills, build confidence, inspire curiosity and have fun!

Real-life STEM Stars joined us to show our children what’s possible, including zoologists, NASA scientists, UN representatives and a humanitarian architect! Our sensory props stimulated ALL the senses – smells to convey locations, things to taste, a cacophony of sounds (including live music from groups like Paraorchestra), tactile props for squeezing, squashing and twiddling, and a visual feast to ensure children gasped as they arrived in classes (like jellyfish umbrellas, space landscape backdrops, multi-sensory light displays and sequined carpets). Each theme was designed to transport our children to magical worlds, from Carnival of the Animals (zoology), Coppelia (inventing) and Alien Worlds (astronomy) to Cinderella Potions (chemistry) and Alice in Wonderland (maths).