An Acomb musician is determined to put the fun back into dancing.

Phil Quin, who describes himself as a ‘semi-professional’ musician, says many dances – Latin and ballroom among them – are all about couples. You need a partner to take part.

Many people can also be put off by the feeling that they can’t dance well enough.

Not at his American-style barn dances, coming to Acomb from next week.

They’re all about fun, healthy exercise - and getting to meet people, he says.

“Dancing is good for your body, your balance and your brain,” Phil said.

“But there’s lots of dancing where you dance in couples. So I had a bright idea – to do some social dancing. It’s strictly about fun – and bringing people together.”

He has called his Wednesday afternoon dance sessions – the first of which will be at the Acomb Methodist Church Hall at 2.30pm on Wednesday September 15 – ‘Strictly Fun Dancing’.

They will be American-style barn dances to the kind of fiddle and banjo music that Phil himself loves.

And you don’t need to be a good dancer (or even know much about dancing at all) to be able to take part, he says.

“We will teach you the routines.”

Phil, from Acomb, originally had the idea last year. He even held the first of his Strictly Fun dances in February that year. Almost 50 people turned up.

Then Covid got in the way.

But the city council’s community health champions were keen. And now, with their support, Phil is about to relaunch his idea.

He plans to hold the dances on the first and third Wednesday afternoon of each month, right up to December.

Because of Covid, he says, for the time being at least they will be ‘socially distanced’ dances, where the dancers don’t get too close to each-other.

But they will be no less fun for all that…

Strictly Fun Dancing will take place at the Acomb Methodist Church Hall on Front Street on the first and third Wednesday afternoon each month, starting at 2.30pm on Wednesday September 15.

Phil suggests a £2 contribution towards the cost of hiring the hall.