KEEP up the great work - that was international superstar Kylie Minogue’s message to a Barnsley theatre company for young adults with learning difficulties.
Cross the Sky is made up of actors with learning disabilities and is managed by The Civic.
The members were rehearsing ‘Dancing’ which was inspired by Kylie, and special educational needs teacher Simon Grainger wanted to show the star their good work.
He filmed the group’s rehearsal and Tweeted the pop icon, who responded by saying ‘keep up the great works guys’ and Tweeted the video to her two million followers.
The video has now been viewed around the world and Cross the Sky have received lots of messages of support from Kylie fans.
Simon said: “It was such a thrill to get a message of support from a global music icon like Kylie. The group were all over the moon and very excited. It has also given us all a great boost as we embark on devising our new show.”
With support from professional artists Simon Grainger, Becky Newbould and Cath Smart, Cross the Sky performs original songs, visual and theatre work inspired by the young adults’ personal experiences.
Their last piece ‘Wings’ was performed in theatres around Yorkshire and presented a powerful take on growing up with a learning or physical disability.
Cross the Sky is part of The Civic’s commitment to increase participation in the arts and support young people to reach their potential.
The group meets once a week and members devise their own performances and write their own songs. It provides a vital social network.
Helen Ball, chief executive of The Civic, said: “Everyone at Cross the Sky was really excited Kylie recognised their work. Using the arts to transform and enrich lives is an important part of The Civic’s mission, and one of the driving forces behind our ambition to renovate and expand as a world class centre for the arts.
“It’s great to get recognition and a boost from Kylie, and we hope her profile helps inspire people to support our #Connect fundraising campaign and the wonderful Cross the Sky.”
