UEA Dance Squad, a student sports club from the University of East Anglia (UEA), recently hosted a 12-hour dance-a-thon fundraiser, in support of the Crohn's & Colitis UK charity and a squad member. 

Held on Wednesday 17 May, this dance-a-thon served as a platform to raise awareness and support for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – all while showcasing UEA Dance Squad’s talent and perseverance across 12 hours of non-stop classes. The squad held 12 consecutive classes, one every hour, in a variety of dance styles, ranging from hip-hop, ballet, musical theatre and Irish dancing. 

According to Crohn’s & Colitis UK, 1 in 123 people in the UK live with Crohn’s disease or colitis, the two main forms of IBD, with people being diagnosed every day. These conditions are lifelong and can cause pain, discomfort and other life-changing symptoms.  

As a member of the UEA Dance Squad, the dance-a-thon event held special significance for Charlotte Levett, a third-year Psychology student who has personally battled with ulcerative colitis after being diagnosed in 2018.  

Charlotte, who is also the Dance Squad’s social secretary and hip-hop competition choreographer, said: “It's been amazing having the Dance Squad behind me. When I was first diagnosed my symptoms were misunderstood, and now everyone is much more mindful about the condition and its effects on me.  

“The dance-a-thon has also allowed other club members to speak up about their experiences with IBD and their own family members. It spreads the message about IBD further!  

“A massive thank you to Dance Squad Committee and the President Caitlin for organising it and making it a success. I hope this event can grow and be successful for many years to come.” 

Since the event, the dance-a-thon fundraiser has gone on to raise more than £750 for the Crohn’s & Colitis UK charity through a combination of ticket sales and GoFundMe donations. These donations will go towards providing high-quality support, campaigns for better health services and funding vital research into treatments for these types of IBD conditions. By funding the charity, Charlotte and the rest of the sports club hope to support the estimated 500,000 people in the UK who are living with Crohn’s and colitis. 

Led by the club’s President Caitlin Telford, UEA Dance Squad strives to show that dance can be a powerful tool in overcoming adversity and spreading hope. Caitlin, an MSc Marketing student, said: 

“Our dance-a-thon is open to everyone on campus, and it was so nice to see members from other uea+sport clubs such as Netball, Cricket, and Ballet attending our classes throughout the day. Crohn’s & Colitis UK were also very kind to send us t-shirts, which our committee and some members wore throughout the day. We worked so hard with the charity to put on such a fun day! 

“The charity is very close to us here at UEA Dance Squad. Our social secretary and hip-hop competition choreographer Charlotte Levett was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at a young age, and spreading awareness and information about the charity is an important mission for us to carry on for years to come.  

“It was an honour to teach a heels class this year, but I would like to take the opportunity to thank all our choreographers who taught throughout the day: Charlotte Levett, Paige Shaw, Celia Thompson, Emily Bristol, Chloe Dust, Nola Powell, Isabelle Dunk, Gracie Regan, Olivia Lee, Meredith Dunnell, Melissa Aylott, and Tiara Paton.”