Sophie Mei

2 Pages 15 October 2009

YOU BELLY BELIEVE IT- SHEFFIELD’S SHIMMERING SENSATIONS UNITE

Sheffield’s O2 Academy was taken over by four stunning bellydancers last monday. Yes that’s right, not only is Sheffield home of the UK’s most famous bellydancer – Sophie Mei – but she has now collaborated with three other Sheffield-based bellydancers – Tasmin Leona, Jessie NG and Nicola Wigfield .

Sophie – presenter, actress and shimmering dance sensation from ITV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ debuted the ‘Theatre of Bellydance’ as part of her new ‘Mei Dance’ company. The young troupe from Sheffield of varying ethnicities, aged from 18 – 27 years old, joined together in September this year on a mission to mainstream bellydance across the UK and encourage others to join in or simply appreciate the ancient art form.

The troupe went down a storm at the launch night of new F&F events company and the four young ladies already have some big projects in the pipeline too. Along with more dancers who are auditioning to become part of one of the UK’s most exciting and unique troupes.

Twenty-one year-old Sophie Mei, Owner of Mei Dance says:

“I’m so excited to add to my portforlio a dance troupe. I first came up with the idea as I was getting so many gigs that I had to start turning some down but this way it allows me to create a spectacular show with that a distinctive Mei style  for the bigger stages and also supply dancers for events, restaurants and various shows. All the troupe are  really talented and we really complement each other with our different styles of tribal and traditional cabaret bellydance.

Louise Wilcockson, Owner of Creative Octopus Media Services, says:

“Sophie loves performing whether it be acting, dancing or presenting but she wants to concentrate on her personal career in broadcast journalism – so the group is a great opportunity to develop the public’s knowledge of different styles of bellydance and also gives Sophie the chance to work on other projects.”

To find out more, please see: http://sophie-mei.net or email: dance@sophiemei.net

Photo Attached courtesy of Serendipity Photography

Photo 1: Strike a pose – the girls charm their audience

Photo 2: Left – right Jessie NG, Sophie Mei and Nicola Wigfield are joint backstage by the promotional team

Just performed at Mind’s Get Moving Festival in Regents Park,London. It was a lovely sunny day with performances from Ceroc to Opera singing sensations Blake.. Oh and little me bellydancing! http://www.getmovingweek.org.uk

I’m also teaching bellydance workshops in the Lake District to encourage over 19 year olds to get active and learn – http://www.activefest.co.uk

Get Moving and Dance!

Regent’s Park, London,
Saturday 10 October 2009
1pm to 4pm

Londoners will be strutting their stuff on open-air dance floors at a free festival in Regents Park on Saturday 10 October (World Mental Health Day) as part of the Time to Change campaign to end mental health stigma.

Get Moving and Dance sees World Champion athlete Philips Idowu, Children’s TV presenter favourite Dave Benson-Phillips, poet John Hegley and classical boy band Blake take to the stage to bust some moves and dance away the blues.

Don’t panic if you’ve got two left feet as professional choreographers, such as Britain’s Got Talent bellydancer Sophie Mei, will be on hand at the four different stages to teach festival goers different dance styles from Bollywood to Ceroc to the iconic Michael Jackson moves. To find out more visit HYPERLINK “http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/dance” www.time-to-change.org.uk/dance.

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some point in our lives and encounter prejudice and discrimination as a result. The economic and psychological pressures of the recession have an impace on many people who are experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety. The prescription of anti-depressant drugs is increasing year on year.

By bringing together people with differing experiences of mental health to get active and boost their mental wellbeing, Get Moving and Dance will help tackle mental health discrimination.

The event is part of Get Moving week (3-11 October), that will see 30,000 people get active at events all around the country, from dancing to running to gardening. Exercise boosts mental wellbeing and can be as effective as antidepressants in tackling mental health problems.

The BBC will be helping festival goers to de-stress at their Headroom tent and at the interactive Time to Change roadshow everyone can join the visual petition against mental health discrimination.

Get Moving is part of Time to Change, the ground-breaking anti-stigma campaign supported by Stephen Fry, Ruby Wax, Patsy Palmer and Ulrika Jonsson. Time to Change is funded by 16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £4m from Comic Relief and run by leading mental health charities Mind and Rethink.

Contact (media enquiries):
Katie Prior on 020 8215 2227 or email HYPERLINK “mailto:k.prior@mind.org.uk” k.prior@mind.org.uk

Admission: Free (everybody welcome)

Nearest underground stations: Baker Street – Hammersmith & City, Circle, Jubilee, Metropolitan & Bakerloo lines


***ENDS***

Notes to editors

Dave Benson Phillips, Phillips Idowu and Sophie Mei will be available for interview at the event as will spokespeople from Time to Change and a number of case studies who can talk about the mental benefits of exercise they have experienced.

If you would like to attend Get Moving and Dance please contact Katie Prior in the Mind media office on 020 8522 1743 or email media@mind.org.uk

For information, interviews or case studies please contact the Mind media team on T: 020 8522 1743 M: 07850 788514 E: HYPERLINK “mailto:media@mind.org.uk” media@mind.org.uk ISDN line available: 020 8221 0817

For more information please visit HYPERLINK “http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/dance” www.time-to-change.org.uk/dance

Time to Change is England’s most ambitious programme to end the discrimination faced by people with mental health problems, and improve the nation’s wellbeing. Mind and Rethink are leading the programme, funded with £16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £4m from Comic Relief, and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College, London. For further information go to HYPERLINK “http://www.time-to-change.org.uk”www.time-to-change.org.uk

The Big Lottery Fund’s support for Time to Change comes from its £165m Well-being programme. The Big Lottery Fund has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006. Full details of the work of the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards are available on the website: HYPERLINK “http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/”www.biglotteryfund.org.uk Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888 / Out of hours: 07867 500 572/ Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030 / 
Textphone: 08456 021 659

Comic Relief is committed to supporting people living with mental health problems. The projects Comic Relief funds ensure people with mental health problems get their voices heard in the decisions that affect their lives and 
to get the help they need to recover. Comic Relief also helps people to promote their rights and reduce the stigma and discrimination they face so that they feel more included in society.  The £4 million grant to Time to Change is part of Comic Relief’s long standing commitment to this issue. For more information go to HYPERLINK “http://www.comicrelief.com/” \o “http://www.comicrelief.com/”www.comicrelief.com