Press Contact: Natalie Thomas
October 2025
Collaboration with Place2Be aims to improve pupil wellbeing at schools across the region
Dame Darcey Bussell DBE has led a day of high-energy, mood-boosting dance fitness workshops for hundreds of local school children to support their wellbeing and mark World Mental Health Day (10 Oct).
Alongside her role as Chair of the Board for Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP), Darcey is the founder of DDMIX Trust, which has partnered with leading children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, to run the workshops for pupils from 12 primary schools from across the region. The event took place at TRP’s Production & Learning Centre, TR2, and saw 360 children in total join in the choreographed aerobic sessions, as well as being treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the world-class facility.
DDMIX’s dedicated programme, DDMIX for Schools, is an innovative dance fitness platform created by Dame Darcey with the vision of making exercise fun, inclusive and accessible to all. Designed to run alongside PE sessions, the programme draws on a wide variety of dance styles from around the world, offering a full-body workout without the pressure of mastering complex choreography.
On Friday (10 OCT), Plympton St Maurice Primary, Woodford Primary School, Oreston Community Academy, Austin Farm Academy, Glen Park Primary, Morley Meadow Primary, Sir Robert Geffery’s, Whitleigh Primary, College Road Primary, Mayflower Academy and St George’s C of E Primary schools attended TR2 and took part in one of two sessions throughout the day and explored the impressive facility, including the set-building workshop, wardrobe department and rehearsal spaces.
Dame Darcey Bussell DBE said: “Dancing improves physical and mental health for all children. It improves coordination, balance, reaction time, fitness, physical strength and develops sensory awareness and raises mood levels.
“In order for our society to have good physical and mental health, our children need to have a really positive attitude to being active from their earliest years, one that can stay with them for life.
“I was thrilled to be in Plymouth with so many school children exercising with us, and also seeing them learn about the Theatre Royal and the wonderful production facilities of TR2.”
Place2Be is one of the UK’s leading children’s mental health charities and provides school-based support and in-depth training programmes to improve the emotional wellbeing of pupils, families, teachers and school staff. The charity currently provides mental health services in over 630 UK primary and secondary schools, supporting a school community of around 340,000 children and young people. Place2Be CEO, Catherine Roche, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering once again with DDMIX for Schools, alongside Theatre Royal Plymouth, to bring this dynamic programme to 12 schools across the region as an extension of our partnership with Westcountry Schools Trust (WeST).
“The creative arts play such an important part in promoting and supporting good mental health and wellbeing. In celebration of World Mental Health Day, this programme combines movement, creativity and wellbeing, empowering young people through joyful expression and connection.”
TRP provides a Creative Communities programme across the region for over 30,000 young people and adults a year and is deeply invested in nurturing the next generation of theatre-makers. Jane Pawson, Head of Artistic Planning Projects for TRP, said: “It was a privilege to welcome DDMIX, Place2Be and all the local young people and witness the incredible work taking place during the workshops. The energy and dedication shown by all the pupils was truly inspiring and hopefully today will instil a lifelong love of movement and create a lasting legacy for them.”
For further information about the programme, visit www.diversedancemix.com www.place2be.org.uk. To keep up-to-date on all TRP’s work with young people, visit https://theatreroyal.com/take-part/young-people-2/