Teignmouth will host its first dance festival, endorsed by Devon TV legend Angela Rippon, at the end of the month.

The TeignMove Dance festival features a wide range of different dance styles from ballet to performance parkour and from stay and play sessions for youngsters to seated dance sessions for older participants.

The festival is the brainchild of local dance teacher, Anna Leatherdale, who learnt to dance in Teignmouth as a child over 50 years ago. She then trained at a dance college in London and has taught dance and performed all over Europe.

‘I've always wanted to organise a dance festival in Teignmouth,’ Anna said. ‘When I was learning as a child there was only tap or ballet. Now there's a host of different dance styles and we are confident the festival will provide something for absolutely everyone,’ she added. ‘We have workshops in Salsa, Greek Circle Dance and three kinds of Argentine Tango as well as a Ceilidh on the Friday night with live music from Banned from the Moor.’

Thanks to funding from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, administered by Teignbridge District Council, the festival has been able to attract high calibre national and international artists, like Jenny Thomas, one of the choreographers from the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, who will be delivering workshops in Charleston and Lindy Hop.

One of Strictly Come Dancing’s former stars, Angela Rippon, sent a message of support ahead of the festival. ‘Congratulations for organising such a brilliant weekend of dance,’ she said. ‘The great thing about dance is that it is the perfect exercise for the health and wellbeing of mind and body, whatever your age or physicality.’

The TeignMove Dance Festival takes place at the Pavilions Teignmouth on from Friday January 31 until Sunday February 2. Tickets are available from the Pavilions Box Office.