The tea dance bringing a community together, one step at a time

Every Thursday afternoon in Upminster, generations of dancers come together for an afternoon of music, movement and friendship. At the heart of it all is 74-year-old dance teacher Rita Sinclair.

As the sound of ballroom music and tapping feet drifts across Upminster Park, around two dozen couples gather at New Windmill Hall for the weekly Havering Tea Dance.

Dancers in their 70s, 80s and 90s take to the floor, many of whom have been coming for decades.

At the centre of this thriving community is Rita, who has been dancing since she was five and qualified as a dance teacher at just 17.

For Rita, teaching has always been about much more than dance.

Some of her dancers are couples, while others come alone, including people who have lost their partners.

“If someone has lost their partner, because we've got such a good community spirit here, they come back on their own because we wrap them up in our arms and bring them back into the community again,” Rita told BBC News.

It is this sense of connection that led one of Rita’s regular dancers, Ann Honey, to nominate her for a BBC Local Radio Make a Difference Award.

“She doesn't think she deserves it, she doesn't know why anyone would think she is special, but we think she is,” Ann said.

For Ann, Rita has created something that reaches far beyond the dance floor: a community where people feel welcomed, valued and connected.

More than movement

Rita’s story is a reminder of the extraordinary role dance can play in our communities.

Dance can bring people together, create friendships and provide a sense of belonging. It can offer routine and purpose, while helping people stay active and engaged at every stage of life.

And sometimes, it can be the reason someone walks through the door when they might otherwise stay at home.

Rita also puts her passion for dance into action beyond her weekly classes. Following the death of her husband Ken, who was cared for by St Francis Hospice, she began fundraising for the organisation.

She helped establish a Strictly Come Dancing-style fundraising event, which raised more than £46,000, with another event planned for October.

Her commitment to dance has continued despite developing knee problems that mean she can no longer dance at the same level she once did.

But Rita knows that her experience still has something valuable to offer.

“I can't do that now, but all the experience and all the knowledge is still in my head,” she told BBC News. “And whilst I can physically and mentally pass that on to other people, I'll do that until I can't do that any more.”

A lifetime of dance

At One Dance UK, we believe dance has the power to enrich lives far beyond the stage.

Rita’s story captures what can happen when dance becomes part of a community. It is about movement, but it is also about friendship, confidence, purpose and having somewhere you feel you belong.

From a five-year-old discovering dance for the first time to dancers in their 90s still taking to the floor, there is no single way to experience dance and no age at which its benefits stop.

Sometimes, the most powerful thing about dance is simply having somewhere to go, music to move to and people waiting to dance with you.

Read the full BBC News story, The community tea dance making a difference in Upminster, by Anna O’Neill, published 6 September 2026.