Kangaroo Flat studio Sharon Saunders Dancers has joined 250 other dance businesses in a special partnership to promote water safety.
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The partnership between Kids Alive Do the Five and Ready Set Dance will see the Kids Alive Do the Five and Sunscreen March safety songs taught as part of the Ready Set Dance programs for under 5s.
Sharon Saunders Dancers are the official location for Ready Set Dance and Ready Set Ballet in Bendigo.
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Kids Alive sought the partnership after research showed one in four children attended dance lessons.
It is part of a strategy to provide water safety education to children all year round.
"Swimming lessons remain one of the best preventive measures to reduce drownings, but we know 20 per cent of families drop out of lessons during the colder months," Kids Alive founder Laurie Lawrence said.
"Research from our partner Poolwerx revealed 60 per cent of parents take their children to other activities apart from swimming so we could see the potential to fill the gaps and reach children in other places they love to learn and be happy.
"Dance is the most popular activity outside of playgroup, so it was obvious where we needed to start in this crusade for more access to education. This partnership ensures tens of thousands of children will now receive vital water safety education all year round."
The Kids Alive songs will be rolled out across all Ready Set Dance from next term including at Sharon Saunders Dancers in Kangaroo Flat.
Kids Alive operations manager Emma Lawrence said partnering with Ready Set Dance would ensure water safety messages also reached regional areas.
"Resources are tight especially in regional areas and the spread of locations of Ready Set Dance will help bring our message to the right areas," she said.
"Drowning is an issue all year round not just in summer. Our goal is zero drownings in the under fours and we will continue to pursue new ways to teach this precious group."
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