Dancers from the Attleborough cluster on stage at Attleborough High School.

Children from schools across south Norfolk put on their dancing shoes this week as part of a major NHS-backed initiative to encourage them to adopt healthier lifestyles.

The 160 children at Attleborough High School on Wednesday and Friday came from schools in villages across the area, including Great Ellingham, Rocklands and Hingham while both Attleborough Junior and Attleborough High schools were also represented at the event.

The event, supported by the NHS, provided the children with the chance to dance to some of their favourite songs from Hollywood movies.

The Hingham pupils performed the song Jai Ho from the movie Slumdog Millionaire, while the Attleborough High School youngsters danced to songs from the Bond movie Skyfall.

Other songs included I Wanna Be Like You from Jungle Book, performed by Great Ellingham Primary School, and Men In Black, which Attleborough Junior pupils danced along to.

Levy Utku, a sports co-ordinator at the school, said the event was organised through the school’s after school dance club and the aim was to run it annually. This week’s sessions were held for an hour on Wednesday and Friday evening.

He said having the dance studio provided the children with a greater range of choices to keep them healthy, apart from the usual ball games.

“It was fantastic and the parents were so proud to see their children taking part. They were standing clapping. This was our second event since we started last year, but the first time ever we are doing it for two nights, but it is good for the community, the school and the future of Attleborough,” Mr Utku said.

He added: “We intended to continue it after the first event because it is an exercise the children can keep going with. It is very popular so we decided to do it again this year.”

Carol Doherty, NHS project manager for healthy communities, said the NHS healthy communities idea started in Thetford, but was now being rolled out to other parts of Breckland, including Attleborough.

She added: “This is so important because with the school they have set up some dance classes as well as basketball classes and it is not just for the children, it is for the whole community so it is so important for them to experience something they may not have been able to before without funding.”