Otterbourne's 'en Joy Dance Fitness members raised £1,042.30 for Winchester Hospice at their Nocturne show, some of them on a stage for the very first time.
Members of an Otterbourne dance fitness studio have raised £1,042.30 for Winchester Hospice by putting on a show of their own, and for some of them it was the first time they had ever stood on a stage.
‘en Joy Dance Fitness Studio held its Nocturne showcase at Otterbourne Village Hall on Friday 2 October. The performers were the studio’s regular class members, of different ages and levels of experience, and the studio is clear that they are “not professional performers”. Each of its classes had a routine of its own, learned in ordinary weekly sessions “with minimal extra rehearsal”.
The members chose the charity themselves: they voted for Winchester Hospice to benefit. The total came from ticket donations, a raffle on the night and other contributions from performers, guests and local supporters, according to the studio.
From Ballroom to Country Line Dancing
The programme ran through Ballroom and Broadway, Disco, Tap, Street, Zumba and Country Line Dancing. The studio’s showcase page gave this year’s theme a strapline before the night: “When the studio sleeps… we come alive!”, inspired, it said, by “after-dark energy, atmosphere, confidence and transformation”. The same page tells members that the shows are “absolutely not about perfection or polished professional performances”.
Helen Clarke, who owns the studio and teaches there, said:
“We’d hoped to raise a worthwhile amount, but £1,042.30 is a wonderful result. I’m so grateful to every dancer who stepped onto the stage, everyone who helped behind the scenes, donated prizes or cakes, and everyone in the audience who bought tickets and cheered us on.
“The whole idea of Nocturne was to give each of our classes its own moment in the spotlight. Seeing everyone support one another and throw themselves into the evening was very special. It was fun, slightly bonkers and full of the community spirit that makes ‘en Joy what it is.”
Not the first showcase for charity
Nocturne continued what the studio calls its tradition of using showcase events to support good causes. Its Comic Relief Cabaret in March 2024 raised £661 for Red Nose Day. Claire’s Cabaret in April 2025 raised £1,022, split between Dogs Trust and Macmillan, in memory of ‘en Joy member Claire Hartnell, whom the studio describes as “much-loved”. Nocturne’s total is the highest of the three.
What it means for you
‘en Joy runs dance fitness, strength, balance and mobility classes for adults from the John & Betty Mobbs room at Otterbourne Village Hall, and says its programme is open to a wide range of experience levels. When we checked the studio’s class list on 6 October 2026, classes were listed at £7.50 each, from Ballroom Boogie and Disco Inferno to Hel’s Hoedown line dancing. The showcase page says everyone is welcome to take part in its shows, “whether you’ve been dancing with us for years or have only recently joined”.
The studio can be reached at hello@enjoydancefitness.co.uk or through enjoydancefitness.co.uk.
Another Winchester group that has made exercise sociable is in the news this autumn: the city’s Live Longer Better classes for over-65s won a national award.
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