The T-Mobile Big Dance 2010 has awarded 50 grants to dance projects across the capital as part of its micro-grant scheme. The successful projects will each receive £1,000 to help fund dance activities and events taking take place during the Big Dance week from 3 – 11 July 2010. Each grant will provide valuable support to artists and organisations.

Big Dance 2010 is about promoting dance and increasing opportunities for more people to experience and participate in this extraordinarily wide-ranging artform and social activity. The project has been funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK.

London Mayor Boris Johnson says: 'Dance has reached the pinnacle of popularity, with celebs making ballroom cool again, awe inspiring street dance topping the TV talent shows, plus an astonishing array of styles on stage and brilliant choreographers working in the capital. We want to get as many people moving as possible – not just in July, but to 2012 and beyond - so give Big Dance a whirl.'

26 London boroughs will be benefit from the grants, by supporting London’s diverse communities. Southbank Centre’s Dance Atlas launched on 1 April 2010. Members of the public as well as dance artists are invited to post videos of their favourite move onto the Dance Atlas from wherever they are around the world to contribute to an international collection of dance moves.

Luca Silvestrini, Artistic Director of Protein Dance will develop the choreography to the BIG WORLD DANCE inspired by the dance featured in the Dance Atlas to be performed by thousands of people on 10 July 2010. Silvistrini will draw on the material to create a dynamic and globally inspired routine. This choreography will be taught to thousands of people who will transform central London into a giant open air stage for an unmissable, show stopping dance on a gigantic scale, with the start line at Southbank Centre and the finishing line at Trafalgar Square.

The Big Dance Schools Pledge invites schools across London and around the world to take part in an extra 20 minutes of dance or physical activity each day from 5-9 July 2010. As part of the Big Dance Schools Pledge, all schools are encouraged to join worldwide to perform the Schools Pledge dance routine at 1pm on Friday 9 July as part of a Guinness World Record attempt. The choreography for this dance routine is available to download now and has been created by Hakeem Onibudo from Impact Dance. Available in four different skill levels, the routine has been designed to allow people of all ages and abilities to get involved.

Please visit www.bigdance2010.com for more information and to register.