Staff and children at Portfield School in Christchurch have become a social media hit with their joyful dance moves.

They got together to cheer everyone up by performing their own version of the Jerusalema dance craze currently taking social media by storm. They believe they are the first school in the region to have a go and share the joy!

Despite Portfield School - which is part of Autism Wessex, remaining open throughout the pandemic, they were aware that many children and teachers were worried about getting back to the classroom and wanted to share some positivity with their funky footwork and beats.

Since first being shared on Saturday, their version of the Jerusalema dance has been shared over 150 times on Facebook and viewed more than 15,000 times across social media and YouTube.

Led by their mascot, Fidget, the school team started to put the dance moves together, but many of the students really wanted to join in too and it turned into a day full of laughter and fun. Everyone at Portfield School, which caters for 4 to 19-year-olds, was keen to take part to demonstrate that no challenge is too big, even for those living with autism.

Siún Cranny, CEO of Autism Wessex said: “We thought everyone deserved a fun day - our teams and the students have done remarkably well coping with all the changes and challenges of the last 12 months. Finding joy is a central part of everyday life even when things are tough. We had so much fun creating our own version of this amazing South African song that speaks to everyone.

“The Master KG viral song is celebratory and symbolises unity and inclusion - something our autistic community strive for every day. We hope it makes everyone smile and tap their feet too. In fact, if any school out there wants to accept the challenge – we’d be delighted!” 

Watch the Portfield School Jerusalema dance here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a27E8MOyAEQ 

About Autism Wessex

Founded in 1968, Autism Wessex is the regional charity providing specialist support to anyone affected by autism across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset.

For more information about Autism Wessex please visit www.autismwessex.org.uk or @autismwessex on Facebook and Twitter.