YOUNG Warrington Wolves players put on their dancing shoes for a training session with a difference.

The Wire’s academy players showed off their moves during a contemporary dance class led by artist Rob Bell from the Lowry’s Centre for Advanced Training earlier this month.

A total of 23 up-and-coming rugby league stars were put through their paces in an alternative strength and condition session aiming to develop the players’ strength, flexibility, mobility, balance and coordination.

Stuart Barrow, player performance manager and academy head coach at Warrington Wolves, said: “This was a great opportunity to break our schedule up with some alternative training.

“The lads found it very physically demanding, but enjoyed every minute of the session.

“Rugby relies heavily on balance coordination and core strength, and all of these were tested.

“It was great to observe the players in a different environment and allowed different characters to shine.”

Meanwhile, the Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation also held the WOW Boys Dance Expo at the Pyramid as part of the Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival.

Seventy-five young male dancers from across the north west took part in the session with the Lowry and Edge Hill University’s EdgeFWD dance company.

Both dance events were held as part of the foundation’s culture partnership programme, in partnership with Rugby League Cares.

Lead Biddle, cultural partnership manager at the Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation, said: “Boys dance is widely underrepresented across the sector, so it’s fantastic to see so many young male dancers engage with the WOW Boys Dance Expo.

“With the ever-decreasing arts and cultural provision within education currently, events such as these are even more vital in engaging children and young people within high quality arts and culture.”

Stuart added: “I would like to thank Leah at the foundation and North West Dance for putting on a great evening.”