It has trained and inspired youngsters to go on to successful dancing careers around the world, becoming ambassadors for the town.

Now Swindon Dance has parted ways with the council to become an independent trust and allow it to be even bigger and better.

Becoming an independent trust will allow Swindon Dance to attract funding that was not available to it as part of the council.

Swindon Dance director Marie McCluskey, who has been at the helm since 1979, thinks the move will allow the organisation to carry on bringing magic to people's lives.

"Swindon Council and Swindon has invested in dance for a long long time and therefore there are thousands of people who dance regularly and many who dance professionally all over the world," she said.

"We hope we can go on doing that. The council was visionary when setting up Swindon Dance.

"Now it is a visionary move to allow us to grow up. They are letting go of the baby they created.

"The last 25 years have been very exciting. You never know where dance is going to take people.

"It is really inspirational that it can take people in all directions.

"It is creating magic in people's lives."

Swindon Dance was officially handed over from Swindon Council, which it has been a part of since its inception in 1979, at a champagne reception yesterday.

Lyn Vardy, the chairwoman of the new board of Swindon Dance, welcomed guests to the event.

"This is a special day for Swindon Dance and the borough," she said.

"It has been a joint enterprise all these years.

"Now that relationship is changing. It is not ending, it is just changing.

"Swindon Dance is going to fly. It is going to be a superb future."

There were performances by ex-students Banxy and Emma Carter and from Andrea Coulton and Sabrina Sheikh

The ceremony was rounded off by a special cry from town crier Fred Ferris, on the steps on the Town Hall.

Fred's daughter trained at Swindon Dance and went on to join the Rambert Dance Company.

Councillor Justin Tomlinson, cabinet member for leisure, culture and recreation is equally enthusiastic about the move. He says, "I was delighted to not only share a dance with Marie McClusky (see picture above) but to help officially hand over Swindon Dance over from Council control, to that of a Trust Status.  This is an exciting development for Swindon Dance as the new status will give access to new and important sources of funding.  It is a great opportunity for Swindon Dance to develop its nationally acclaimed dance programmes even further.  Swindon Dance is an amazing credit to Swindon, and helps give this town much to be proud of."