This is a sponsored article with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to shine a light on inspiring young people in the West Midlands. If you’ve ever stepped foot in Birmingham, you’ll know exactly what we mean when we say it’s the heart of the West Midlands. And we don't just mean because of its geographic location. It is quite literally the beating heart and soul of the region. With its artsy attractions, mouth-watering street food scene, and quirky museums, the city is bursting with opportunity. Birmingham, which will be hosting next year’s highly anticipated <a href="https://www.birmingham2022.com/">Commonwealth Games</a>, is also a major hub of all things sport, entertainment, and just pure talent. And as far as young, up-and-coming talent goes, the community-driven city has given countless individuals a new lease of life - not least 23-year-old <a href="https://www.dancewithstago.co.uk/">Dance With Stago</a> founder Steven Agho. It's inspiring people like Steven that Birmingham 2022 is shining a spotlight on... [[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/VT/posts/2956888094580160]] As a teen, Steven was affected by a traumatic knife crime incident. Moving to Birmingham, massively helped him to overcome the depression he developed as a result of the encounter. There’s a real sense of togetherness in Birmingham which inspired Steven, at a young age, to launch a dance company with the aim of bringing teenagers off the streets and give them opportunities to express themselves. “Working with the community means a lot to me,” he says. “It brings me that fulfilment... My favourite thing about Birmingham is the community. Birmingham is so welcoming.” Steven went on to say of the city’s open nature: “If you come here, you'll be surprised at the way people love you - despite your race, your age, your colour, your ethnicity, religion. It's all welcome.” <img class="size-full wp-image-1263117001" src="https://img.vt.co/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-08-at-16.43.34.png" alt="" width="873" height="531" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: Birmingham2022]] Dance With Stago provides dance classes for children and young teens and has done a lot to cultivate the incredible talent of youngsters in the city. It just goes to show that talented individuals do not have to be limited by their circumstances and they can do incredible things with just a little perseverance. Without such perseverance, we wouldn’t have the pleasure of witnessing some of the world’s most accomplished athletes reaching new heights and shattering world records - something we can look forward to at the upcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. <img class="size-full wp-image-1263117002" src="https://img.vt.co/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-08-at-16.44.09.png" alt="" width="859" height="486" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: Birmingham2022]] The <a href="https://www.birmingham2022.com/">Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games</a>, held from 28 July to 8 August, is set to be the biggest sporting event to be hosted in the UK since the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The event, which takes place every four years, will be packed with history-making performances from some of the most iconic athletes in the Commonwealth. The 11-day spectacle will see athletes proudly represent their countries across <a href="https://www.birmingham2022.com/the-games/schedule/">19 sports</a>, with eight para-sports fully integrated into the programme. From boxing, to gymnastics, to weightlifting - it’s sure to be an unmissable couple of weeks. But here’s the important part to note if you want to secure a ticket for the Games: <a href="https://www.birmingham2022.com/the-games/tickets/">Birmingham2022.com</a> is the ONLY place where you can do so! Tickets start from £8 for children under the age of 16 and from £15 for adults. There will also be £22 tickets for every session of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the medal sessions. <img class="size-full wp-image-1263117003" src="https://img.vt.co/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-08-at-16.44.53.png" alt="" width="922" height="481" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: Birmingham2022]] To apply for tickets, you must first register for a <a href="https://tickets.birmingham2022.com/">ticketing account</a> using your email address. You will then be able to enter a ballot to apply for the tickets - this is the fairest way of giving everyone a chance to be at Birmingham 2022. As the host region, those who live in the West Midlands can apply to enter an early release of tickets from 14 – 30 July.* Then, the majority of tickets will be available in the Main Ballot in September 2021. If you would like to learn more about tickets, including which areas are covered by the West Midlands ticket ballot, check out the Games’ <a href="https://www.birmingham2022.com/">website</a>. In just over a year’s time, you could witness history in the making as next year’s exceptional lineup of athletes go for gold. In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about Steven and the rest of the team behind Dance With Stago, check out their website <a href="https://www.dancewithstago.co.uk/">HERE</a>. Make the West Midlands proud! Sign up to get involved with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games *West Midlands residents only. Subject to online registration, availability and T&Cs. Find out more at birmingham2022.com. <h6>Featured image credit: Birmingham2022</h6>

Spotlight You: How Birmingham’s welcoming community inspired the founder of dance company

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