Samba group lights up Weymouth for opening night of Paralympics (From Dorset Echo)

Samba group lights up Weymouth for opening night of Paralympics

11:00am Thursday 30th August 2012 in Weymouth and Portland Sailing Olympics and Paralympics 2012 News

A FLAVOUR of South America lit up the opening ceremony night as the sound of samba was heard across Weymouth Bay.

The Street Heat band drew crowds outside the ICCI360 Dome as late evening sunshine punctuated the clouds.

People stamped their feet and clapped along.

Sebastian Mitschke and his family from Germany enjoyed the music.

He said: “It was perfect, very good.”

Bournemouth filmmaker Lou Pack said she had really enjoyed the performance.

She said: “I thought it was great, terrific, I really enjoyed it.

“What I liked most was that they were all enjoying themselves and smiling.”

Mrs Pack was showing a film at the dome.

She said: “It’s called ‘All in the Same Boat’, and it reflects the statement of the Paralympics because it’s about sailing in a Jubilee Trust sailing ship.

“It’s people of all abilities both able-bodied and disabled all sailing in a tall ship.”

She added: “The Paralympics to me means diversity and achievement.”

She said that it was ‘wonderful’ that both the Olympics and Paralympics had been embraced by the British people.