Dance Woking has been partnering with Woking Borough Council to present great dance at Party in the Park representing both the local community dance sector, which is extremely diverse, vibrant and strong as well as professional dance companies since this great free family day was introduced to Woking Park in 2012; moving from a very successful presentation of dance in Woking Town Centre’s Jubilee Square in previous years.

Each year we have filmed our activities at Woking Park featuring a round up of the highlights of the day; we wanted to share these short films with you; in the next few months we will have highlights of this years 2016 record breaking Party in the Park and look forward to posting our video highlights once edited!

To relive past summers with Dance Woking click DanceWokinghighlights

Lucy Field, Chair of Dance Woking, at this years Party in the Park on Saturday 9 July’s record breaking attendance commented ‘Dance Woking were absolutely thrilled at the number of people that enjoyed Party in the Park this year. People were queuing up for our Encounters dance taster-workshop tent, having been inspired by community and professional groups performing throughout the day. The event is always a focus in our calendar, as we really enjoy uniting the community through the diversity of dance styles that Woking has to offer its community – a highlight for me was Burt Roman’s Move Me workshops, and his sublime ability to get everyone dancing!’

Dance Woking would like to thank all the community groups who took part on the day in the Dance Woking showcases on the Main Stage and Encounters Stage, with over 300 dancers on site, this was a great opportunity to highlight what an eclectic dance offer Woking has to offer. We would encourage anyone interested in finding out more to head to our new website and directory

Dance Woking has been hosting a group of participants on their National Citizen Service (NCS) during July. Following a very successful Party in the Park where the participants took part in Dance Woking’s martian parade and flash mob they were back with Dance Woking today, Monday 18 July, volunteering their time to help the organisation. The members split into groups with one group looking at photographs taken for Saturday 9 July go to our facebook page and see the best selected taken by Andrew Brockington. The other tidying up the office and investigating the viability and opportunity for us to host dance classes in Woking. Dance Woking were delighted with the output the 15-16 year olds delivered during their time with us.

Dance Woking lead the sci fi flash mob in the Encounters tent

Acrojou perform The Wheel House in the pop up area Futuristic Field

To see more photos go to: Dance Woking Party in the Park highlights album

Saturday 2 July saw Dance Woking host Encounters in Jubilee Square, a warm-up event to Party in the Park to showcase both community and professional dance companies

There were also opportunities to take part as well as watch great dance.

Leading the Dance Woking Community Dance Showcase and opening the event was First Dance Studio’s Amy Astley’s group followed by Francesca Louise Dance Company.

A torrential donwpour followed, but that didn’t dampen spirits, great performances from Commotion Dance and Amina Khayyam Dance Company followed.

Jane Chan solo from Amina Khayyam Dance Company

Commotion Dance Company performing Little Artist Big Painting

Rain delays!

Chinese Association of Woking – Ladies group

Dance Woking sci-fi dance workshop – great audience participation

Encounters provided a great opportunity for Dance Woking to showcase some great dance in Jubilee Square, Woking despite the tropical weather the afternoon was well received by shoppers in Woking. Dance Woking’s Community Dance Showcase featured the Chinese Association – Ladies group, First Dance Studios’a Amy Astley’s group, Francesca Louise Dance Company, MoveMe with artistic choreographer Bert Romans leading an interacti

The official warm-up event for Party in the Park takes place this weekend in Woking Town Centre.

On Saturday 2 July, Dance Woking is again hosting an interactive taster event in Jubilee Square to delight shoppers and excite partygoers planning to attend Woking’s premier outdoor festival (9 July).

From midday, professional and community dance groups will be previewing their H.G. Wells inspired performances in step with Party in the Park’s science fiction theme, and encouraging you to have a go.

People passing through Jubilee Square this weekend can see

A showcase of community dance talent, at 12noon and 2.15pm, featuring:
• First Dance Studios (Amy Astley)
• Francesca Louise Dance Company
• Street Dance Academy UK- Laci Strike
• Chinese Association Woking

Critically acclaimed performance art from
• Amina Khayyam Dance Co. performing ‘People in the Skies’ – 12.25pm and 2.40pm
• Commotion Dance Co. performing ‘Little Artist, Big Painting’ – 12.55pm and 3.10pm

Take part in free dance workshops
• Learn some Sci-Fi moves with Dance Woking – 12.35pm and 2.50pm
• MoveMe’s Bert Roman will show you just how much you ‘love to boogie’ to T.Rex – 1.35pm and 3.50pm

Responsible for delivering the dance programme at Party in the Park, Sam McCaffrey, Executive Director at Dance Woking, said: “This is the second year we’ve hosted Encounters, which aims to give people a flavour of what’s on offer at Party in the Park on the 9 July in Woking Park.

“Woking is a hotbed for dance and it’s fantastic to be able to showcase both the wealth of talent, and opportunity to participate in dance, that exists locally.

“In Jubilee Square this Saturday, four community groups will be performing the dances they have prepared specially for the Party, so please watch them, applaud loudly, and give them lots of encouragement. You’ll be able to see them again at Party in the Park, performing on the Morrisons Main Stage and in the Encounters Dance tent.

“A real treat for shoppers in the Town Centre this weekend are our two performance acts. Amina Khayyam Dance Co. tours all over the UK and uses Kathak, a type of northern Indian classical dance, combined with mime, as its core narrative. Commotion Dance is planning to draw spectators into its paint-filled world, full of magical movement and daring dance! Watch in awe as the dancers create a visually striking, larger than life painting in the middle of Jubilee Square.

“Everyone’s favourite, MoveMe’s Bert Roman, is back. He’ll be showing you some simple steps to the T.Rex classic, ‘We Love to Boogie’. Join in with him and the Dance Woking instructors to have some fun, learn something, get moving and above all, get in the party spirit!”

Party in the Park takes place on Saturday 9 July, 12noon to 9pm in Woking Park. For further information about this free family event, visit www.celebratewoking.info/partyinthepark

Dance Woking has for the fifth year produced the community dance showcase for the main stage and Encounters Tent at Party in the Park and this year sees an even greater number of groups taking part, there is an exciting and eclectic mix of dance groups showcasing the diversity and make-up of the Borough with over 300 dancers performing in 30 groups taking to one of the two stages in the Futuristic Field. Compering on the main stage for Dance Woking’s showcase is Lucy Field – Chair of Dance Woking.

The community dance groups have taken the sci-fi theme element to inspire their dance performances in their costume and or music; this year you can expect to see some interesting interpretations of what sci-fi means to the groups. The groups performing welcome new members and if anyone watching on the day is interested in making contact, the details of each dance group can be found on Dance Woking’s new website, which has a new dance directory, sign posting all the different dance companies taking part and how to contact them, www.dancewoking.com

As well as bringing the local dance community together to Woking Park, Dance Woking’s Director, Sam McCaffrey,

‘This year I have really enjoyed the challenge of finding and putting together an exciting sci-fi themed based programme of work, bringing new companies to Woking, the performances are exciting and attention grabbing, a mix of professional dance and theatre companies. I hope the Woking audience enjoy this great opportunity to see such high quality performances for free and enjoy a great family day out.’

Link to find out more: