The weekend of 10th September saw a unique installation pop up in Woking’s Peacock Shopping Centre.

The installation was a unique performance of kanthas and kathak dance narrating local stories originated during Covid lockdown and took over an empty unit in Woking’s Peacock Shopping Centre to aid reimagining perceptions and conventions of a performance stage. Shoppers became audience members as they were transported into a world of creative dance and art with some commenting that it was “the best 20 minutes of my day”

Dance Woking and Women’s Liaise Centre, Woking, partnered with Amina Khayyam Dance Company (AKDC), to engage with our connected community groups and schools using online apps to create art and movement using Kantha to embroider their experiences and stories.

AKDC has taken the stories and created a Kathak (South Asian Dance) inspired installation, which was performed alongside a live music score from Borodin’s Nocturne, adapted by a creative team, featuring internationally acclaimed artists for Indian instrumentation.

Dance Woking were supported by Arts Council England, The National Lottery Awards for All Scheme and Woking Borough Council.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Dance Woking is pleased to be able to offer an opportunity for you to take a class with Tavaziva Dance dancers, where they will share some movement from Boy’s Khaya on Saturday 30 October followed by networking at Boy‘s Khaya on Thursday 18 November.

Saturday 30th October – CPD Dance Workshop with Tavaziva Dance: 9.30am -11.00am at Surrey Arts Studio, Westfield Primary School, Bonsey Lane, Woking, GU22 9PR. Free Parking near school available

Thursday 18th November – Boy’s Khaya performance at Rhoda McGaw Theatre, The Ambassadors, Victoria Way, Woking GU21 6GQ with the opportunity to network pre and post performance.

Ticket for the CPD dance class and theatre trip £20.00*

Discount available for Dance Surrey PRO and Dance Surrey Directory Members

BOY’S KHAYA

Powerfully moving and personal, BOY’S KHAYA is the latest work and account of Bawren Tavaziva’s early life in Zimbabwe told through a mesmerising combination of Contemporary, Ballet and African dance, with a music and spoken-word soundtrack. Artistic Director Bawren Tavaziva has created a deeply relevant new work that questions who we are today in this divided world. Performed by five outstanding Dancers, post-colonialism and injustice create a rich source of untold truths in BOY’S KHAYA making this extraordinary thought-provoking work a comment on what it is to be human.

More details on Tavaziva can be found here

We are thrilled to be bringing our Young Dance Makers platform back to Rhoda McGaw Theatre in November! Work has already started with our partner schools & outreach team and it is set to be full of talented inspired dancers from our inspired learning programme.

The platform will be our first live performance with our school groups since February 2020 and we cannot wait to welcome them back to the theatre.

Young Dancemakers platform gives children at local schools and colleges the opportunity to perform in a professional theatre. As well as being encouraged to develop and input into the making of the piece, the dancers experience the excitement of being backstage, with preshow nerves waiting to perform as well as the preparation required to perform such as dress and technical rehearsals.

The theme will see the participants explore the wonder of our planet, the changing landscapes, climate change, recycling and becoming greener. The showcase includes Primary, Secondary and higher education students.

Performances will take place on Monday 15th & 16th November 2021 at The Rhoda McGaw Theatre. Ticket information will be released soon.

Our outreach team have begun their inspired learning work with our local partner schools this week and it’s been great to be back!!

Hosting over 18 dance clubs per week, we will be focusing on the theme Our Precious Planet to compliment our extremely popular Hunky Dory Dance Clubs . This term also sees our Young Dance Makers club return as we prepare to take our dancers to the theatre in November again. We can’t wait to see how the participants develop their skills this term! Stay tuned for more updates soon!

Dance Woking’s Inspired Learning Programme is dynamic and responsive to the changing environment, it is delivered in a flexible way to provide opportunities for participants to take part, perform and watch. The different elements of the Inspire programme are linked to enable bring young people and adults get access to outstanding professional dancers and dance companies. We offer both curriculum, extra-curriculum and non-curriculum-based activity. For more information on our Outreach Team click here

In August, Dance Woking partnered with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures to connect communities and individuals who have been isolating due to Covid19. Over two days our team visited 18 different venues in and around Woking bringing the Doorstep Duet tour of live dance to so many within our community. We visited care homes, assisted living venues, residential settings, school activity clubs and saw over 350 people benefit from the performance. Watching the reactions of the lucky audience members  was so inspiring and we were thrilled to bring dance back into so many of their lives again.

This project supports Dance Woking’s work with isolated communities and particularly those over 65 through our weekly online Dance Gold sessions and Social Tea dances.  This project compliments this programme of work as well as the work we deliver in partnership with other communities in and around Woking. 

Thank you to the New Adventures team for coming to Woking and bringing so much happiness to the people we visited!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Following the success of our Hunky Dory Summer Club, Dance Woking are thrilled to announce that we will be offering two 1 day dance, arts & crafts workshops over the October Half Term!

The Activate Holiday club will run on Tuesday 26 October and Thursday 28 October from 10am – 2pm each day.

The club will provide a fun and safe environment for all abilities and whilst there will be dance each day, the focus is on us providing a fun, active and creative week for all participants! No dance experience required!

The club is suitable for children in Primary School Year 4 to Year 6. Registration starts each day from 9.45am*, with a jam packed day of activities starting from 10am.

At Dance Woking we believe in creating active and engaging opportunities to inspire the younger generation. Our Activate Holiday Club aims to promote health and well being whilst also allowing children to find new ways of expressing themselves. Our highly qualified and experienced team will lead a range of creative activities including daily dance sessions and arts and crafts activities.

Each day is priced at £15 with block booking discounts available on request. You can book your place via our website here. Please contact us for more details on block bookings

It’s that time of year and we are once again looking for local dance groups who would like to perform at our Contemporary Community Platform INNOVATE on Saturday 20 November 2021 at Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking.

Groups must be working mainly in Contemporary dance, all ages and abilities are welcome. Please note that there is a registration fee of £35.00 per group.

For your chance to take part, please complete the apply here. The deadline to apply is Thursday 30th September.

Dance Surrey Directory Members benefit from discounted rates to participate in our platforms. Dance Schools can become members of Dance Surrey Directory at anytime throughout the year. To find out more please visit our Dance Surrey Directory page

Dance Woking are now actively recruiting for new graduates to join our Outreach Teaching Team. If you have just graduated from a dance course or are an experienced freelance dance teacher we would love to hear from you!

We are now delivering in person dance sessions and are looking to expand our teaching team. A well-established network of freelancers support Dance Woking’s small-dedicated staff team. For more information contact us or to apply please visit our opportunities page

Inspired by Dance Woking’s Imagine Kantha Project, the installation will be based within Woking’s Peacock Shopping Centre from Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th September.

A unique performance/ installation of kanthas and kathak dance narrating local stories originated during Covid lockdown, taking over of a local empty unit in Woking’s Peacock Shopping Centre, reimagining perceptions and conventions of the performance stage.

Dance Woking and Women’s Liaise Centre, Woking, partnered with Amina Khayyam Dance Company (AKDC), to engage with our connected community groups and schools using online apps to create art and movement using Kantha to embroider their experiences and stories.

AKDC has taken the stories and created a Kathak (South Asian Dance) inspired installation, which will be performed alongside a live music score from Borodin’s Nocturne, adapted by a creative team, featuring internationally acclaimed artists for Indian instrumentation.

Dance Woking were supported by Arts Council England, The National Lottery Awards for All Scheme and Woking Borough Council.

AKDC were supported by Brunel Arts with support from Arts Council England, The National Lottery Community Fund, zeroculture/The Artta, Awaami Arts Associates, Collage Arts and Dallow Community Centre.

For more information, to register your interest or to book tickets click here:

It’s finally September which means our fabulous Autumn CPD programme can commence!

Our first in person event is on Thursday 9th September sees our in person seated dance CPD with the brilliant Kate Finegan. This event is open to all and will be a fabulous opportunity to learn a new skill to help your dance practice. Click here to book your place today!

Dance Woking has secured some exceptional CPD and Creative Industry Insights for the Autumn. Forthcoming insights include seated dance (in September), Wellbeing (in October) to fundraising (in November). We hope that within this blended offer there something that appeals to you. If you have a CPD idea or Creative Industry Professional you would like us to consider as part of our programme please do let us know.

CPD events are available to book via our website and are open to all. Creative Industry Insights are exclusively for Dance Surrey Directory and Dance Surrey PRO members only and booking details will be sent out via email.

You too can join our thriving local dance community by signing up here