A fun & creative dance club using urban dance styles
Thursday’s 5pm – 6pm
Open to children aged 10 to 14 years
Dance Woking’s new Street Dance Club will use different urban and street dance styles with a focus on having fun, learn some new moves and get fit in a creative weekly dance club.
Thursday 2 November until Thursday 14 December
The dance sessions will include warm up/cool down, choreography and also creative movement where dancers will be encouraged to get involved.
Free taster session on 2 November – booking essential follow this link:HERE
Dance Woking is partnering with Freedom Leisure and being supported by Shanly Foundation and Arts Council England
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CPD for professional dancers
Dance Woking is delighted to be hosting a CPD workshop led by Akademi Dance in conjunction with their highly acclaimed performance Plastic Drastic Fantastic created for children and their families
Venue: Buzz Studio, 1st Floor Peacocks Shopping Centre (next to Nail bar), Victoria Way, Woking, GU21 6GH
Time: 10.30am – 2.30pm
Fee: £20.00 includes a 2 hour professional dancer CPD & a ticket to see Plastic Drastic Fantastic
Plastic….is it friend or foe? Remarkable or rubbish? Helpful or harmful? Dance Woking is pleased to be able to present Plastic Drastic Fantastic a contemporary dance theatre work for children and their families created by Akademi Dance. This has been made possible following funding support received from an Arts Council England Project Grant.
For more information and to book your place click HERE
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Dance Woking is recruiting
Various roles including Project Coordinator, Dance Teachers, Holiday Club Assistants
Freelance Project Coordinator, up to £13.50/hour
This is a key role working alongside the Engagement Manager. This position is offered on a fixed term freelance basis to help enable Dance Woking to build its audience base and raise its profile within the local community through both community bespoke and targeted community engagement interactions. It is suitable for an enthusiastic, passionate and personable individual to support Dance Woking’s audience development programme, this role will work across both community engagement and marketing. More information
Freelance dance Teachers, up to £30/hour
Dance Woking is looking for experienced dance teachers and community practitioners to join our outreach team on a freelance basis. The focus for this work will be to join the delivery team, working in schools and in the local community for the Autumn & Winter 2023/24 where you will be responsible for teaching groups who may or may not have dance experience. More information
Holiday Club Assistants, Minimum wage
Dance Woking is looking for holiday club dance assistants to join us on a part-time basis to support our Autumn 2023 programme of activities. The focus for this work will be to join our experienced delivery team, working in the local community where you will be responsible for assisting in all elements of the programme. More Information
Trustees, no renumeration
Dance Woking is seeking new Trustees to join its Board. Interested in a new opportunity to lead and influence a dance charity?
It’s a challenging time for Dance Woking as we develop and create a new strategic direction following changes in funding. We are looking for new trustees to support the organisation as we change and adapt to meet the changing needs within the community and environment. We are seeking candidates with experienced in fundraising, corporate social responsibility, environmental, health, financial management, social media, marketing, education, entrepreneurial enterprises, IT, legal, the local community. more information
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Dance Woking Trustees and CEO statement
In response to the recent announcement in the local and national press regarding the funding cuts enforced by Woking Borough Council, Dance Woking maybe forced to close in March 2024. The loss of Woking Borough Council’s funding has a significant impact on the sustainability of the charity’s future; we will continue our activities until March 2024 made possible by funding from Arts Council England, Surrey Community Foundation, Active Surrey (Club4) and Shanly Foundation who value the breadth of Dance Woking’s work.
Dance Woking has been providing dance led opportunities since 1994, over the years we have changed our approach to support our evolving community. Our work is essential to the physical and mental wellbeing of the thousands of people we engage and empower. With the funding we received from Woking Borough Council, we raise a further 60% plus of match funding to ensure we can deliver the opportunities and support that the Woking community needs through Trusts and income raised from individuals through workshop fees and ticket sales.
Over the next six months we will continue to seek additional sources of funding and ways to diversify our income to become more sustainable. We are acutely aware of the impact our closure would have on the local community and the team of highly qualified and experienced dance artists and professional companies we employ and work with to deliver our programme.
Through our work Dance Woking reaches thousands of individuals throughout the town’s diverse communities, from young people considered ‘hard-to-reach’ and ‘under-privileged’ to refugees and those living with dementia; our support goes beyond dance class provision.
Dance in Woking is vital; it is an extremely versatile activity. For over 29 years our work has supported the local community’s mental health and wellbeing; improved their fitness; and engaged and empowered Woking’s diverse communities. By providing this support on their own turf, we’ve reduced social inequalities through watching, engaging and performing dance, that without Dance Woking are out of reach for many people. Through our work we make a difference to the lives of individuals. This summer we delivered a project with Woking based SEN School The Park, which resulted in multiple profound benefits, the impact on one student, was described by his teacher: “The power of dance offered to this young man in a safe, nurturing environment, had developed his confidence, helped him to regulate his emotions, involved his whole family and invoked a huge sense of pride in them all.”
In the past week we have worked with the over 65s at Kingsley Care Home and Brockhill Residential Centre as part of our Travelling Tea Dance Tour. The impact of this work on individuals is felt on multiple levels, one attendee said “I have MS. I can go out, it takes a lot of effort and planning… I also realise I can focus on what I can do, other than what I can’t. I can join in here in my own way” another said “My husband died two weeks ago. I felt really down this morning, not having a good day. This activity has picked me up a bit. I feel slightly lighter.”
We also delivered an enrichment day at Knaphill School to inspire, educate and boost confidence through dance as they start the new term. The day promoted teamwork, resilience and new experiences for the young people involved. In the last 12 months almost 4000 individuals participated in a Dance Woking led activity.
If you are interested in the work of Dance Woking and would like to offer your support during these uncertain times please get in touch, we’d love to hear from individuals, as well as organisations looking to collaborate. We can accept donations online https://www.dancewoking.com/donate-now/and if you are interested in volunteering or joining our board of trustees please complete the contact form on our website: https://www.dancewoking.com/contact/
Main Photo: Dance Woking on the road with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Doorstep Duets, in July 2023. Widening arts access, enabling high quality, inspirational and impactful arts to reach and engage local communities.
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Fantastic Fun at Lakeview
Dance Woking had a fun filled day of action at Lakeview Fun Day on Saturday 12 August supporting the entertainment field bringing community dance, participation and professional dance to the event. Despite the bouts of torrential rain that threatened to disrupt the day, the local community turned out in support of this great event. Featured photo: Mayor of Woking, Cllr M Ilyas Raja
Opening the event and introducing the first community dance group was event organiser Lorraine Golli on behalf of Lakeview Community Action Group (LCAG). Amala, a modern fusion style Bellydance Troupe, delighted the audience with their coordinated outfits and colourful skirts and percussion. Performing an improvised piece they were well received and set the tone for the rest of the day. If you are interested in taking up belly dancing new members for the start of their new season in September are welcome: To find out more enquire HERE
Amala with their modern fusion Bellydance
Time for action, Dance Woking’s Maypole expert Nicky led the first Maypole dancing workshop of the day, with participants, made up of performers and some willing residents showed off their coordination and dancing skills. Sam McCaffrey, CEO & Artistic Director Dance Woking said, ‘We have been working at Lakeview Community Centre for a number of years now including bringing dance to various Youth Groups, including Young Carers. More recently and this summer we have been delivering our Hunky Dory Holiday Dance Club for children aged 8 to 11 years old, supported by funding from Club4 managed by Active Surrey. We have really enjoyed the opportunity to partner with LCAG to bring inspirational dance activity to the local community and join other users of Lakeview Community Centre to highlight the opportunities and support for residents that is available locally‘.
Maypole Dancing with Dance Woking
Inbetween the dance platforms highly talented local musicians performed. They hailed from St Andrews Church, Goldsworth Park, music club nights. The morning sessions saw Matt Kitsell & Friends perform followed by Serious Skittle.
MCDC performed their highly acclaimed and entertaining piece ‘Fish Out of Water’
This family-friendly outdoor dance performance used hip hop, interactive sculptures & responsive music to explore themes of belonging, otherness, displacement & migrancy.
Graham Kirby-Smith & friends performed next on music stage followed by Global Grooves, Langton in full African headgear supported by MCDC’s wrapper.
Audience members had the opportunity to join in the performance with African drums and shakers.
Bellytricks, a local belly dance group based in Brookwood, performed to a lively piece of music, entertaining the crowds with their coordinated movement and colourful costumes. If you’d like to try this fun dance form, the group are seeking new members. To find out more enquire HERE
NIcky was back in action with the second Maypole workshop. This time it was an intergenerational affaire, with the sun making a welcome appearance.
Alex (Spacific) Brown took to the music stage followed the amazing beautiful voice of Jackie Cohen.
MCDC’s second performance had a surprising guest, Mayor of Woking, Cllr M Ilyas Raja, join the participation element to the delight of those watching.
Closing the event, following the grand prize draw (and there were lots of amazing prizes), by Lorraine Golli (LCAG) supported by leader of the Council Cllr Anne-Marie Barker, were highly acclaimed band Cajun Boogaloo. With over 300 local people supporting the event it was a truly great day out. Dance Woking was able to attend the fun day following funding support from Surrey Community Action, Sparks Fund; Arts Council England’s Project Grants Fund and Woking Borough Council.
Dance Woking has a series of opportunities from experienced community dance artists to those just starting out on their journey into community dance. For further details follow the link: HERE
Alongside the paid opportunities we are also seeking volunteers to support the organisation through joining our Board. For details about Trustee roles please follow the link: HERE
Outreach team learning a dance routine
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Lakeview Community Fun Day
Saturday 12 August, 11am – 4pm
Dance Woking is preparing to attend Lakeview Community Fun Day on Saturday 12 August
We are delighted to have received funding support from Woking Sparks Fund to be able to participate in the day. Along with an opportunity to try Maypole Dancing, MCDC will perform their highlighly engaging and entertaining piece ‘Fish Out of Water’
Dance Woking received funding from the Club4 Scheme managed by Active Surrey to host 4 weeks of holiday clubs for children aged 8 to 11 years old. Starting last week at Lakeview Community Centre, 20 children enjoyed 3 days of fun, dance and creative activity. The children learned some dance movement which they then developed adding their own moves. Created their own bug hotels and learnt how to make hummus.
We have sold out this holiday week’s club at The Maybury Centre, but still have a few places on next week’s club taking place on Wednesday 9, Thursday 10 and Friday 11 August at Horsell Village Hall.
If you are interested please book via the website link: HERE
Mercia Walk, Woking Town Centre (next to Christ Church)
Dance woking is delighted to be once again partnering with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures to bring you ‘Doorstep Duets’ to Woking. There will be a FREE to watch, public performance at 5pm in Woking Town Centre. Returning for a third summer, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, in partnership with Farnham Maltings, brings Doorstep Duets to communities across the South East. Featuring New Adventures dancers, the Doorstep Duets programme showcases original choreography by upcoming artists in outdoor spaces and non-traditional performance venues, bringing the joy and wonder of dance to all.
Glenn Graham, Resident Artist, and acclaimed New Adventures company dancer has created Back to Us; a new work that explores the importance of friendship and the need for connection.
In a small town there are three best friends. They are companions, a team, a crew, and their entire world revolves around each other. School, relationships, and family, together they can face it all. But as they grow up, life tests their connection as they are separated and forced to face the tests of love, compassion, and loyalty.
There are friendships that endure and there are friendships that fade away; either way they make us who we are.
Glenn Graham has been passionate about taking dance work into the community since starting his career at New Adventures back in 2003, he feels that everyone should experience the power of expression through movement, giving people insight to their creative mind.
“Doorstep Duets is a programme that means such a lot to me. I didn’t get to experience anything like this growing up, so to have the opportunity to share my ideas through the joy of dance with local communities is such as honour”
Sam McCaffrey CEO/Artistic Director, Dance Woking, “We are delighted to be working with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures again this summer, to be able to tour this amazing dance company to bring joy and inspire communities. Thursday 13 July sees the company visit 3 schools, an assisted living centre and finish the day with a public performance in Woking Town Centre. As a charity, Dance Woking is able to support this initiative as we are supported by Woking Borough Council and Surrey Community Foundation“.
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First two weeks Holiday clubs now fully booked
Dance Woking’s Hunky Dory Summer Holiday is now fully booked for the first two weeks of the summer holidays. If you’d like to take part, we still have places on 9 to 11 August and 16 to 18 August.
