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
News
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.
News
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.
