As part of our ambition to create a thriving local dance community we wanted to showcase some of our excellent schools that are on our Dance Surrey Directory. Today we are thrilled to introduce you to Zambesi Dance Company as part of our Take Part Tuesday Campaign.

Established in 2010 and based in Surrey, Zambesi Dance Company provides an exciting blend of performance and choreographic opportunities for young people aged 11 – 19. We pride ourselves on our creative and individual approach to dance, inspiring young people to explore their own ideas through movement. Our mission is to provide high quality, affordable dance training for young people, empowering them to become independent thinkers and movers.

Dance Surrey Directory is a NEW refreshed platform-listing site designed to help the dance community increase their reach and for those seeking dance classes to find out what’s on offer in Surrey. With new search options this is a comprehensive tool which we hope will help promote dance classes and encourage new sign-up.

Are you a local dance school and would like to benefit from being showcased on our platform? You can find out more about the listing service and member benefits here

We are thrilled to be able to be back into the theatre this November and we have a wonderful programme of performances for you all to enjoy!

Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th November sees our Young Dancemakers take to the stage to showcase their take on ‘Our Precious Planet ‘

Thursday 18th November sees Tavaziva’s final stop on their touring production of ‘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.

And finally, the Innovate Contemporary Dance Platform returns on Saturday 20th November with schools and companies from Woking and the surrounding area showcasing their students’ talents on stage!

All ticket information can be found on our what’s on section.

We can’t wait to welcome you back into the theatre!

As part of our ambition to create a thriving local dance community we wanted to showcase some of our excellent schools that are on our Dance Surrey Directory. Today we are thrilled to introduce you to The Urban Dance School as part of our Take Part Tuesday Campaign.

The Urban Dance School teaches anyone and everyone to dance, from beginner to professional standard, aged between 5 to adult.

Our classes are friendly and enjoyable and we teach the following street styles on a weekly basis across the south west of England: hip hop, Breakin, popping, house, waacking, locking, acro, improvisation and of course choreography. All teachers are top level industry professionals

You can find out more about The Urban Dance School by visiting our Dance Surrey Directory. Here you will be able to find out more about what they offer and contact them directly.

Dance Surrey Directory is a NEW refreshed platform-listing site designed to help the dance community increase their reach and for those seeking dance classes to find out what’s on offer in Surrey. With new search options this is a comprehensive tool which we hope will help promote dance classes and encourage new sign-up.

Are you a local dance school and would like to benefit from being showcased on our platform? You can find out more about the listing service and member benefits here

As part of our ambition to create a thriving local dance community we wanted to showcase some of our excellent schools that are on our Dance Surrey Directory. We start our Take Part Tuesday campaign today with Woking Dance Space.

Woking Dance Space are a non profit organisation, providing dance and exercise classes for adults, no matter what their age, experience or previous training. Woking Dance Space is unique in that classes are offered for all age ranges, from young adults to senior citizens. We run classes in many dance disciplines, hold special events and performances and provide a forum for people to meet and explore what is both a creative and beneficial interest.

With ages ranging from seventeen to seventy, every ability is covered from complete beginner through to examination standards.

You can find out more about Woking Dance Space by visiting our Dance Surrey Directory. Here you will be able to find out more about what they offer and contact them directly.

Dance Surrey Directory is a NEW refreshed platform-listing site designed to help the dance community increase their reach and for those seeking dance classes to find out what’s on offer in Surrey. With new search options this is a comprehensive tool which we hope will help promote dance classes and encourage new sign-up.

Are you a local dance school and would like to benefit from being showcased on our platform? You can find out more about the listing service and member benefits here

Dance Woking have secured the funding to once again run our extremely popular Hunky Dory Holiday Club this December! Run in partnership with Club4, we will be running our Hunky Dory Christmas Club during the Christmas holidays at Surrey Arts Studio.

The Hunky Dory Christmas Holiday Club will run from Monday 20th December – Wednesday 22nd December 9.30 – 3.00pm

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 Christmas Club is suitable for children in Primary School Year 4 to Year 6. Registration starts each day from 9.30, with a jam packed day of activities until 2.30pm.

We are also excited to be able to provide Hot food each day to all participants from a specified menu which includes both vegetarian and meat options, plus we can cater for other dietary requirements.

At Dance Woking we believe in creating active and engaging opportunities to inspire the younger generation. Our Hunky Dory Christmas 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.

Bookings can be made for the full 3 day block or for individual days. To book your place please click the button below

Discounts are available for block bookings and those eligible for Free School meals.

If you currently receive Free School Meals or are on Pupil Premium please contact us and we can offer you further support or if you have any additional queries or concerns about accessibility for participants or to apply directly then please email ellie@dancewokingltd.onmicrosoft.com

Monday 18th November saw the eagerly anticipated New Adventures Doorstep Duets Film premiere and we can’t wait to share it with you.

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.

New Adventures captured some amazing footage throughout their nationwide tour and we are thrilled to be able to finally share it with you.

New Adventures presents “A Doorstep Duet”

Directed by Paul Smethurst

Created and Devised by Kerry Biggin, Etta Murfitt and Paul Smethurst

Performed by Benjamin Bazeley, Alistair Beattie, Stephanie Billers, Isaac Bowry,

Ben Brown, Harrison Dowzell, Cameron Flynn, Bryony Harrison,

Shoko Ito, Monique Jonas, Daisy May Kemp, Dominic North,

Catrin Thomas and Bryony Wood

Produced by Stephen Daly

Stage Managers: Nicki Barry, Eleanor Butcher, Owen Collick, Kirsty MacDiarmid,

Silky Morrison, Ben Sheekey, Gaz Wall, Claire Wilmore and Sammi Woolard

Filmed and edited by Kaasam Aziz

A special thank you to Alex Ringham and Farnham Maltings

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. 

We will be sharing our own highlights film in due course so keep your eyes peeled.

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

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