Our SiD trio ‘Welcoming the Dawn’ was really well received at The FEAST Festival in Malvern. It’s great to tour a piece and see the performances, shine, develop and adapt to all the different spaces we visit.
We also had a fantastic time dancing with participants in our workshop. It felt like everyone enjoyed dancing and celebrating the dawn together.
Huge thanks to the festival its always such a treat to be part of FEAST – Theatre Festival and we felt so warmly welcomed.
We stayed for the afternoon performance of Out of the Box by Daryl Carrington and it was a real treat, such a skilful funny and entertaining show and it felt good to be part of an incredible festival audience.
We enjoyed warming up and performing in this beautiful space to an audience of nursing / care staff and patients.
The SiD team then led an informal, light and fun movement workshop which really lifted the spirits and energy of everyone present.
The images above are of our dancers warming up and performing as part of our visit.
Big thanks to the Arts and Health team and everyone at the hospital for welcoming us.
Our tour of Welcoming the Dawn to venues, schools and community groups across the Shropshire region is supported by Shropshire Council as part of ‘This Is Shropshire’ programme
Watch this beautiful short film sharing how our SiD’s community of dancers created our show ‘Sunset to Sunrise’ and the impact it had on our dancers and the audience.
´Sunrise to Sunset´ was performed on July 10th at Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury. A cast of 35 diverse dancers from SiD´s classes, groups plus our own Contact Dance Company performed this beautiful reflection of a day on earth.
It was an amazing event that bought us all together
Moments from the rehearsals and performance plus thoughts from our performers and audience were captured by filmmaker Calum Barre.
Enjoy the film !
Click on the image above to watch the film !
We feel the film captures beautifully what SiD is all about community, connection and the experience of dancing and sharing dance together.
Please share this post with your friends, colleagues and family !
Shropshire Inclusive Dance (SiD) is touring an exciting inclusive performance and workshop experience to events, festivals, schools, colleges, and community groups across the Shropshire and West Midlands region this autumn. Touring to The Feast Festival Malvern, Southall School, Telford, Severndale Acedemy, Shrewsbury, Working Together Ludlow, to name just a few.
In July, SiD created an energetic, playful, and poignant trio, `Welcoming the Dawn,´ as part of their Sunrise to Sunset show at Theatre Severn. The trio is performed by two upcoming and talented SiD dancers, Beth Gardiner and Georgie Dawson, alongside SiD dance artist Anna Belyavin.
The piece explores the act of beginning a new day, welcoming the sun and the changes it brings. Choreographer and Co-Artistic Director Rachel Liggitt describes the piece.
´The dancers bring in a new day, shedding the previous one and all its woes, by using touch, weight, momentum, balance, and flow as they journey together towards a new beginning´
The performance and workshop experience includes witnessing the performance up close and exploring the themes of the dance in a creative and enjoyable workshop led by SiD´s inclusive team of dancers with and without disabilities.
Connection, togetherness, and joy of dancing are at the heart of SiD, and they will be sharing these qualities with all the groups they work with.
The tour has been made possible by funding from Shropshire County Council´s´ Vibrant Shropshire: a Cultural Compact secured funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund , Arts Council England, and The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust.
An incredible cast of dancers bring in a new day, using touch, weight, momentum, balance, flow and connection, celebrating how we move through the day and how the day moves us.
Wow what a night !
Shropshire Inclusive Dance is so proud of all the performers, our hard-working team and so thankful to such a brilliant and supportive audience. Sunrise to Sunset was a huge success.
Dancers, you were amazing ! Performing with creativity, connection, virtuosity and so much heart.
The show was presented by the wonderful Gareth Price-Baghurst, who wove our story of the day together with his writing expertise, charm, gravitas, poetry and humour.
Our wonderful SiD groups – Create, Highflyers, Thrive, Darwin Dancers, and Contact Dance Company created work to express and animate our experiences of the day from Sunrise to Sunset.
Our team of dance artists and specialists including Anna Belyavin, Delphine Wise, Cat Merrick, Julie Wright & Rosie Hayward worked with each group, supporting them to tell their stories and to shine.
Envisaging and bringing the show together has been satisfying and hard work for SiD Artistic Directors Rachel Liggitt ,Ray Jacobs and SiD Manager Jo Wright, but seeing the artistry expressed and joy that dance brings to everyone involved sure makes it worthwhile.
Comments from the audience.
‘The performance last night was inspirational. The concept of weaving a story into the performance was brilliant. Often you can be left feeling why was that show called what it was. So, Sunrise to sunset was clear and apparent throughout and made you feel you were indeed being taken on a journey.’
The show included those beautiful lanterns created by Amanda Hillier (Hillier Designs) and our costumes were cared for and tailored by our Wardrobe Supervisor Sue Hall.
Big thanks to Cal Barre and Theatre Severn technical staff who created a beautifully lit stage and operated sound and lights, the Hive Shrewsbury venue for supporting us throughout the programme of classes and dance making and The Gateway Centre supporting our classes through Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College.
Many thanks to our Stage Manager Rachael Holbrook who kept us all calm, focused and organised on stage, and the extra support from Richard Edwards.
Also, a shout out to our board members supporting our front of house on the night and Ellen Purse who worked hard to support our marketing of the event.
SiD was supported by the presence and words of The Worshipful Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Wagner.
More comments from the audience.
‘The performance was skilfully put together, and Gareth’s guidance through the evening tied all the threads together with ease. The performers shone and it was beautiful to see how individuals could shine through while watching a true company perform. All a reflection on how wonderfully SiD hold and guide your work.’
‘I left feeling light and energised for my journey home, which journeyed through the sunset and then I got to spend time with the full Stag Moon which was orange, huge and low in the sky – it felt like it was guiding me home.’
It is our funders who have made this event possible. We would like to acknowledge the support of The True Colours Trust, Shropshire Council , Arts Council England, EnergizeShropshire, Telford & Wrekin , Actio Shropshire, Fabric, Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College,The Basil Houghton Memorial Trust, Shropshire Community Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund.
.All photographs are beautifully taken by Ming de Nasty, more images will follow soon
Wow what a night ! SiD is so proud of all the performers and dance makers who shared their work at this fantastic event. We are also so thankful to such a brilliant and supportive audience.
It was great to share our dancing at the lovely Theatre Severn, Walker Theatre, It felt like a full house and it was good for everyone to perform on a large sized stage with excellent sound and lighting.
The show was presented by the wonderful Makaton signing MC, Sam Stephens. Sam introduced dance films and performances by our regular classes, Create, Highflyers, Thrive, Darwin Dancers, our special guests Tom N Rob and SiD’s Contact Dance Company.
Envisaging and bringing the show together was satisfying and hard work for SiD Artistic Directors Rachel Liggitt & Ray Jacobs and SiD manager Jo Wright, but seeing the artistry expressed and joy that dance brings to everyone involved sure makes it worthwhile.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank, the audience for supporting and witnessing the show, all the dancers, SiD’s dance artists and specialist dance support workers who worked so hard to support and create these works.
Big thanks to Calum Barre and Theatre Severn technical staff who created a beautifully lit stage and operated sound and lights, Hive Shrewsbury venue for supporting us throughout the programme of classes and dance making.
Also a shout out to our board members, Parent Carer Council Shropshire – PACC volunteers and Ellen Purse who worked hard to support our marketing of the event, and of course our funders who make so much of this possible. Vibrant Shropshire , Shropshire Council , Arts Council England, The Inclusive Communities Fund, Actio Shropshire, Fabric, Herefordshire Ludlow and North Shropshire College, The Mid Counties Co-op and William A Cadbury Trust.
We received some lovely comments from the audience
“The most wonderful evening. Heart full and beyond inspired personally, creatively, everything. What a community. So incredibly special. Huge congratulations everyone”
“The audience were blown away by the skills, the emotions brought together by intricate and sensitive movement, the sheer joy of expression, the fun and acrobatic unfolding of stories and uplifting music, all held seamlessly together by Sam”
“The work and enthusiasm of all involved was truly impressive. There was a palpable sense of creative spirituality throughout the performances. This is what dance is about and it was a privilege to be present”
All photographs below are beautifully taken by Ming de Nasty, featuring Create.Highflyers, Tom N Rob, The Encore, Darwin Dancers, Thrive and Contact Dance Company.
A one-day workshop led by Tom N Rob On Tuesday 5th December 2023 10am – 4.30pm at the Gateway Centre, Shrewsbury SY1 1NB Cost – £30
Join Contact Dance Company for a one-day workshop led by Tom N Rob. Tom and Rob (Tom Bright and Rob Hemming) are dance theatre artists who make and perform dance, celebrating their shared love of dance, theatre, laughter and improvisation. Their combination of physical energy, partner work, great dancing and comedy has wowed audiences wherever they perform.
The workshop is open to Contact Dance Company dancers and people who are D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent and non-disabled, who have previous high level dance experience. We would particularly like to reach out to dancers based in Shropshire or the West Midlands who don’t regularly dance with SiD.
In the workshop, Tom N Rob will be sharing how they dance and make dances together through their non-verbal creative practice. On the day you will also get to watch their most recent short film ‘Happy Okay Mate’ which will inform some of the workshop content. The workshop will explore Partner skills, improvisation and creating work in duets and small groups. They will give an insight how to use these tools for choreography.
Contact Dance Company are an inclusive dance company produced by Shropshire Inclusive Dance. CDC meets to explore and experience dancing together, to express artistry through dance and to create powerful contemporary dance performance.
How to Book Please email on officesidance@gmail.com to request a place on the workshop, If places are available we will then send a booking form with payment details.
About The Venue. The workshop will take place at The Gateway, Chester Street Shrewsbury.
The Gateway is an accessible venue. There are a range of facilities including lifts to all floors, wide corridors and electrical opening entrance doors.
There are 3 Disabled Parking Spaces
The venue is close the train station and town centre car parks. There is some on street parking close to the venue.
For more information, or to talk to us about what you might need to be able to access the workshop, please email SiD’s Co artistic director Ray Jacobs at directorsidance@gmail.com or call him on 07817194644
SiD shared a fantastic night of dance film and dance performances with a packed audience at The Hive in Shrewsbury.
Groups from SiDs weekly classes and its new project for 16 – 30 yr olds Darwin Dancers, shared amazing dances on film and on stage.
The evening culminated with the premiere of SiDs new professional touring piece ‘Here There Everywhere’
The new work choreographed by Siobhan Hayes and performed by Mervyn Bradley, Chander van Daatselaar, Beth Gardiner and Anna Belyavin was immensely enjoyed by the appreciative audience.
Below is a film of the evening created by Calum Barre capturing the unique atmosphere, commitment, skills and creativity of all the dancers involved.
Contact Dance Company performed Here There Everywhere to appreciative audiences at The Shrewsbury Food Festival. The work really captured the attention of festival goers, audiences literally stopped in their tracks to watch this powerful & unique work. The short film clip below was created by film Maker Calum Barre to support future touring of this eye catching inclusive dance show,
Our ‘Create’ group had its final class of the autumn term last week. This term we have really celebrated the joys, creativity and connection in moving and dancing together. There have been some beautiful dances, giant leaps forward and much shared laughter. Huge thanks to the participants, they’re carers, the creative team and everyone involved in the class. There are a few places in this Wednesday morning class for next term, we particularly invite people with disabilities who need extra support in participating. Big thanks go to Condover Ciollege who have supported their residents in attanding the classes, Musician Mani Wells who has played beautiful live music and the SiD team Ray Jacobs and Becky Pringle
Shropshire inclusive Dance 