Frustration can be a powerful force for transformation. That feeling, deep, urgent, and persistent, was the beginning of what is now AWA DANCE.
My life as a choreographer has taken me across the globe, engaging with people from many cultures, experiencing their achievements, and witnessing their struggles. One reality was impossible to ignore: women and girls were the ones most often held back, not only in finding opportunities to grow, but in developing the leadership voice needed to step into their full potential.
I realised I had a responsibility to build something beyond myself. Offering individual opportunities in my artistic projects created change, but on too small a scale. What was needed was an infrastructure, a space where women could support each other, and where girls could learn from role models and build confidence through the transformative power of dance to empower their voices. I had no roadmap, no charity experience, but I took the leap! On 28 February 2020, AWA DANCE was officially born.
AWA DANCE sits at the intersection of three powerful areas: Dance, Leadership, and Women and Girls' Issues. A niche, yes, but an essential one. We are contributing to a dance sector and a wider society where women and girls can develop confidence in their physical and mental selves. We are very aware of, and proud to be part of, the work many of you are doing. At the same time, we know that women and girls face specific issues that can be addressed through the medium of dance and our feminist approach.
Although based in Birmingham, AWA DANCE has a national reach. Over the past five years, we have run mentoring programmes, webinars, research projects, safeguarding training for both adults and teenage girls, and developed our own dance and leadership curriculum. In 2025, we introduced a bold new initiative to mark our fifth anniversary: the Girls in Dance Festival.
This was born directly out of listening. In a 2024 survey, teenage girls told us they wanted space to connect with each other, to learn from real women role models, and to experience community without feeling judged or observed. They wanted to talk openly about the issues that affect them, to dance freely without fear of how they looked, and to learn how to produce change. We heard them. And we acted, because that’s who we are: a proactive, responsive organisation driven by care and action.
The Girls in Dance Festival was held in July 2025 and became a powerful celebration of visibility, sisterhood, and transformation. We’re already planning the 2026 edition—better, bigger, and even more inclusive. If you’d like to be involved or can offer support to help us grow the festival, we would love to hear from you.
So, why do teenage girls need these kinds of spaces? Recent research from This Girl Can National Campaign (1) helps explain:
- One in three teenage girls drops out of physical activity because of fear of judgement
- 69% of women say they feel they don’t belong in sport, and this feeling starts young
- Girls are significantly impacted by low self-confidence, body image pressures, and a fear of failure, especially in spaces not tailored to their needs
- "So many women feel they’re not made to get active, or that they don’t belong” – which means the gender activity gap persists.
Through dance, we can build these spaces where these young women are not only welcome, but they are also seen, supported, and celebrated. It’s not about fixing them. It’s about making room for their voices, their movements, and most importantly their leadership power.
Two of our programmes stand out personally for me as milestones. First is the Women in Dance Leadership Award. Visibility matters. Recognising the leadership achievements of women in the sector is just as important as having them in those roles. Invisibility remains one of the biggest challenges women in power face. This award was created to change that. Sadly, we’ve had to pause it due to funding limitations, but we’re open to ideas, financial support, and collaborations that can help us make it happen again.
The second is our Safeguarding Training for Teenage Girls, the first of its kind in the UK. In early 2025, we piloted this training for young women aged 13-21, with a dedicated focus on women and girls. The feedback was overwhelming, not only positive, but eye-opening. The young participants made it clear how important it is to equip them with the tools to recognise, act on, and report safeguarding concerns. As two of our teenage girls shared:
“I have learnt what to look out for, and how to protect myself.”
“I now have a very clearer understanding on how and when you should report a safeguarding issue”.
We will continue delivering this programme throughout the year, online and in person. If you work with young people and want to truly empower them, get in touch. We’d love to have a conversation.
In these five years, we’ve grown from a one-woman orchestra to a small but mighty team of freelancers and volunteers. Shaped by lived experience and guided by feminist values, this team is the beating heart of AWA DANCE. I could not be more proud of all of them, believe me when I say that every team meeting is the highlight of my day!
Our Board of Trustees is equally remarkable. They are not only committed to our mission, but they are also involved, passionate, and bring invaluable expertise to the table. Together, we form a collective of people who deeply believe in the potential of women and girls to lead, on stage, in studios, and across all areas of life.
As we mark five years, we do so with humility and pride. We’re grateful to every person who has trusted us, every organisation that has partnered with us, and every individual giver that has allowed our work to continue. We also know that our work is only just beginning.
It’s a delight to share our work and our journey here. Like many of you, we are doing our best to create a more equitable, caring and empowering sector. Keep going. Do not give up. We are ready for five more years (at least!) and we invite you to collaborate with us professionally, engage with our programmes, or support our vision. We need you. But more importantly: society needs us.
AWA DANCE is ready for the challenges ahead.
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