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Creative survival
Artwork by sallycoleartist.co.uk
Invitation to be Curious
Date posted: 29 July 2020
A film made with Cecilia Macfarlane and Kirstie Richardson. Made in the first few months of lockdown, this film was created as part of People Dancing’s Summer School 2020 Reimagined programme, an offering of online live and recorded webinars, practice sharings and short films.
Watch here
Parkinson's discussion
Zoom discussion image
Dance with Parkinson’s roundtable discussion
Date posted: 27 July 2020
Cheryl McChesney and Kiki Gale in conversation with artists, producers and dancers bringing together a range of perspectives on dance with people with lived experience of Parkinson's during lockdown.
Access the discussion
Common Dance
Common Dance by Rosemary Lee. Photo: Simon Weir
Rosemary Lee's Common Dance shared (with love)
Date posted: 17 July 2020
Since the 1970s, director, choreographer and performer Rosemary Lee has created projects that revolve around the idea of building relationships and bringing communities together. Here she reflects upon what led her to share Common Dance again in 2020.
Shared (with love) here
Marcia's story
Marcia Edwards.
Knocking on doors with biscuits
Date posted: 09 July 2020
People Dancing Associate Artist Louise Katerega in conversation with dancer and choreographer Marcia Edwards about her transition from dancer to setting up her own community dance company.
Access the conversation
New skills, new normal?
Peter Laycock
Moving, in and out of lockdown
Date posted: 27 June 2020
Arts participation specialist Peter Laycock offers some thoughts around our new ability to deliver digitally and asks us to imagine what we could achieve in the future without the restrictions of lockdown
Read Peter's blog
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter logo
Black Lives Matter
Date posted: 26 June 2020
The Board and Staff of People Dancing stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement (including Black Lives Matter UK) in calling for an end to racist practices, systems and behaviours, inside and outside of the Arts.
Find out more
Additional tips
10 things I've learnt over the past five years
Date posted: 05 June 2020
Creative Director and artist Kwesi Johnson on mindset, methodology and our ability to transition to teaching dance and movement online.
Read Kwesi's blog
Dance delivery online
Tom Hobden
Dance and digital participation
Date posted: 05 June 2020
In this vlog for People Dancing Tom Hobden reflects on his experiences of developing participatory dance delivery online, using digital tools and the art of making a human connection.
Watch Tom's vlog
Artistic courage
Maria da Luz Ghoumrassi. Photo: Foteini Christofilopolous.
Artistic courage under lockdown
Date posted: 05 June 2020
Associate Artist Louise Katerega in conversation with artists and People Dancing Members Jorja Follina and Maria da Luz Ghoumrassi talking about the benefits of a one to one with People Dancing and their very different experiences of dealing with lockdown at such short notice.
Access the conversation
Being together
Dancers Yi Kwek, Stella Mcauly, Maria Evans and Kiera Sanderson. Photo: Sophie Jane Hughes
Love letter to a lost dance
Date posted: 29 May 2020
Dr Ruth Pethybridge, Senior Lecturer, Dance, University of Falmouth and People Dancing Board member invites us, in a bid to articulate the value of our shared practice of dancing, to write a love letter to a lost dance
Read Ruth's blog
Early Years work
Photographer: Zoe Manders
Why Men in Early Years Dance aren't just here for fun!
Date posted: 13 May 2020
George Fellows, dance artist and Co-Artistic Director of Four Hands talks to Liz Clark, Associate Artist for Early Years, about maleness, nurturing and mental and physical health.
Read George's blog
Disabled dance artists
Kate Stanforth in conversation
Five disabled dance artists on issues being faced amid COVID-19
Date posted: 29 April 2020
Professional disabled dance artists and practitioners: Kimberley Harvey, Joseph Issac Powell, Kate Stanforth, Kitty Fedorec and Laura Dajao talk about some of the issues being faced amid COVID-19
Access the discussion
In conversation
Kimberly Harvey
Translation, adaption and inclusion online
Date posted: 29 April 2020
A short film of dance artist Kimberly Harvey and People Dancing’s Director of Engagement Louise Wildish in conversation.
Find out more
Online dance delivery
Iona Waite, Education Programme Manager at ACE Dance and Music and Board member of People Dancing
Creative engagement during online dance class delivery
Date posted: 29 April 2020
Iona Waite, Education Programme Manager at ACE Dance and Music and Board member of People Dancing talks with independent dance artist and practitioner, Lucy Haighton about how to enable creative engagement during online dance class delivery.
Iona & Lucy chat
Facing the challenges
Anna, Dylan and Catherine Zoom meet
Delivering dance classes online
Date posted: 16 April 2020
Join our Director of Learning, Anna Leatherdale in discussion with Dylan Quinn and Catherine Young about the challenges they have faced over the last few weeks of converting their regular classes as independent practitioners into online provision.
Access the discussion
The same language?
Photo: International Olympic Committee
Breaking in the Olympics – the story so far
Date posted: 06 July 2020
In 2019 the World DanceSport Federation successfully got Breaking listed as an Olympic sport. Here, Scottish B-Boy Chaz Bonnar reflects on the Breaking communities divide on the topic and the future within the Olympics
Read Chaz's blog
FREE resources
Director of Development, Ruth Bates
Risk assessment & useful resources list
Date posted: 20 March 2020
It’s a busy time online right now, with lots of fantastic resources and ideas coming at us all left, right and centre. Our Director of Development, Ruth Bates Lee has been keeping an eye on some of the useful FREE resources and useful tools available to help you deliver your work and sustain your practice in the coming weeks. It’s a start, and we’ll be adding to it as things unfold.
Find out more
Invest in yourself
Jasmine Hall. Photo: Sara Hibbert, Danielle Teale Dance, Dancing with Parkinson's Programme
So what are you waiting for?
Date posted: 12 March 2020
People Dancing's Summer School 2020 is just around the corner and we spoke to Community Dance Artist and Young Practitioners Advisory Group member Jasmine Hall about the impact of getting a Young People's bursary and taking part last year
Read Jasmine's blog
New Chair of the Board
Scilla Dyke MBE. Photographer: Gary John Norman
A continuous flow of change
Date posted: 06 February 2020
As Scilla Dyke MBE takes up the position as People Dancing’s new Chair, Scilla shares some reflections on a continuing life-long journey in and through dance
Read Scilla's blog
Guidance and support
People Dancing Summer School 2019. Photo: Rachel Cherry
Developing your safeguarding
Date posted: 13 December 2019
Membership Development Manager and safeguarding lead at People Dancing, Shelley Trevelyan offers some guidance and support in relation to safeguarding
Read Shelley's blog
Lives, needs and challenges
Dr Sara Houston
The freedom that dancing can offer
Date posted: 27 November 2019
Dr. Sara Houston has led prize winning research, speaks internationally on the subject and has just published a book, 'Dancing with Parkinson's' where she illustrates the freedom that dancing can offer to people
Read Sara's blog
A forgotten area?
A version of The Full Monty reimagined. Photo: Sean Goldthorpe
Developing inclusive dance
Date posted: 11 November 2019
Two years on from the 11MRTD strategic tour, Louise Wildish asks Emma Bouch at artsNK, Lincolnshire, if the project really made an impact.
Read more
GOSH what an experience!
Kimberley Harvey. Photo: Roswitha-Chesher
Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital (GOSH)
Date posted: 06 November 2019
Kimberley Harvey has performed in a variety of settings and is an artist for Candoco Dance Company. Kimberley was a Dancer in Residence at GOSH 2017-19, which involved dancing in both outpatient clinics and inpatient wards for and with children, their families and hospital staff.
Read more
New to teaching?
People Dancing's International Conference, Glasgow. Photo: Rachel Cherry
Just graduated? Changing career?
Date posted: 18 September 2019
Join People Dancing’s Associate Artist, Louise Katerega, for her top 10 signposts to People Dancing's resources to get you started on a happy, healthy teaching journey.
Top 10 tips!
Doing things differently
www.penmendonca.com @MendoncaPen
Pepperland and beyond
Date posted: 01 May 2019
Dance artist and writer Kate Swindlehurst reflects upon her experience of the opening night of Mark Morris Dance Group’s UK Pepperland tour and the next day Dance for people living with Parkinson's - Looking ahead: a one-day interactive symposium at Sadler’s Wells, London in March 2019
Read Kate's blog
Friends and a tool belt
Photograph: Theresa Haworth.
Empower, connect and develop
Date posted: 06 March 2019
People Dancing's Summer School 2019 is just around the corner and so we spoke to Community Dance Practitioner and Creative Director of Bodyrox Dance Company, Leah Waterfield about the impact of getting a bursary and taking part last year
Read Leah's blog
11MRTD in Doncaster
Photographer: James Mulkeen
Partnerships and support
Date posted: 09 January 2019
In the third of a blog series featuring People Dancing partners from its 11 Million Reasons to Dance Strategic Touring Programme, Helen Jones, Assistant Director at darts (Doncaster Community Arts), explains how the project enabled her to change her view and how this has influenced their next steps.
Read Helen's blog
"Sounds like a mouthful. . ."
Ruth Bates vlog
"Sounds like a bit of a mouthful. . ."
Date posted: 18 December 2018
Co-author and Director of Development, Ruth Bates talks about how our new online learning programme demystifies the fundraising process
Ruth's vlog
Agent for Change
Hannah Barker
Living the legacy
Date posted: 01 November 2018
Hannah Barker, Creative Producer at Belgrade Theatre, Coventry explains how and why 11 Million Reasons to Dance supported the process of welcoming an Agent for Change into the theatre and its local community
Read Hannah's blog
Translating touch
Kath Kimber-McTiffen, Wriggle Dance Theatre
Dance meets science to explore touch
Date posted: 01 November 2018
On meeting a prominent neuroscientist, Kath Kimber-McTiffen, of Wriggle Dance Theatre, could see that the theme of ‘touch’ not only links the arts and science… it might also create a beautiful, interactive dance piece
Read Kath's blog
Dance was a tonic
Elizabeth Janis. Photo Gemma Smith
How dance took Elizabeth smiling into her 10th decade
Date posted: 23 October 2018
As People Dancing launches an online learning programme for dancing with older people, Elizabeth Janis has just celebrated her 90th birthday. She credits the discovery of a local dance group for her continued love for life
Read Elizabeth's blog
Four years on...
Around the world in 1,460 days
Date posted: 05 October 2018
It’s exactly four years since People Dancing commissioned photographer Sean Goldthorpe to work on its 11 Million Reasons to Dance exhibition and campaign. Our Director of Engagement Louise Wildish reflects... and looks ahead
Read Louise's blog
Beyond the 'usual suspects'
Martin Wilson - Executive Director, TIN Arts
How 'Great Art' showed the way to 'think beyond, reimagine and challenge'
Date posted: 02 October 2018
In the first of a blog series featuring People Dancing partners from its 11 Million Reasons to Dance Strategic Touring Programme, Martin Wilson of TIN Arts explains how the project went beyond those ‘usual suspects’
Read Martin's blog
Dancing for equality
Anne-Marie Smalldon, Combination Dance Company
Heroic tale in women's history made real through dance
Date posted: 18 September 2018
Anne-Marie Smalldon, Artistic Director of Combination Dance Company, blogs on 100nehundred, a dance/history collaboration with The National Archives inspired by this year’s centenary of British women’s suffrage and modern gender equality issues
Read Anne-Marie's blog
It's the dance of life
Paul Atherton
It’s the dance of life… especially a life with Parkinson’s
Date posted: 18 July 2018
Paul Atherton is a keen dancer. He also lives with Parkinson’s. Paul wanted to blog for us to express just how important dance is in his life… he started well but it wasn’t long before he felt there was something else he should be doing!
Read Paul's blog
Dance for Parkinson's
Rachael James
Dancing for positive shared experience
Date posted: 18 July 2018
Community dance artist Rachael James loves the feeling of freedom that dancing brings and the belief that with the right environment, permission and influences, we can all dance. This is what led her to complete her dance for Parkinson’s training…
Read Rachael's blog
One bursary awarded...
Katie Reynolds
Bursary helps Katie get to our 10th Summer School
Date posted: 29 June 2018
A Kettering-based dance practitioner wanting to make her practice even more inclusive has secured one of two bursaries from the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) to help its members attend this year’s 10th People Dancing Summer School.
...and one still available
It don't mean a thing...
Nancy Hitzig
Swing sisters question politics of partner dance
Date posted: 29 June 2018
People Dancing members Nancy Hitzig and Cat Foley are rehearsing a dance, music, comedy showcase for the Grimeborn Festival, London. Here dancer and choreographer Nancy shares her lindy hop journey, looks at the politics of partner dance and ‘Swing, Sister, Swing’.
Read Nancy's blog
Financing the dream
People Dancing Director of Development Ruth Bates Lee with her son, Jamie
Your child got into dance school! Now, how to pay for it?
Date posted: 26 June 2018
It’s from this time of year People Dancing gets phone calls and emails from anxious parents wanting to support their children through dance training. Here our Director of Development Ruth Bates blogs on how these dreams, though expensive, can be made real.
Read Ruth's blog
Inclusive ballroom
Rashmi Becker, Step Change Studios
Bringing a new vibe to ballroom
Date posted: 08 June 2018
Presented by Step Change Studios, ‘Fusion’, an inclusive ballroom dance showcase with disabled and non-disabled artists, premiered at Sadler’s Wells, in May. Here Rashmi Becker, Step Change Studios producer and founder, blogs for us about dance, diversity, and her drive to push the boundaries of ballroom
Read Rashmi's blog
Doing access digitally
Louise Wildish - Producer, People Dancing
Access as the starting point for creativity
Date posted: 31 May 2018
Thanks to funding from digital commissioning body The Space, the 11 Million Reasons to Dance photography exhibition has hit a much bigger online audience. Yet, as producer Louise Wildish explains, it had to be made accessible…
Read Louise's blog
Still dancing after 21 years
Eileen Burrows with the Growing Older Dis(Gracefully) Dance company
Come on Eileen! Senior dance group member celebrates at 21
Date posted: 23 May 2018
88-year-old Eileen Burrows is one of the more senior members of the Growing Older (Dis) Gracefully Dance company, in Liverpool. The retired school nurse is about to perform in its celebration of 21 years of dancing.
Read Eileen's blog
Learning from Parkinson's
Danielle Teale. Photo by Sara Hibbert
Curiosity, the moving body and identity
Date posted: 23 May 2018
Independent dance artist Danielle Teale, will co-lead an ‘Introduction to dance for Parkinson’s’ course at People Dancing Summer School (2018). Here Danielle blogs on how dancing with Parkinson's has made a significant contribution to her dance practice... and her life.
Read Danielle's blog
Viva Eastbourne!
Claire Chritou (left) and Claire Tabraham celebrate their Arts Award of the Year
BBC captures tale of two Claires
Date posted: 21 May 2018
If you tuned into BBC Radio 4’s Listening Project, which profiled a number of conversations about ‘The Power of Dance’, you may remember the first podcast that featured two women who have devoted themselves to Eastbourne Dance Space…
Get the full story
Dance and community
Debbie Purtill, balletLORENT. Photo by Iolo Penri
Inspiring us to come together through dance
Date posted: 24 April 2018
Debbi Purtill, Artistic Associate at balletLORENT, will lead a workshop at this year’s People Dancing Summer School (23-28 July). With a passion for dancing and for people, Debbi is most inspired when they come together… forming a creative community.
Read Debbi's blog
Dancing a way of life
Ruth Kent
How do we dance with those whose major challenge is in movement?
Date posted: 17 April 2018
We dance to express our lives. For some, this can be a life with Parkinson’s. Dance artist Ruth Kent explains how, in growing a dance class in Aberdeen, she wanted to shape content around real life experiences
Read Ruth's blog
Completely tangoed: body and soul
Kate Swindlehurst
Once a dancer, always a dancer
Date posted: 10 April 2018
She began with ballet, took up tango and, despite her Parkinson’s diagnosis, dance artist and writer Kate Swindlehurst has continued to be what she’s been since she was four-years-old… a dancer
Read Kate's blog
From a land down under...
Jess Conneely
Who needs a Sunshine Coast when you can go to Summer School?
Date posted: 02 March 2018
Some practitioners will go to the ends of the earth to pursue their passion for dance. Jess Conneely and Gail Hewton are set to travel to Leicester, England for People Dancing's 10th Summer School...
Find out more
Push came to shove
David Leventhal
Dance for Parkinson's
Date posted: 26 February 2018
The People Dancing Summer School will welcome one of the world's leading lights in the growing field of dance for Parkinson's. David Leventhal joins us from his Brooklyn studio - here's his blog on pushing the seemingly immovable 'flywheel'.
Read David's blog
No barriers
Photo shows Natasha Britton, Magpie Dance
Seeing every 'body' dance - for enjoyment, for art, for a career
Date posted: 23 February 2018
Inspired by artistic director Avril Hitman and all the Magpie Dance team, Natasha Britton explains her passion to achieve "a world where a learning disability is no barrier to personal and artistic success in dance"
Read Natasha's blog
Summer School blog
Jo Rhodes at People Dancing Summer School 2016
Not bad for those who 'haven't got a creative bone in their bodies'
Date posted: 08 February 2018
The People Dancing Summer School will cover a range of dance styles. Jo Rhodes, who will lead a session on Youth Dance, draws on her dance experience to show the power of dance to move young people…
by Jo Rhodes
What's in a name?
Kiki Gale - Director, Dance for Parkinson's Partnership UK. Photo by Rachel Cherry
Partnership set to build
Date posted: 27 November 2017
With a change of name to The Dance for Parkinson’s Partnership UK, the former Dance for Parkinson’s Network is now well positioned blogs Kiki Gale...
Read Kiki's blog
Dance for Parkinson's
Steff Streat
"More cheerful, more energised, more able to cope"
Date posted: 20 November 2017
From a cuppa and a chat to doing a Haka – Steff Streat, who has lived with Parkinson’s for 10 years, blogs on the difference going to a dance for Parkinson’s class makes to her quality of life





Read Steff's blog
Capturing creativity
Ruth Pethybridge
Capturing creativity of a slow dance
Date posted: 24 October 2017
Ruth Pethybridge, co-author of Any Age, Any Body, Any Dance draws breath to explain why she wanted to make a short film as well as the book...
Why make a film?
Our natural instinct
Vincent E. Thomas. Photo by Rachel Cherry
"When someone says, 'I'm not a dancer', I simply don't believe them"
Date posted: 18 October 2017
US dance artist Vincent E. Thomas took time out from his visit to People Dancing’s international conference, to explain his quest to recover something that’s in danger of being lost… our natural instinct to move.
Read Vincent's blog
In praise of... "bird-scarers"
Alison Williams and Julia Melton at the Edinburgh dance for Parkinson's class
Keeping birds' nests out of our hair - the gift of dance volunteers
Date posted: 12 September 2017
A conference panel speaker, Dr Alison Williams, who is currently working with the University of Edinburgh, teamed up with a fellow member of her dance for Parkinson’s class, Julia Melton, to blog for us in praise of volunteers...
Read our blog post
Jonnie Peacock on Strictly
Louise Wildish - Producer & Director, 11 Million Reasons to Dance
Johnnie Peacock being on Strictly will better reflect our society
Date posted: 05 September 2017
Paralympian Jonnie Peacock featuring on this year's Strictly will reflect a more truthful representation of our society, blogs People Dancing's Louise Wildish, Producer & Director of our strategic touring programme 11 Million Reasons to Dance...
Read Louise's blog
Inclusive beauty of Parkour
Alister O'Loughlin, The Urban Playground. Photo by Rachel Cherry
How Parkour can breathe life into communities
Date posted: 08 August 2017
People Dancing caught up with Performance-Parkour (2PK) specialist Alister O’Loughlin at this year’s Summer School, following his session as part of the Exploring different dance techniques for your practice course.
Read on
Made in Sheffield
Nathan Geering - Artistic Director
'Steel City Man' set to open Special Olympics and bring disabled artists to the fore
Date posted: 03 August 2017
It was a special time for Artistic Director Nathan Geering as he prepared to stage one massive Olympic show in his adopted home city of Sheffield…
Read Nathan's blog
Learning & Parkinson's
Miriam Early, Scottish Ballet. Photo by Christina Riley
"...by dancing with people living with Parkinson's, we come to understand ourselves better"
Date posted: 26 July 2017
Dance practitioner Miriam Early has always loved what she does yet admits to going a bit sulky whenever it came to any serious self-analysis of her craft. But that’s now changed… and she’s discovered a beauty she never thought she’d find.
Read Miriam's blog
Voice and Presence
Louise Katerega. Pic by Benedict Johnson
20 minutes to change our world
Date posted: 12 May 2017
Louise Katerega is producer of Voice and Presence, the first collaborative project as an Associate Artist of People Dancing. Voice and Presence sets out to acknowledge, amplify and celebrate the voice of women of colour in participatory dance...
Read more
Dancing through pain
Raquel Meseguer
I have chronic pain. But I still need to dance
Date posted: 21 April 2017
Raquel Meseguer, Co-Founder of Lost Dog, reflects on her journey from professional dancer, through injury, to developing projects that explore chronic pain in performance.
Read Raquel's blog
'Laughter, feeling lovely, joy'
Alison Williams
My engagement with dance: words cast spells...
Date posted: 11 April 2017
Alison Williams, of Edinburgh University, describes herself as ‘a late-onset academic’ having got her Doctorate at 66, just after her Parkinson’s diagnosis, in 2012. To help mark Parkinson’s Awareness Week (10-16 April) we asked Alison to blog for us on the importance dance plays in her life with Parkinson’s…
Parkinson's Week blog
A democracy of dance
Paula Turner
Room for us all on the dance floor
Date posted: 24 March 2017
People Dancing's Chris Stenton shared a post show discussion panel with Paula Turner, artistic director of Grand Gestures Dance Collective at Leap 2017. Paula likes to push the boundaries of dance, especially dance made by older dancers...
Read Paula's blog
A spark starts a prairie fire
A spark starts a prairie fire
Date posted: 15 March 2017
Anthony Peppiatt reflects on initiating the community dance project at Ludus Dance in the early 1980s, and how his radical politics had been central to this. Christopher Thomson introduces.
Read Anthony's blog
Dance without touch?
Cecilia Macfarlane
BLOG Post
Date posted: 28 October 2016
The author of our very first People Dancing blog is the renowned community dance pioneer, Cecilia Macfarlane. We’re grateful to Cecilia for getting our blog off the ground, especially as she penned it on a plane en route from Japan to San Francisco!
Read Cecilia's blog...
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