People Dancing

Come and experience a day of joyful learning with Corali Dance Company, one of the UKs longest established and most celebrated inclusive dance companies!

As well as having fun moving together and meeting each other, you will also experience and explore how Artistic Director, Sarah Archdeacon and Associate Artistic Director, Housni Hassan (DJ), developed their working partnership. As a result of this partnership, DJ’s professional career as a learning disabled dance artist has flourished and he works equitably with Sarah as teacher, choreographer and key decision maker at Corali and beyond into the sector.

It will take your understanding of inclusive dance practice to the next level and you will emerge with greater awareness, insight and confidence for the future. It is also a rare opportunity to do this alongside others with similar experiences and commitment from all around the UK.

As ever, with a People Dancing experience, we seek to balance rigour and expertise with a supportive atmosphere and a passion for access.

The course follows on from the People Dancing and Corali Dance Company led, Leadership in Action Symposium on 26 June this year, with supporting partners Tin Arts, Stopgap Dance Company, Dancesyndrome and Anjali. In a first of its kind, the symposium was specifically for learning disabled dance leaders from across the UK, to come together in one space and experience the joy of dance alongside one another, as well as taking part in discussions that steer a call to action to improve opportunities for learning disabled dance leaders in the industry.

This course offers a rare opportunity for learning disabled adults with minimum two years dance experience and dancers, teaching artists and community practitioners who support them creatively.

Above image credit: Housni Hassan (DJ) Technicolour Everyday 2019. Photo credit Jon C Archdeacon.

£60 People Dancing Members / £87 Standard

Book your place here

Standard price tickets include People Dancing Associate Individual Membership for one year with the joining fee wavered. To find out more about the benefits of this membership please click Associate Individual Membership.

Corali Dance Company

Corali was founded by a social service worker, Virginia Moffatt, in a Southwark day centre in 1989. Initially a casual dance group, the name Corali is made of letters from the original company members’ names. In 1991, the company received its first grant and set up independently in an office at a local community centre. Sarah Archdeacon joined the company as a volunteer in 1991 and became Artistic Director in 1992 

Corali exists to make excellent and exciting live performances and film. Our practice is rooted in collaboration; we explore the relationship between dancers who identify as learning-disabled and those who do not; between dance and other art forms; and between professional and participatory artwork. Recent work includes an international tour of our family show Super Hot Hot Dog, performing with Thick & Tight at the International Mime festival, and winning the Pick the Fest award at the Oska Bright film festival 2022. 

Housni (DJ) Hassan

Housni (DJ) Hassan has a dance diploma from Lambeth College and a diploma in performing making from Central School of Speech and Drama. During his training he gained vocational placements with Wayne McGregor/Random Dacne, Jonzi D Productions and New Adventures. DJ has toured and worked extensively in London, the UK and also internationally.

He is one of Corali’s three Associate Artistic Directors and is a key performer and facilitator in the company. He has been involved in acclaimed Corali works, Dancing to Art, Technicolour Everyday and Ode to Edith. DJ also performs for Access All Areas and Not Your Circus Dogs. 

Image credit: Housni Hassan (DJ) Technicolour Everyday 2019. Photo credit Jon C Archdeacon.

Sarah Archdeacon

Sarah Archdeacon trained in Theatre in Social Context at Dartington College of Arts. She has been Corali’s Artistic Director since 1992, leading the organisations creative direction. Sarah was disability theatre development worker for Bournemouth Borough Council 2001 – 2004, and she continues as an associate with Wimbourne based disability theatre company, Millstream.

Sarah was longstanding associate artist with Birmingham based theatre company Stans Café and alongside her work with Corali makes her own performances, most recently, Singing Surf at the Chelsea Theatre 2022.

Image credit: Jon C Archdeacon.