Join us at People Dancing’s Summer Intensive 2025 - for an inspiring mix of learning, exploration, reflection and connection

Join with like-minded teachers, artists and community practitioners in a supportive environment to take a deeper dive into practice you are passionate or curious about and fill up on inspiration for the year ahead.

> A choice of eleven workshops, with artists and practitioners who are leaders in their field.

> Gain new and essential skills to develop your dance practice inside and outside the studio.

> A chance to network with peers from near and far to experience respite, refreshment and the joy of together!

There are workshops that are suitable for all career stages - all curated with care to be intensive but not intense! Relaxed moments of connection and re-connection remain at the heart of this in-person experience - served up by the welcoming People Dancing Team with a side order of guest speakers, fun warm-ups, evening activities and comfortable spaces for moving, meeting, rest and play.

Day 1: Tuesday 22 July - choose from five workshops

• Improving Your Teaching Skills for Community Dance - (22 and 23 July) - with Urban Playground
• Plastic Drastic Fantastic: Environmental Dance in Education with Akademi
• The First Duet: a Journey from Birth to Toddler  with Mafê Toledo
• Advancing Your Practice in Dancing with Parkinson’s - (22 and 23 July) - with Jen Cunningham and Julie Symmonds
• Words to Move: Writing effectively about your work with Dr. Funmi Adewole Elliott.

Day 2: Wednesday 23 July - choose from three workshops

• Sociable Dancing: Teaching and Creating with Folk with English Folk Dance & Song Society
• Taking Charge of Your Career in Dance with June Gamble
• Introduction to Dance with Older People with Diane Amans.

Day 3: Thursday 24 July - choose from four workshops

• Inclusive Practice: Collective Rhythms, Individual Stories with SLiDE Dance
• The Choreography of Consent: Action Research Event with members of The Choreography of Consent AHRC Research Network
• The Well Within: a Retreat for Those Who Hold Space for Others with Eline Kieft.

There are also optional morning warm-ups, a presentation and an evening drinks reception and ceilidh - further information below.

Bookings are now open - follow the links in each of the course details below to book your place or access the booking form here! 

• Preferential fees for People Dancing Members, and one-year associate membership for people new to us included in the standard fee. Prices start at £75 for one day workshops, and £150 for two-day workshops
• Hosted by De Montfort University, Leicester in their beautifully equipped and accessible dance studios and classrooms
• Link directly to our Online Courses and Assessments to gain qualifications - Early Years, older people’s dance, Parkinson’s dance, and teaching skills - to continue and evidence your professional development beyond the Intensive.

Please note: Programme may be subject to change.

Improving Your Teaching Skills for Community Dance - a two-day workshop (22 and 23 July), with Urban Playground

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Join Alister O’Loughlin of The Urban Playground team - Cornwall’s award-winning physical theatre & performance-parkour company - to gain key skills and knowledge to improve your teaching skills for community and participatory dance. Cost: from £150.

> Find out more and book your place

Plastic Drastic Fantastic: Environmental Dance in Education - a one-day workshop, with Akademi

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Join Suba Subramaniam, Akademi’s Artistic Director and choreographer, for an interactive one-day practical workshop, designed for dance artists, leaders, students, and teachers. Dive into the dynamic world of South Asian dance and explore its power to address critical issues of today, especially environmental crisis. Cost: from £75.

> Find out more and book your place

The First Duet: a Journey from Birth to Toddler - a one-day workshop, with Mafê Toledo

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From the moment of birth, movement becomes a shared language between parent and child. This workshop invites dance artists, students and facilitators to investigate the role of movement in early attachment and development. Cost: from £75.

> Find out more and book your place

Advancing Your Practice in Dancing with Parkinson’s - a two-day workshop (22 and 23 July), with Jen Cunningham and Julie Symmonds

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This advanced training workshop for teaching artists with a keen interest in deepening their practice across and within the field of dancing with Parkinson’s offers intensive experiential and practical sessions in the studio. Cost: from £150.

> Find out more and book your place

Words to Move: Writing effectively about your work - a one-day workshop, with Dr. Funmi Adewole Elliott

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From funding applications to academic writing to social media posts - is it challenging to find the right words? Are you looking to connect with your audience, or write a crucial funding application? Then this workshop is for you! Cost: from £75.

> Find out more and book your place

Sociable Dancing: Teaching and Creating with Folk - a one-day workshop, with English Folk Dance & Song Society (EFDSS)

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Expand your knowledge of folk dances to enhance your toolbox of dance stimuli, build a shared sense of place, and discover the joys of moving together in sociable dancing! Cost: from £75.

> Find out more and book your place

Taking Charge of Your Career in Dance - a one-day workshop, with June Gamble

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Do you need more of a life/work balance? Is a career decision on the cards? Or are you looking to make a major life change? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then join June Gamble to take charge of your dance career! Cost: from £75.

> Find out more and book your place

Introduction to Dance with Older People - a one-day workshop, with Diane Amans

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An introductory workshop in the studio for dancers, teaching artists and community practitioners who want to gain skills, knowledge and experience in leading creative dance with older people. Cost: from £75

> Find out more and book your place

Inclusive Practice: Collective Rhythms, Individual Stories - a one-day workshop, with SLiDE Dance

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Performance and participatory practice intertwine at SLiDE. This has been developed with people with moderate access needs including autism and learning disabilities in non-traditional venues with ways for audiences to engage and interact. Cost: from £75.

> Find out more and book your place

The Choreography of Consent: Action Research Event

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A daylong event where practitioners and researchers from dance and law come together to explore the current complexities of working with consent. Cost: £35.

> Find out more and book your place

The Well Within: a retreat for those who hold space for others - a one-day retreat, with Dr Eline Kieft

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After a year of teaching, holding space and giving to others, it's essential to take time to replenish before the summer break. Join Dr. Eline Kieft for a mini retreat that blends movement, nature awareness and creative reflection. Cost: from £75.

> Find out more and book your place

Optional activities for all Summer Intensive participants

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Tuesday 22 July | Drinks reception and ceilidh (5:30 - 7:00pm)

On Tuesday evening, there is a drinks reception at 5.30pm - please join us for some wine and nibbles. This will be followed by a ceilidh led by English Folk Dance & Song Society (EFDSS).

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Wednesday 23 July | Morning warm-up (9:00 - 9:45am) 

Pete Shenton’s dance practice is built on foundations in Yoga, Feldenkrais and embodied improvisational ideas. Join him in an open, friendly, and fun warm up for people to connect with their own bodies and minds for the day ahead. No pressure, just taking pleasure in dancing together > Find out more here

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Thursday 24 July | Morning warm-up (9:00 - 9:45am) 

Join Shreya Vadnerkar for her ‘Breakin’ Boundaries’ intensive warm-up session, blending the timeless style of Bharatanatyam, and the energy and rawness of Bollywood and Breaking! > Find out more here

Access and inclusion

Our Summer Intensive aims to be welcoming and inclusive. We seek the same information from all participants and invite individual comment about access needs and preferences.

• Throughout the workshops and events at De Montfort University there will be various quiet spaces available should you need to take a break, rest, use your laptop or have some reflective time.
• If you have any access needs or barriers to attend please book no later than 15 July so that we can aim to meet your access requirements. Bookings after this time may mean that access needs cannot be fully met. For any specific access enquiries email emma@communitydance.org.uk.
• There is also an accessibility guide for the Performance Arts Centre for Excellence (PACE) Building at De Montfort University here: www.accessable.co.uk/de-montfort-university/access-guides/performance-arts-centre-for-excellence-pace-building
• If you are unsure of what workshop to choose or wish to find out more about any of the Summer Intensive, please contact our Creative Programmes Officer, Emma Baxter, emma@communitydance.org.uk, and she will be happy to assist. 
• If you need an alternative method of booking and paying please call us on 0116 253 5453 or email info@communitydance.org.uk.

Accommodation

We have partnered with The Gresham Aparthotel to offer all participants attending the Summer Intensive a discounted rate of £80 for the room and £92 with breakfast included. To take advantage of this offer, please contact the hotel directly via email: dominique@thegreshamaparthotel.com or call 0116 243 7666 and quote the discount code: GA000330.

For alternative options to suit all budgets, go to the Visit Leicester Tourist information website. This offers suggestions on where to eat, shop, park, and other local attractions for you during your time in Leicester.