A challenging and generous space to dance.
Going to a dance class can be scary! Unscary Saturdays are inclusive classes open to all ages and abilities, from professional dancers to untrained enthusiastic movers. The aim is to dismantle the unhelpful pressures and sense of intimidation that can often be felt in dance spaces – by both the teachers and the participants.
This is a chance to try out dance styles that you’ve always wanted to give a go but felt too scared OR that you did long ago but feel out of practice with now. Come with a keenness to explore movement and an openness to try stuff. Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by a participating adult.
In this session, Sunanda Biswas will introduce ‘Traditional ‘ and ‘Vernacular Jazz.’ Following a warmup of stomping and posture drills, we will explore the solo side of Traditional Jazz, then we’ll introduce ‘lead and follow’ roles, and develop this into the ‘swing out.’ Hopefully, by the end you will be able to perform a Lindy Hop partner routine with ‘breakout’s. We’ll also talk about the social and cultural history of the dance and how it became the grandfather of all swing partner dances in America and across the globe. Of course, this is a short session, so the main thing is to have Fun and Enjoy!
In the Roof Studio
Tickets
Pay what you choose
£10 / £13 / £15
Free tickets for under 16s
About Sunanda
One of UK’s foremost B-girl’s and founder of ‘FLOWZAIC’ UK’s first all all female Breaking crew Sunanda aka ‘sun sun’ has performed, judged and hosted at some of the biggest Hip Hop and B-boy events – from UK B-Boy Championship, Nike Dance Clash to BOTY and B-Supreme women in Hip-Hop festival at the South Bank Centre. She was co-choreographer for the NHS segment of the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony and is now Associate Director of ‘Grounded’ who gave their début performance at Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention’s 2013 10th Anniversary. Other credits include: choreographer on the Bafta Award winning film ‘Fishtank’ working with Andrea Arnold; Mel B, Gabriel and touring with ‘Take That’ as a featured rapper.
ACCESS AND AMENITIES AT SDS
Siobhan Davies Studios is mostly accessible, with lifts to all floors. There are two accessible parking spaces available on site which can be booked in advance. Blue Badge parking is also available nearby on West Square and Garden Row (for a full map visit the Southwark Council website). Our main door is power assisted.
Amenities include:
- Changing facilities*
- Communal showers*
- Toilets / wheelchair accessible toilets
- Kitchen: tea and coffee making, fridge, and microwave
- Snack Bar: We have a small selection of bars, drinks and food available to buy from the front desk.
- Shops: The closest shop is Superway Supermarket on Garden Row (4 min walk), the closest supermarket is Sainsbury’s on New Kent Road (7 min walk). We also recommend the Art Cafe which serves sandwiches, jacket potatoes and meals (3 min walk).
* Our changing facilities and showers are not fully accessible. Our closest publicly available and fully accessible changing facility is at The Castle Centre, a leisure centre 0.3 miles away from the studios. You can find full details of their features here.