Swindon Dance Agency Workshop

Leighton Park’s latest dance workshop, hosted by Swindon Dance Studio, proved to be an exciting and enriching experience for the students on Wednesday 21st June. The workshop provided students with an opportunity to explore dance techniques and expand their movement repertoire.

Under the guidance of a professional dance practitioner, who herself had trained at the prestigious London Contemporary Dance School, the students delved into a series of technical exercises and extended movement phrases. This practitioner brought with her a wealth of experience from her current training which greatly inspired and motivated the students to consider a future in dance.

Beth Butler, Dance Teacher at Leighton Park, emphasised the significance of working with a professional, stating, “Anytime the students get to work with a professional dance practitioner has value because they are learning about performance, choreography, and appreciation from a different teacher.”

The workshop also served as excellent preparation for students aspiring to audition for the Centre for Advanced Training in Dance (CAT) programme, run by the Swindon Dance Agency. The CAT programme, based at Swindon Dance Studio, is designed to support young people who have a passion for dance and wish to pursue it as a professional career. Beth highlighted the importance of such opportunities, “It helps inspire and motivate them to perhaps consider a future in dance.”

Throughout the hour-long workshop, the students were engaged in a variety of exercises, allowing them to broaden their dance experiences and gain insights into contemporary performance styles. The session aimed not only to develop the students’ technical skills but also to promote wellness and well-being through movement.

Sarah Ferris, the programme manager for CAT at Swindon Dance, recognised the transformative power of dance, stating, “We know movement is such an important element for anybody in terms of wellness and wellbeing, as well as the transferable skills that dance has.”