Cheshire Dance

Move & Connect Chester (Spring Term)
2024-07-02 09:30 - 11:00, 2024-07-16 09:30 - 11:00, 2024-07-30 09:30 - 11:00 UTC | Storyhouse, Hunter St, Chester, CH1 2AR, United Kingdom
Chester Community Class
Open Level Contemporary Dance Classes in Chester. Everyone welcome, classes are accessible to all level, abilities and experiences.
Ranging from guided improvisation to more formal dance exercises, we awaken our bodies to find ease and flow, to listen to sensations within and to play with the physical possibilities and personal expressions that arise.
Classes will be led by experienced Chester based professional dance artists with a focus on making these sessions fun, inclusive and accessible for all. Please come and join us and bring a friend – alternate Tuesdays at Storyhouse (Studio).
All sessions are from 9.30 am – 11.00 am.

If you enjoy moving and connecting with others, then this class is for you!
Provisional Dates: please email to confirm dates and your attendance.

Tuesdays: 09/04, 23/04, 07/05, 21/05, 04/06, 18/06, 02/07, 16/07, 30/07

Cost: £3/£5/£8 depending on your individual circumstances.
Book your place here. Or, For more information, contact Bettina Carpi at: bettinacarpi@hotmail.com.

DCNW NW Artists Consultation Sessions
2024-07-17 14:00 - 16:30, 2024-07-22 10:00 - 12:30, 2024-07-30 10:00 - 12:30 | Various, CW7, United Kingdom
Dance Consortia North West is announcing a reset moment with a series of three consultation sessions with artists and independent producers across the region. Please do join us.
The agenda will focus on the future of dance in the NW and will be facilitated by two new DCNW consultants, Ian Tabbron and Helen Palmer, thanks to the support of Arts Council England funding. Together we can instigate a real push for change, to create more and better opportunities for dance across the entire region.

Ian and Helen bring a wealth of experience and will be working with us into the new year through 3 phases:

Consultation – So we really understand current and future needs in a fast changing and what can feel like an ever-tougher working environment.
Planning – Not just a document, but working groups that will re-imagine new, much needed programmes for dance development.
Resourcing – And yes, we have a fundraiser too, who will help make those crucial asks for longer term investment in the projects we design together.

The broad aims that we can use to help guide our thinking and action will centre around ‘new work, new practice, diversity and place.’ No doubt our climate emergency will and should feature too. All conversations during the sessions will be held in confidence.

The three sessions will take place on:
Wednesday 17th July 2pm – 4.30pm – Lancaster (The Storey)
Monday 22nd July 10am – 12.30pm – Liverpool (Unity Theatre)
Tuesday 30th July 10am – 12.30pm – Manchester (Contact Theatre)

You can book your FREE place at any of these consultations here.

Whilst encouraging in-person, we will open up an opportunity to join online.
We are keen to hear from diverse voices, but we recognise that it can be especially difficult for freelance artists and practitioners to attend consultation sessions in person due to a variety of reasons such as financial, childcare, access requirements etc. We have a small number of bursaries available to support travel and per diem expenses. If you are interested in applying for a bursary, please click here.
There will be other gatherings planned too in the coming months, not just about the future of North West dance but also practice sharings and events coming out of the final phase of DCNW’s Research Programme.
Please confirm which date you can join us by booking a FREE ticket here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheshire-dance/e-xlgbke.
Let’s work together and push again for change.

Bursaries:
At Cheshire Dance, we believe that access, equity and diversity are important for Dance Consortia North West, our programme and the wider dance sector. We have a limited number of bursaries available for each workshop for £40 each to cover travel expenses and basic per diem costs.
We therefore may not be able to accommodate all requests due to budget limitations.
If you are not successful in securing a bursary and are therefore unable to attend one of the workshops, we will arrange for you to speak to Ian or Helen directly on a one to one basis.

To apply for a bursary, please complete this short form here: https://forms.gle/gJ1PFxnbUnWm7qiK9

For questions or queries or to tell us about any access requirements, please contact: dcnw@cheshiredance.org.

Move & Connect Chester (Spring Term)
2025-01-14 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-01-28 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-02-11 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-02-25 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-03-11 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-03-25 09:30 - 11:00 | Storyhouse, Hunter St, Chester, CH1 2AR, United Kingdom
Chester Community Class
Open Level Contemporary Dance Classes in Chester. Everyone welcome, classes are accessible to all level, abilities and experiences.
Ranging from guided improvisation to more formal dance exercises, we awaken our bodies to find ease and flow, to listen to sensations within and to play with the physical possibilities and personal expressions that arise.
Classes will be led by experienced Chester based professional dance artists with a focus on making these sessions fun, inclusive and accessible for all.
Please come and join us and bring a friend – alternate Tuesdays at Storyhouse (Studio).
All sessions are from 9.30 am – 11.00 am.
Cost: £3/£5/£8 depending on your individual circumstances- cash or card accepted on the day!

If you enjoy moving and connecting with others, then this class is for you!
For more information, contact Bettina Carpi at: bettinacarpi@hotmail.com.

Move & Connect Chester (Summer Term)
2025-04-08 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-04-22 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-05-06 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-05-20 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-06-03 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-06-17 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-07-01 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-07-15 09:30 - 11:00 | Storyhouse, Hunter St, Chester, CH1 2AR, United Kingdom

Move & Connect Chester (Autumn Term)
2025-09-09 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-09-23 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-10-07 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-10-21 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-11-04 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-11-18 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-12-02 09:30 - 11:00, 2025-12-16 09:30 - 11:00 | Storyhouse, Hunter St, Chester, CH1 2AR, United Kingdom

Safeguarding in Dance Training
2026-01-17 09:45 - 16:00 | University of Chester, Kingsway Campus, Chester, CH2 2LB
Do you work in dance with young people or adults with additional needs?
Whether you’re a dance teacher, artist, workshop leader, facilitator or project manager – safeguarding is your responsibility, and keeping yourself and your participants safe is your duty.
Our Safeguarding Training Workshop is designed to help you understand and feel comfortable and confident about the role of safeguarding in your work.
In the training you will learn how to recognise and respond to safeguarding issues, and record and report on safeguarding, so you can provide a safe environment, which promotes the health and well-being of participants and ensures a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
We will look at working with children and ‘adults at risk’ in various dance contexts – from performance, to class, to project organisation. This will include areas such as awareness, touch and safe practice. The course will help individuals understand how to deal with any circumstances that put themselves or participants at risk.
The training covers a wide range of subjects within safeguarding and includes:

Introduction to safeguarding.
The role of safeguarding in your work.
Good practice guidelines for practitioners/organisations.
What to include in your safeguarding policy.
Changes and updates to safeguarding policies and child licensing regulations.
Internet and Social Media safety.
Facilitation of Touch/Non-verbal negotiation of touch.
DBS/Chaperoning.

Led by Jane McLean, Creative Director at Cheshire Dance, the workshop is an essential CPD opportunity to help you feel empowered and incorporate best safeguarding practice into your work.
Safeguarding Training for the Dance Sector 2026- Info & Booking:

Saturday 17th January 2026
9:45am to 4pm
University of Chester Creative Campus, Kingsway, Chester, CH2 2LB

Tickets:

If you are employed by an organisation, the cost is £50
If you are a freelance artist working in dance, the workshop is £25
Free for Cheshire Dance onboarded freelancers and University of Chester Dance student – please enter your special code/password during the booking process
