Do you ever feel the urge to dance but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with a series of dance workshops that guide you through the basics in 5-minute sessions – no experience required.  

Sadler’s Wells is proud to announce the launch of our Taster Dance Workshops. This series of workshops introduces you to dance, allows you to experience different dance styles and get creative.  

During the Taster Dance Workshops, a range of creative and experienced artists will whiz you through some key moves to give you a flavour of different dance styles. 

Breaking 

Level: Beginners – Advanced 

Breaking might look intimidating, but when you start slow and break it down, you’d be amazed at what you can do with a bit of practice. We’re taking you on a crash course in some key breaking moves!  

This series of workshops is led by Roy, Niek, Stepper and Lee, also known as The Ruggeds; a breakdance crew from The Netherlands, who compete in battles and appear on stages all over world. You might recognise them from Justin Bieber’s Where Are Ü Now music video. 

Breaking is a form of hip hop dance that includes acrobatics, freezes, floor moves, fast footwork and power moves. It grew from the African American and Latino communities, rooted in the funk, soul, R&B and disco music of the 1970s, but has been adapted to many musical genres, often performed with a DJ to an up-tempo beat.  

Contemporary  

Level: Beginners 

In this series, Liam, who has been a dancer with one of the UK’s leading contemporary dance companies, Rambert, is joined by participants Soraya and Betsy to explore some key aspects of contemporary dance – curving, arching, spiralling and balance. There’s also a chance to use your creativity and imagination through guided improvisation! 

Contemporary dance is an art form that encourages creative freedom and artistic expression. It’s an interpretative style that can sometimes focus on conveying a feeling, a mood or an abstract concept. Contemporary dance covers a wide range of approaches and techniques and can look very different depending on the dancer or choreographer. 

Flamenco

Level: Beginners

Magdalena and Noemí from Dotdotdot Dance give us a taste of flamenco, accompanied by participants Ghazal, Kate and Omena. 

We encourage you to enjoy the movement and have fun, without worrying about copying the moves perfectly. All of these workshops are suitable for beginners, and some can be done standing or seated. 

With its origins in Gypsy culture of southern Spain, flamenco is a deeply passionate dance style, known for its hand clapping (Palmas) and foot stamping (Zapateado), with live singers and Spanish guitar often accompanying the dancers. 

Kathak  

Level: Beginners 

Our workshop leader Anuradha from Drishti Dance will give you a speedy introduction to some of the key techniques involved in kathak dance, including the footwork, hand movements and spins, plus you can try out a short sequence of choreography. She is joined by Stephen, from our Company of Elders, to help demonstrate the moves. 

Kathak is a north Indian classical dance form that is rooted in the ancient art of storytelling in temples by bards, called Kathakars. It is often performed to percussion or string instruments. The dance style can be used to tell stories through movement, with hand gestures carrying many meanings. Elegant footwork and spins are key characteristics of this dance style. 

Coming soon… 

There will be four new genres of dance workshops being launched mid March: Ballet, Afrofusion, Vogue and Commercial. Be sure to come back and check out the new workshops!

We hope you have a great time with these workshops! Happy dancing!  

www.sadlerswells.com/take-part/online-workshops/taster-dance-workshops/ 

These workshops are designed to ensure something for all ages and abilities. Whether you’re taking part alone or with others, just make sure you warm up your body, do some stretches first and find the joy in movement. 

Some workshops involve floorwork, or a higher level of physical fitness, so have a browse at the link above and choose the ones that feel most comfortable for you.