Dance is often something from which deaf people are excluded. If there is music, there is a perception that deaf people can’t hear it clearly or hear it at all. If they are being given instructions, they probably need a signer, which can be expensive and difficult to arrange. 

Dance is a fantastic way to relax, to burn off energy to express emotions and to help with stress.  Yet in the UK, there is little or no provision for deaf people wishing to dance.  As we reach out to the deaf community at grass roots, we are finding that people are warmly welcoming the opportunity to work with us. For example, we will be working very closely in the Autumn with Worcester Deaf Children’s Society. We will also be raising awareness with the dance community, starting to make small but steady progress providing more opportunities to get deaf people dancing.

Deaf Dance will strive to offer signed dance classes to deaf people, and to offer dance schools, arts centres and venues help and support to encourage them to offer ‘signed’ classes to deaf dancers. Also, through fund-raising, we will always aim for there being no financial barrier to deaf people dancing – workshops and classes will always be ‘only pay what you can afford’.

We are in the process of making an application to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

The Creative Lead for the Company is Hollie Johnston, a trained dancer who is autistic and one of the most inspirational people we have ever met. Please watch this link to YouTube to see one of her inclusivity trailers.

https://youtube.com/shorts/PT-aDG4xbVQ?si=DSGOjKaCP9zl5sxc

The first four workshops are planned for August as part of the Worcester Festival, and will take place at Ballet Malvern Centre of Dance, one for 3-7year-olds, one for 7-13year-olds, one for 13-17year-olds and one for 18+. The workshops will be signed (SSE) and cater for lip-readers.