ELLA TIGHE

Alongside making the Disco Queen show, I have been developing a community engagement strand to the work. I have spent time in local Freestyle dance schools and talking to Freestyle dancers competing in Freestyle now, as well as Freestyle professionals. This has given insight into a part of the dance world which is underrepresented and not known/seen in mainstream dance.

INTERVIEW with Anna Jones (creator of Freestyle dance) - August 2023

Anna Jones is one of the founders of Freestyle dance, pioneering its inception from it’s original Disco Dancing days. Sarah Shead (Spin Arts) and I took a trip to meet Anna in Shrewsbury to understand more about the history of Freestyle dance and to get a better understanding of how the form, the competitions and the culture had evolved through each decade.

Interview with Anna Jones coming soon

INTERVIEWS with dancers from Bingley Dance Studio, DAZL and Soul Dance Academy

I’ve spent time talking to young Freestyle dancers about their experience of competing in Freestyle now. They’ve told me about their love for this dance form, how hard they work, their wins, their love for their bespoke costumes and the community that they are part of.

Interviews coming soon

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT THE BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS - October 2023

At The British we had a stall and we invited Freestyle dancers to come speak to us during the competition day. We invited them to “design their own freestyle costume” and write responses to questions about being a Freestyle dancer with over 200 young people engaging in these activities.

WORKSHOP with Bingley Dance Studio

This work was made possible by Arts Council England and The Place Cultural Knowledge Exchange Funding