Mass Dance

DNA's mass dance programme has a proven history of building confidence, increasing health & fitness, instilling a sense of fun whilst developing dance and movement skills.
This project offers all ages and abilities a creative dance experience not usually available in school or community settings.

DANCE MATTERS 2024 in Barking and Dagenham
​2023 - 2024 we have been exploring the reasons for why dance is important and matters to us. We have been curious about themes such as joy, self expression, community and celebration in this year choreography.

This year we commissioned Sarah Lewis and Laura Anderson, from Glass House Dance, to choreograph the Primary & Secondary choreography. Glass House Dance are known for creating uplifting, joyful dances to great music, where they encourage others to find freedom and expression in moving.
To find out more about Glass House Dance, head over to their website. https://www.glasshousedance.co.uk

Community Resident Dance Artists, Sam Blayney and Rachel Newby join us again for another Mass Dance programme. As always, Sam and Rachel were our lead artists for teacher training day, mass rehearsal and mass performance days. In addition to this, they have both worked together to create the choreography for this years Early Years settings. Finally, Sam and Rachel have also be led our bespoke workshops for Early Years settings, to ensure that they receive the support they need in order for young children aged 2-4 years to access the programme.

New to the Dance Matters 2024 programme, was a front commission specifically created by Laura Heywood with 31 Secondary School Dancers and was performed as the opening to this years Mass Dance Live sharing. This commission explored the same themes found in the original choreography.

Summary highlights of the programme include:
Glass House Dance: Choreographed this year's dance, accompanied by East Angles Brass Band.
Laura Heywood: Created the secondary school curtain raiser and its soundtrack.
Resident Artists Sam Blayney and Rachel Newby: Adapted choreography for early years and taught the dance to ALL!
Dagenham Park School: Provided studio space for teacher training.
Jo Richardson Community School: Students supported the tutorial video and served as Dance Captains.
Rachel Cherry: Photographed the performance day.
Blank Space Creative: Filmed and documented the event.

The project reached 33 educational groups and nurseries, directly involving 2400+ participants in over 21,000 hours of dance practice.
Dancers performed live at Jim Peters Stadium on June 6, 2024, during the Borough’s Superstar Olympics event.

You can view all of the videos from 'Dance Matters' in our Video Library.

Previous projects have included:
2022 - 2023 - Dancing Decades
2021-2022 - Jubilee Baton Relay
2019-2021 - Let’s Go, Tokyo! (Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Games)
2018-2019 - World Cup Fever(Football World Cup)
2017-2018 - The Great War Centenary (World War 1)
2016-2017 - Bard to Bollywood (Year of Culture)
2015-2016 – Dance Rio (Rio Olympics)

Why not head over to our Video Library and check out our past performances from Barking, Dagenham and Essex!