Calling all Freelance Dance Tutors/Performers/Choreographers – this one’s for you!
After spending 10 years as a freelancer I know one of the biggest drawbacks is the isolation and the fact that it can sometimes be months between catching up with other dance friends. Another drawback is having to choreograph routines in your bedroom/car/kitchen. So, to help out our fellow dance professionals we’ve come up with ‘Peace & Jam’ a weekly open house for networking, catching up, working on new material or having a good old boogie!
Every Friday afternoon from 1.30pm-3.30pm we’ll be opening our doors to any dance professional who wants to use the space either for some peace & quiet or a wee jam in the studio – Peace & Jam, clever eh!
We’ll provide the teas, coffees & studio space and all we ask for is a small donation to cover the costs on a ‘pay what you can basis’. The studio space will be shared amongst anyone who wishes to use it and cannot be used for commercial purposes, this is an opportunity to try out new material and meet other dance professionals.
Peace & Jam will start on Friday 24th February 1.30pm-3.30pm and will be a weekly event. Please spread the word.
Our Flash Mob Needs You!
Last summer we invited many of you to come and join our Flash Mob, taking Glasgow’s shoppers by surprise on a Saturday afternoon, and since then we’ve had some requests for more. Most of these requests have either been at VERY short notice (in one instance we were given just 1 day!) or have fallen foul to last minute complications but we have another one lined up and it’s all systems go!
On Saturday 10th March we need 45 people to join us in a brand new Flash Mob workshop, performance and night out. We’re looking for people of all ages and abilities to come and join the fun. We’ll teach and rehearse the routine in the afternoon then head off to our secret location to perform it at 5pm. Immediately after the performance we’ll be treated to a fun night out courtesy of our fun, family-friendly location.
We won’t reveal the exact details of our secret location until the day of the workshop so please don’t ask but we will say it’s one of Glasgow’s top entertainment venues and is suitable for people of all ages.
Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult and everyone must give photographic consent.
If you’ve always wondered what it’s like to be part of a Flash Mob or if you loved it last year and want to do it all again, come and get involved.
Rehearse 12.30pm-3.30pm
Performance 5pm
A Streetcar Named Desire
Today is the day that Scottish Ballet start rehearsals for their new production of A Streetcar Named Desire so here’s a little taste of the original. The performance will be touring in April but we’re very lucky to be getting a sneak peek of the performance and some insider info at our A Streetcar Named Desire Scottish Ballet Workshop on Saturday 17th March.
The workshop will include learning sections of repetoire from the performance as well as a chance to interrogate chat to those involved first hand. Spaces are limited and this workshop will sell out so please book soon to avoid disappointment.
A Streetcar Named Desire Scottish Ballet workshop Saturday 17th March 1pm-3pm £15
My, What Treats we have in Store…
As you all know by now, Sunday is the day of our Vintage & Craft Fair so we thought we’d spend a little time this morning introducing you to the wonderful array of goods on sale. We’ve got a great mix of vintage clothing, customised vintage items, craft goods, photography, cards and home baking which we’re sure you’re going to love.
Vintage
We start off with a personal collection from the elusive Ava Katya. She has allowed us to rummage through her drawers and cupboards to bring you an amazing collection of pre-loved clothing. Ava made a lot of the items herself so not only does she have great vintage style but she’s also selling some one-off creations.
Joining Ava, will be Beaten Crimson the new label from 2 of Glasgow’s most stylish young stars. These girls know their stuff and they know what you love, so come along and check them out.
We are delighted that VintageVulture12 and The Owl & The Pussy Cat are also making an appearance with their vintage jewellery, accessories and clothing, guaranteed to make you wish you’d brought more pocket money!
Jewellery & Accessories
Whatever your style, you’re bound to find something you like with our fantastic collection of jewellery & accessory designers.
The amazing Destroy Everything, who impressed everyone at our last fair, will be returning with a brand new selection of goods for you to ooh and ah over. Plus we’ll be adding Loose Changed, Lynsey Henderson Jewellery & Judith Jenny Jewellery.
And if you’re looking for somewhere to store all your new jewels, why not check out Gemma Petrie‘s collection of mirrors and trinket boxes?
Unique Treats
As if all that wasn’t enough, we also have a huge range of craft items, photography, greetings cards, cosmetics & other little treats to keep everyone intrigued.
Lynda Boyd will have a selection of handmade clocks, mirrors & pendants made in the most unusual style and Laureen’s Bits & Bobs are bound to be a treat, while Jinty Face who was a huge hit at our last fair, is returning with more of his handmade gift items.
If you’re looking for something to brighten up your home why not check out Perfectly Curious Design‘s handmade cushions and pirate inspired badges or maybe Flora Francis‘ patchwork stags will be just the thing.
Finally, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, why not treat someone special to some new cosmetics or skincare from The Crafty Soap Company or Elizabeth McAlonan? Or how about a special print from Matt McKenna Photography, who has already photographed our wonderful building.
And don’t forget the card! Thankfully Loving Expressions Cards are on hand to make sure your Valentine gets the message.
As if all that wasn’t enough we have the lovely Shona on tea duty and Mark will be bringing a range of yummy home baked specialities to keep you all going all day.
Entry is free and we’re open from 1pm-5pm on Sunday 12th February.
See you there!
Hip Hop ‘n’ Flo
Excitement is mounting as we inch closer and closer to March and all its wonderful workshops. The aim of our workshops is always to bring something more specialised to the studios that will challenge our regular class dancers and hopefully introduce them to a new style.
Kelly Shearer is no stranger to Dance HQ, she has rehearsed here with various companies and has already taught an NYC Style Hip Hop workshop so we’re delighted she’s coming back and this time she’ll be incorporating her contemporary training with her unique style of hip hop to create a stunning routine to her favourite Florence & The Machine track.
We’re going to keep the exact song a secret for now but here’s a little taster of what to expect from one of Kelly’s workshops. This clip is an excerpt of a longer routine choreographed for a charity event last year.
Hip Hop ‘n’ Flo Saturday 3rd March 1pm-3pm £15
It’s all about Burlesque
Feeling inspired by this month’s Club Noir, we’ve come over all showgirl and are introducing some little temptations for all you burlesque fans out there. As well as a new weekly Burlesque class (Tuesdays 7.30pm-8.30pm) taught by our very own Shona Miller, we’re also bringing one of Burlesque’s bright young things to lead a 2 hour workshop.
Tom DeLish is a rising star of British Burlesque, he’s been named as ‘one to watch’ by both The Times and the Burlesque Bible and he’s coming to Dance HQ later this month to share his passion with all of you.
Tease with Tom DeLish, Saturday 24th March 1pm-3pm £15
Book before 24th February for only £10
February is the New January
You set your resolutions with great intentions of being healthier and getting fitter but it’s cold & dark, you’re still skint after Christmas and there are still boxes of chocolates in every cupboard, basically it’s January and things don’t always go to plan.
But rather than admit defeat and write off the rest of the year why not just turn February into January and have another go? That’s why we’re kept some of our new classes in reserve for this month, giving you something new to look forward to in February.
Starting this week, we have a new Burlesque class, some calorie-killing Bollywood routines and the all new Dance Icons class plus a chance for some more adults to get involved in our Graded classes with a new Tap syllabus class on Mondays.
NYC Ballerina Project
Dane Shitagi is a New York based photographer originally from Honolulu. He was inspired by the city as a magnet for creativity and started The New York City Ballerina Project taking ballet dancers out of the studio and into the mean streets of NYC.
Each photograph is a collaborative work of dance, fashion design and photography played out against the city’s landscape.
Canal Street
Coney Island
Coney Island
DUMBO, Brooklyn
DUMBO, Brooklyn
Taxi Cab
Washington Heights
Washington Square
Astoria, Queens
Bowery
Astoria, Queens
Henry Hudson Parkway
Battery Park
Meat Market
Central Park
Riverside Park
DUMBO, Brooklyn
Brooklyn Heights
West Side Highway
Of all these stunning images, my favourite has to be the last one. Casually draped over a bollard? Yes please!
All images copyright Dane Shitagi
It’s Monthly Deal Day!
The excitement has been mounting for several weeks now as we planned and prepared our first Monthly Deal.
So what’s the deal?
Well, on the 1st of every month we’ll be offering a limited number of great special offers to help you get dancing.
Today we’re giving you a Class Card for 5 classes at HALF PRICE! Yep, 50% off your choice of regular weekly adult dance classes until 1st March.
The offer is only available until midnight or until all 20 have been sold so it really is a case of ‘if you’re not fast you’re last!’.
Graded Tap & Graded Ballet are excluded from this offer due to the nature of these courses but why not try out something new with your card?
Burlesque, Bollywood & Dance Icons are all being added to the timetable from next week, give it a go!
What a Month!
Hello everyone! What a fabulous month of lessons it has been. I am pleasantly surprised week to week with the vast improvement everybody at class is making. One happy chappy here!
Some of the routines we have been working on are ‘Bend and Snap’ from the musical Legally Blonde in Musical Theatre; ‘End of Time’ by Beyonce (one of my absolute favourites!) for our routine in Street and in Commercial we’ve been ‘Shaking It Out’ to Florence + The Machine. Of course, we have also been keeping up the good old dance technique in Barre & Stretch, Jazz, Pointe and Body Conditioning.
As this block of lessons comes to an end, I’ve been on the lookout for some new tunes for new routines…all suggestions welcome!
I would also like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Dance HQ for making me feel so welcome. I am loving teaching all my classes and meeting so many new faces.
Shona