Dance North Scotland

🌿 Movement, connection and wellbeing at The Oaks in Elgin 🌿

A lovely moment from yesterday's holistic movement session hosted by Kirstie Simson and Charlie Brittain as their residency in Findhorn gets underway.

Focusing on gentle movement and wellbeing, the session created a warm and welcoming space to explore movement, connection and creativity.

A huge thank you to all our wonderful participants for their openness and curiosity - it was fantastic to see Kirstie and Charlie’s first workshop of the residency happening!

And there's much more to come this week... ✨

🎬 Tonight - Moving Through the Frame — film screening with Katrina McPherson
🌿 Sat & Sun - Gentle Practices Workshops
🔥 Sunday afternoon - Dance Improvisation JAM
💫 Sunday evening - Performance: Dying Duets | Shimmering

⚠️ Please note: the planned Screendance Workshop on Friday is no longer going ahead. We apologise for any inconvenience and hope to see you at one of the other events across the weekend.

📅 10–13 September | Findhorn
👉 See the full programme and details on our website: https://tinyurl.com/49aaf64r

📢 White & Givan Dancers Connected survey reopened

They're particularly keen to hear from final-year dance students and recent graduates to build a clearer picture of what it is really like to begin and sustain a professional dance career in Scotland.

These experiences will help them understand how the sector can support the transition from education to employment more clearly and will directly inform the development of Dancers Connected – a programme to explore new approaches to training, employment and career sustainability for freelance dancers in Scotland.

If you’re a final-year dance student or recent graduate, they'd really like to hear from you. And if you teach, train or work with dancers at this stage of their careers, please help them by sharing the survey far and wide.

Survey closes Friday 11 September.

🔗 Take part: https://www.whiteandgivan.com/survey.html

✨ Four days of movement, improvisation, film and performance in Findhorn

Next week, we’re delighted to welcome Kirstie Simson and Charlie Brittain back to Moray for a special four-day programme exploring movement, improvisation, creativity and connection.

From Thu 10 to Sun 13 September, Kirstie and Charlie will be joined by acclaimed filmmaker Katrina McPherson for a series of opportunities to participate, experiment and connect — including:

🎥 Moving Through the Frame — an evening sharing of work in progress
🎬 A Screendance Improvisation Workshop with Katrina McPherson
💬 Meet the Artists at The Hive
🌀 Gentle Movement Practice workshops
🤝 Dance JAM — an informal shared improvisation session
✨ And a performance of Kirstie & Charlie’s Dying Duets | Shimmering at Universal Hall

Whether you’re interested in improvisation, dance for camera, collaborative practice or simply spending time moving alongside others, there are plenty of ways to take part across the four days.

📅 10–13 September | Findhorn

Places are limited for the workshops, so we recommend booking ahead.

➡️ Explore the full programme and book via the Dance North website: https://www.dancenorth.scot/make/take-part-kirstie-simson-charlie-brittain-residency-10-13-sept/

This weekend the aliens will be at Nairn Book and Arts Festival...

Catch us on Nairn's beautiful West Beach on Sat 5th and Sun 6th Sept.

Info & Tickets (Pay What You Can)
https://www.ticketsource.com/nairn-book-and-arts-festival/alien-species-dudendance/e-djrxxl

Big love to the brilliant cast and crew of If I Can’t Dance I’m Not Coming, which finished its two-week run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last week. 💜

A phenomenal performance that brought together movement, music, humour and an infectious sense of play - performed at Assembly Dance Base as part of the Made In Scotland Showcase.

Huge congratulations to choreographer Karl Jay-Lewin, composer Matteo Fargion, and the incredible performers Mamoru Iriguchi, Mulcahy, Sita Pieraccini, Wong P*k Kei, Marios Ento-Engkolo, Claire Godsmark and Florence Spilsbury Roberts for creating a joyful and unforgettable work - ably supported by tech supremo Simon Gane.

Find out more about the development of the work on the AgileArts page.

We’re all so sorry to hear that Moray Art Centre will be leaving its long-standing home at the Field of Dreams in Findhorn at the end of August.

MAC has been an important part of the creative community here for many years — a space for artists, learning, exchange and connection; a valued neighbour within The Park Ecovillage; and even a venue for RISE performances.

From all of us at Dance North Scotland, we’d like to send our very best wishes to the staff, trustees, volunteers, artists and wider MAC community as they take this time to pause, recharge and consider what comes next.

Thank you for everything you have contributed to the cultural life of Findhorn, Moray and Scotland. We look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings. ❤️

IF I CAN'T DANCE I'M NOT COMING 🤖
THREE DAYS LEFT - 50% OFF TICKETS

With just two days to go this is your last chance to catch If I Can't Dance I'm Not Coming at the end of its amazing run at Dance Base at Edinburgh Fringe.

For the next three days you can get 50% off tickets to the performance by booking on the Assembly Halls website or in person at their box offices using the promo code ICANDANCE.

Book here: https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/if-i-cant-dance-im-not-coming/performances

If I Can't Dance I'm Not Coming
Assembly Halls, Edinburgh | 2:40pm until 27 Aug

💫 DANCE IMPROVISATION JAM
Sunday 13 September | 2–4pm

Come and move, play and connect at a contact improvisation Dance JAM with Kirstie Simson and Charlie Brittain.

Kirstie and Charlie will guide you through a warm-up before inviting you into movement with music. From there, explore the space through freedom, play, presence and awareness, responding to yourself, others and the moment.

This is not a taught class, but an open space for individual and collective expression, creativity and connection.

🌿 The JAM is part of a wider four-day residency, 10–13 September, supported by Dance North and Creative Scotland, bringing together dance, film, improvisation and shared practice.

✨ Who is it for?
Open to anyone aged 18+. The session is particularly suited to experienced movers, but no previous dance experience is required.

📅 Sunday 13 September
🕑 2.00–4.00pm
📍 Universal Hall, The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn
🎟️ £20 | £15 RAN members

You can book the JAM individually or as part of the all-weekend ticket, including both Gentle Dancing Practices workshops and the JAM: £90 | £65 RAN members.

Book now: https://www.ticketsource.com/dance-north-scotland/t-jxjxmgy