everyBODY dance, based in north-east Herefordshire, works in collaboration with artists to provide creative opportunities that aim to bring disabled and non-disabled people together in an inclusive context.
A diverse range of projects are available including commissioned work, performance, touring, education, training and recreational workshops. Aerial dance projects cater for beginners to professional level learners in both workshops and performances. Community projects bring together a diverse range and infinite number of local people and artists to develop creative ideas around a shared theme resulting in performance. A spectacular 6m high dome rig is used for the aerial work both indoors and out.
Rachel Freeman, founder of Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company, has been a leading UK exponent of inclusive aerial and community dance for nearly two decades. She is now Associate Artist of everyBODY dance and aims to build on her international experience and to work in collaboration with other artists to provide opportunities to dance.
Collaboration with artists, venues, institutions and individuals allows us to exploit the full creative and social potential of projects, pooling ideas, skills and resources. The nature of the project will determine the collaborative mix. Previous dance projects have engaged digital artists, visual artists, musicians, composers, sculptors, kite makers, climbers, engineers, photographers and film makers.
everyBODY dance aims to create a level playing field where all participants can step over their thresholds of perceived possibility. The work is developed primarily through contemporary and creative dance, providing tasks and exercises that have structure but leave plenty of room for everybody’s creativity. Always seeking out ways to increase the accessibility of movement we have danced in water, on sand, in very small spaces and suspended from trees and ceilings! Projects are individually planned and managed and are not necessarily accessible to everybody all the time. everyBODY dance considers every creative idea with a sense of fun and integrity.
EveryBODY dance’s dome rig both contains and accommodates performance in the round; it works as an intimate setting for small crowds and easily accommodates large numbers, as demonstrated at our performances in Trafalgar Square. The height, shape and shininess of the rig draw attention from afar and invite audiences to gather closer, it allows the performers to work at many levels from the ground to flying above the audiences heads and creates exciting entertainment that builds and enthralls.
“Thank you for a really wonderful afternoon of high quality work at Liberty, well done for delivering some of the most inventive aerial work I?ve seen for a long time!”
Bradley Hemmings, Artistic Director, Greenwich and Docklands Festival
