The switch means Greenwich Dance will now be based over the border in Bexley, but it says it will continue to work in all areas of the borough, including at Charlton House, as well across south London.
Melanie Precious, the chief executive of Greenwich Dance, said: “I am so proud of what we have achieved over the last few years. Under some of the most challenging of circumstances we have continued to be here to provide opportunities for our local residents and support for our dance artists and I’d like to thank Charlton House for supporting us through that period.
“The move to Thamesmead will see us upsize the potential reach of our work, continuing to animate community centres in Greenwich and beyond with dance while also creating even more opportunities for people to make, watch and take part in dance.”
Feeling stiff and lifeless post-lockdown? Greenwich Dance is bringing Stride on Time to Charlton Park from Thursday 29 April, a series of dance-inspired walks to help your body and mind get moving again now the spring is here.
Led by experienced dance artists, Maria Ghoumrassi and Lizzie Fort, each walk will include a warm-up to awaken your body, a walk to get you moving and a chance to socialise with other local people.
There are two walks each week, each meeting at Charlton House. One is on Thursdays from 29 April from 2pm-3.30pm, the other is a family session on Saturdays (from 1 May) from 10.30am to 11am. They cost £4 each.
Greenwich Dance are visitors to New Charlton Community Centre this spring
Greenwich Dance’s MELANIE PRECIOUS outlines what it’s up to at Charlton House and elsewhere over the coming months…
This term Greenwich Dance have added a host of new classes to their weekly timetable to brighten up the winter months … and there’s now truly something for everyone!
Adults have the choice of contemporary (general level and improvers), lindy hop (beginners and improvers), African fusion, yoga and jazz classes at Charlton House. Priced keenly at between £7-£8 a class the classes take place every Wednesday during term time.
If you are in your late fifties and sixties and think the time for dancing is done then you would also be mistaken. Greenwich Dance run a dedicated class at Charlton House every Friday designed for over-55s. Led by artist Maria Ghoumrassi the Friday class is a gentle exploration of creative movement and a perfect opportunity to meet new, likeminded people. For those who would like to take their love of dance that bit further they can also stay on for a further hour and be part of the Dancing to the Music of Time performance company or attend one of the Tea Dance and Workshop combos programmed for spring.
Greenwich Dance also have a number of activities happening around the half term. There is a fun filled Family Day planned for 19 February for parents and babies, 3-5 years, 5-7 years and 8 – 12 years plus an intergenerational workshop for everyone including grandma and grandad!
In addition Tea Dances are back, led by Equality Dance’s Peter Meager. Some of you may know him as he holds classes at nearby New Charlton Community Centre and his approach is one that throws gender stereotypes out of the window. He will be encouraging leaders to follow and vice versa to create an afternoon tea dance welcoming to all. If you are new to tea dances come along for the workshop first: and don’t forget you have tea and cake included in the price of your ticket!
Greenwich Dance will also be out on the road this spring, touring to five community centres around the borough. Called Up My Street Showtime!, the event invites the audience to eat and drink whilst enjoying a line-up of professional artists, the Greenwich Dance youth and over-55s’ performance companies and local community groups. Showtime! will be coming to New Charlton Community Centre on 27 March and will be at Clockhouse Community Centre on the Woolwich Dockyard estate on 28 March with two shows, a matinee and an evening performance. Priced at only a few pounds and including the choreographer of the NHS section of the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, Temujin Gill, ZoieLogic Dance Theatre and Mathieu Geffre’s love duet for two men (which some of you may have seen at our wine tasting event last November) it’d be wise to book your tickets soon to avoid disappointment!
Greenwich Dance are also looking for volunteers to be ‘Dancing Friends’ at these performances – their role will be to make sure anyone arriving alone at Showtime! is made to feel welcome. We know that loneliness is a huge issue for people of all ages, and these events have been designed as a way for communities to socialise, meet new people and have fun…right up your street!
To find out more about all of the above and to book go to greenwichdance.org.uk or email chenube[at]greenwichdance.org.uk.
“Greenwich Dance and Greenwich Heritage Trust announce a new affiliation which has resulted in a brand new home for Greenwich Dance within Charlton House, the historic Jacobean country house in Charlton, South East London.
The affiliation offers Greenwich Dance good office space in addition to access to beautiful spaces for class, projects and performance which include The Old Library and The Charlton Assembly Rooms as well as the grounds and gardens. Greenwich Dance and Greenwich Heritage Trust plan to develop the affiliation further to create more opportunities for dance to animate Charlton House and for joint approaches to outreach. It will enable Greenwich Dance to re-launch its popular morning classes for professional dancers as well as bringing its over 60’s performance company Dancing To The Music of Time to Charlton which had previously been accommodated by Greenwich and Lewisham Young People’s Theatre at the Tramshed in Woolwich.
The move marks the beginning of a new way of working for Greenwich Dance where classes, courses, projects and performance making will be sited across the borough and the proximity of other like-minded organisations based at Charlton House offers potential for exciting new collaborations and partnerships.
Speaking about the collaboration, Chief Executive Officer, Melanie Precious said: “We are thrilled to have a new home at Charlton House. It’s a beautiful setting in which to base an organisation such as Greenwich Dance which has creativity and the community at its heart. Charlton House is well positioned for our new operational model, we feel as is if forgotten areas of the borough are now within easy reach. We are also hugely excited at the possibility of bringing both the community and professional dancers to Charlton House to enjoy dance within its beautiful rooms and glorious gardens.
We very much look forward to working with the Greenwich Heritage Trust and other residents here to create brand new programmes to keep Greenwich dancing.”
The Charlton Champion 