Dance Retreats at Dartington Hall
Autumnal Contemporary Dance Retreat in Rural Devon
Unlock your creativity and nourish your love of dance
About
Our Dance Retreats invite you to immerse yourself in dance and creativity in rural Devon with good food and good company. You will stay on the beautiful and historic Dartington Hall and enjoy evening meals together. A short morning walk across the misty fields finds you in a light and spacious dance studio ready to explore the day’s inspiration. You will be in the company of like-minded people, keen to rediscover, nourish and reinvigorate their creative bodies and minds. This is a restorative and uplifting weekend aimed at people looking to reconnect with their creativity through dance.
Led by Contemporary Choreographer Laila Diallo
The weekend will be led by Laila Diallo. The stimulating, guided workshop explorations will draw on her extensive experience as an internationally renowned choreographer.
Over the weekend, Laila will guide participants to connect attentively to their bodies and to ignite, or re-ignite, their creativity through dance. Workshops are designed to be relaxed and fun.
We will begin each day with a gentle warm-up, bringing attention to and oiling up the joints, before being guided through simple physical explorations and creative tasks where we will dance alongside, with one another, and all together. Each of us will be welcomed to follow our own pace and curiosity. All of this in a spirit of discovery and playfulness.
Laila is a dance maker based in Bristol working and presenting work across the UK and internationally. Recent pieces have explored ideas around impermanence, traces and our experience of time passing. Alongside independently and collaboratively devising work for live performance, Laila often works as movement director in theatre and opera. She also frequently works as an educator within the university and vocational sectors, with children, youth and other community groups as well as with emerging artists and peers, through commissioned work and the delivery of workshops, classes, public talks and mentoring.
In 2017, Laila created SOMETHING ABOUT WILDERNESS and several other attempts at taming beauty in tandem with choreographer Mélanie Demers. The work, commissioned by Skanes Dansteater, responded to the site of the company’s home theatre in Malmo, Sweden. Beginning outside, the piece (and public) journeyed through a 50-metre-long walled garden linking street to building and then in to the belly of the theatre.
Other recent projects include: Countless Yellow Chairs, created and performed with composer/songwriter Jules Maxwell and many yellow chairs; In This Moment, a solo for Laila; Husk, for Candoco Dance Company; Owl Light for mapdance, University of Chichester’s postgraduate dance company; Near the place where your feet pass by, created with Nafisah Baba for the BBC Young Dancer 2017 Final which Nafisah went on to win; Every day Everyday Dances, a sound installation and London College of Fashion commission; movement direction for Verity Standen’’s Undersong, an a cappella choral piece premiered at Mayfest, Bristol in May 2017.
Current projects include ongoing research with visual artist/maker Helen Carnac, continuing on from a collaboration instigated by Siobhan Davies Dance and a subsequent commission (Edge and Shore, 2015) as well as research towards the making of a dance work exploring the politics of togetherness.
The recipient of a Rayne Fellowship for Choreographers in 2006, Laïla also was an Associate Artist at ROH2, Royal Opera House, between 2009 and 2012. She is currently the recipient of a 2018 Leverhulme Art Scholarship through Bristol Old Vic Ferment.
Ability
Our courses are suitable for anyone looking to explore their creativity through dance. Whether you’re new to dance, in need of a new challenge or are looking to reconnect to dance in your life. The space is open for you to learn and explore. You will need to have a basic level of fitness as you will be exploring physically in the studio each day. A non-competitive atmosphere is encouraged so that you can practise at your own level and ability.
WHERE:
Dance Studios at Dartington Hall
(Aller Park & SPACE Studios)
WHEN:
Arrive on the Friday 16th November – Sunday 18th November 2018
STAY:
Higher Close in the beautiful grounds of Dartington Hall. B&B Single Room
4* accommodation may be booked independently through Dartington Hall subject to availability: here
Please contact us for a revised quote.
COST:
*INTRODUCTORY OFFER!*Prices will increase for Spring 2019 Retreats
£375 Residential including all meals and evening theatre ticket
Including comfortable but basic single accommodation with shared bathrooms, breakfast, lunches and evening meals.
£260 Weekend course, lunches and evening theatre ticket
Explore the timetable for the weekend
Friday Afternoon:
Arrive from 3pm to check in to your accommodation and explore the beautiful Dartington Estate. We will come together at The White Hart for dinner at 7pm for welcome and introductions over an evening meal.
Saturday:
8am Breakfast
9-9.45am (optional) Stretch and Connect: Gentle morning movement in the Gardens (weather permitting) with Sue Smith, Dance in Devon
10am-1pm Morning class and workshop with Laila
1-2pm Lunch
2-4.30pm Creative workshops with Laila
4.30-5pm Relaxation
4.30-6.30pm Rest and personal time
6.30pm Dinner at the White Hart
Saturday Evening:
8pm An Evening with Namron Studio 1
From Asphalt to Maplewood is the inspiring autobiographical story of Namron Yarrum.
Through dance, photography, film and spoken word, Namron leads you through his journey; from being a child in Jamaica with no dance background to becoming a founding member of London Contemporary Dance Theatre and one of the most celebrated dancers in British contemporary dance. Having worked with pioneering choreographers such as Robert Cohan, Alvin Ailey, Siobhan Davies and Richard Alston and with a dance career spanning 55 years, Namron has plenty of stories to tell in this deeply personal and inspiring performance.
Sunday:
8am Breakfast
9-9.45 (optional) Stretch and Connect: Gentle morning movement with Sue Smith
10am-1pm Morning class and workshop with Laila
1-2pm Lunch
2-4.00pm Creative workshops Laila
4-4.30pm Reflections and relaxation
4.30pm Farewells
How to book
Return completed booking form via email: projectmanager@danceindevon.org.uk or by post to Dance in Devon, C/O Dartington Arts, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6EL
Payment can be made by cheque in the post or BACS transfer on receipt of invoice.
Your place will be confirmed on receipt of full payment.
Booking closes: Monday 29th October
Our Cancellation Policy
Bookings can be cancelled up until Monday 29th October and a refund given of the full amount less £50 administration fee. Cancellation after this time are non refundable.
Dance in Devon reserves the right to cancel and / or reschedule the weekend retreat if the minimum bookings are not reached. You will be notified by Tuesday 30th October.
Further Information
By Email
Lizzy Humber: projectmanager@danceindevon.org.uk
By Phone (during office hours)
07305 141579
Dance in Devon works with Dartington Arts to support dance and dancers in Devon.