Lydia and Sarah have been working with people with learning disabilities to lead dance activities, by creating bespoke and researched communication methods and resources, dating as far back as 2005. We have actively been enabling people with learning disabilities to lead engaging dance communities and classes for a very long time. This expertise comes through our own education and training, but mainly through work experience in a number of capacities/positions through social care, educational settings, arts organisations, community settings and events.
We both began this journey together through a day service, and this is where we first met in 2009. This was where we challenged the fact that only staff led sessions as activity leaders, and instead we put it’s members in the role of leading the weekly dance classes. It was a cultural shift, that meant people were looked at differently. The increase of confidence, engagement and opportunities this way of working offered people, has been a huge motivation for both of us. We have enabled people with a huge range of needs and communication styles, to be the person in the room who is guiding the session.
We have always used film and photography as a way of communicating and connecting learning, as well as creating multi sensory environments such as shadow dance and puppetry. We also have always created our own session leader boards. Our current green board is used not only to help people plan the session as independently as possible, but for our dancers in the session to understand the plan today. This assists in people being able to anticipate what is happening now and next. We also use it in helping people to reflect on how they found the session today at the end of the class.
Some of the people we have worked with over the years, do not use verbal methods of communication. From our early years in beginning this work with people with a wide range of needs, we realised facilitating dance leadership and ownership for these people was more to do with the fact that we knew our dancers very well, over long periods of time. It was the building of trust and meaningful relationships, that opened the doors to powerful communication and increased independence. Seeing areas of capacity and strengths each member brings, has always been key to cooperation as a dance community. This was all teamed with the huge efforts we would go to, in seeing our whole group fulfill fantasies through creative dance, and lighting up the stage.
We (Lydia and Sarah) lead classes too at Echo Performing Arts, as we are both experienced dance teachers. We give people skills, and then support them to lead these in their own way, and go on to create their own dance activities /performances too. Currently we support Harry to teach on Sundays, and we lead Jazz Hands Dance ourselves on a Wednesday. Dreams and Fabulous Stars are led by our trained leaders and they are going from strength to strength.
Our main priority is to always work towards being as led by our dancers with learning disabilities as possible. “Expert by lived experience” is a phrase we believe deeply in.
We have enabled many individuals to lead their interpretation of what dance is, and to impact the people around them in empowering ways. Whether this has been through weekly sessions that became part of people’s weekly rituals, or through live performances and projects. The joy of creativity along the way has been a wonder to observe and be a part of.
People with learning disabilities, are a minority group, and we play a role in their community, where we nurture the people we dance with. We allow them to develop in their own way, and in their own time. It is likely that family, social care and community support is a key part of our dancers life. We communicate with, and nurture our relationships, with those surrounding our dancers too.
Having spent a great deal of time in this community, we have observed and experienced something not often talked about – culture within the learning disability community. When culture is explored in creative arts, this contributes deeply to society moving forwards in very powerful ways. In our show history, some of the most memorable moments on stage was when the audience experienced that insight.
There is a humour present within this community, often one where irony and a playful nature is present. We also observe incredible talent, amazing capacity for memory, power, sensitivity and strength within in this community. We love seeing all of these qualities and more become present in our dancing and performance making. Our dancer’s way of seeing the world when shared with wider audiences, can create a range of emotive responses from audiences. Whether this be through laughter, tears, wonder or awe, it is something that can be very powerful to experience.
People with learning disabilities can be told “you can’t” more often that a person might realise. But the truth is, these people are experts by lived experience, and when it comes to expressing their culture through their art, it is very important we seek leadership and power for these people in what we do. We see huge amounts of engagement and commitment from local people, week in week out, with many people seeing these classes as a highlight of their week.
We received funding in 2024, from The National Lottery, enabling us to gather the funding to be able to put our knowledge and skills into courses, where throughout 2024 and early 2025 we worked with 3 x groups of 4 people at a time with learning disabilities. The Chalk Cliff Trust then funded us to give opportunities throughout 2025 to give our newly trained dance leaders the opportunities, to lead community workshops.
In Spring time 2023, we began our first project with Harry Fairchild leading a session called The Far Far Away Musical. We meet with Harry every week to plan and develop his skills. It is a very popular group. We have been training Harry in the same tools we have given our new leaders. He has nearly been leading every week for two years, we are so proud of him, and so grateful he has remained a role model to our dancers throughout this time. This was when Echo Performing Arts began working on projects, and Harry has been there every step of the way.
Our first set of Dance Leaders – Lauren, Ellie and Larah led a workshop for TogetherCo in January 2025.
We had a planning meeting before we went to teach. We had bags of fun costumes and props with us too.
In Spring 2025, we delivered our training to 4 students at Downs View Life Skills College, providing them with the skills to lead to their classmates st college and transferable skills in planning, leadership, evaluation and learning from what we have done through our leading.
We are excited about seeing how we can contribute more widely to reach more people through Echo Performing Arts, and to continue to nurture the dancers we see at all our classes and events.
Sarah and Lydia’s role is to sometimes be very present in the support people need, and at others to stand back and allow the space people need to communicate and grow in wisdom. Accessibility is a learning journey that never really ends, and new steps forward never stop being amazing to experience and observe. Hope to see you on the Dancefloor soon ✨
Echo Performing Arts CIC 