Anjali Dance Company’s outreach work is delivered nationally and internationally, offering high quality dance opportunities for people with and without learning disabilities, to explore and develop their creative potential in a friendly, focused and nurturing environment.
We offer a range of bespoke workshops, residencies, and masterclasses, drawing on our years of experience and can offer studio-based insights into our creative processes and methods.
As much as possible, Anjali’s main company dancers co-lead outreach activity, with support from a fellow dance artist.
We are passionate about engaging with others to:
- Support the development of creative skills
- Provide positive role models and support social cohesion
- Share our work and offer opportunities to get involved
- Demonstrate what people with learning disabilities can achieve when given the opportunity
CANVAS - Connects young people with Arts organisations and creatives across Derby City.
Running from July 2023 to June 2025, CANVAS brought together young people, arts organisations and creative practitioners from across Derby to nurture the next generation of creative voices.
At the heart of CANVAS was a commitment to making creativity accessible to everyone — providing free activities in safe and welcoming spaces, while giving young people opportunities to develop skills, share ideas and shape the cultural activity happening across their city.
Anjali’s involvement
As part of the programme, Anjali dancer Daisy Garrett shared her experiences as a professional learning-disabled artist.
Daisy’s involvement reflects the wider approach to participation: creating opportunities for learning-disabled artists to lead, share their practice and connect with communities.
Daisy’s contribution also helped demonstrate the importance of seeing disabled artists not only as participants, but as professional creatives, practitioners and role models.
Team Teaching Project: Two's Company
Focusing on Anjali’s team-teaching methodology, our learning-disabled dancers co-deliver with non-disabled dance practitioners to perform co-created duets and deliver inspirational creative dance workshops.
We partner with dance organisations and groups who benefit from our expertise; work with a range of participant groups countrywide; and inspire people through our (co)led workshops, delivered by people with learning disabilities.
“The Anjali workshop was a high-quality experience for the participants that were relevant, fully inclusive of their needs and full of joy!”
“They were totally engaging workshops; learning was happening on different levels and was definitely mutually beneficial. Thank you Anjali, for the rich and fascinating workshops you delivered during our Arts week celebrations!”
Tour Outreach & Participatory Work
As part of our professional tours, Anjali’s outreach team delivers residencies, workshops and training opportunities. This often includes INSET training, and CPD for professionals working in the field within SEN and mainstream schools, disability-led organisations and health settings.
The outreach team travels across the country, with recent work in Barnsley, Swindon, Burton, Derby, Birmingham, Worcester, Shropshire Black Country, Leicester and more!
“The group were mesmerised when Hannah and Lauren performed an excerpt from Genius. There are some very vocal people in the group (which we encourage!) so for the room to fall so silent came as a surprise. It was a beautiful moment. Some of our young participants were very moved by the dance and the music.”
“I enjoyed all the interaction and breaking down of inhibitions – it was very well directed with professionalism and good humour.”
To book Anjali Dance Company, please contact info@anjali.co.uk