Are you ready to experience a weekend like no other? Immerse yourself in the vibrancy and depth of West African and African Diaspora cultures over a jam-packed weekend of:

• 25+ artists from Senegal / Guinea / Burkina Faso / Nigeria / Brazil and More
• Dance, Percussion & Singing Workshops
• Live Music Concerts
• Saturday “Come Together As One” Performance Evening & Party
• Sunday  "Teranga" Closing Event Celebration with all our artists
• African Food & Stalls
• Visual Art Installation

Ceilidhs are organised, very fun and energetic dances, to Gaelic folk music. You don't need to come with a partner or any previous ceilidh experience, as there will be a "caller" on hand to tell you all the steps.

Fancy dress as your favourite native wildlife is non-compulsory but very much encouraged! There will be a prize for the best dressed. However, bear in mind that riotous ceilidh dancing means that you will want to keep layers and extra potentially-eye-gouging-appendages to a minimum, and trainers/ comfortable shoes are highly recommended.

Come join in an evening of frivolity, good cheer and dancing, with Shanvaghera - a Bristol-based Irish folk band, playing pure-drop foot-tapping traditional Irish music on fiddle, flute, tenor banjo and guitar.

The last event raised just over £1000 for Somerset Wildlands Trust. All proceeds will be donated to Trees For Life, a charity working to restore the Caledonian Pine Forests in Scotland to their formerly wild and abundant glory. Part of their work also focuses on  giving people the opportunity to reconnect to nature and themselves by partaking in rewilding weeks across the Scottish Highlands.

FRUITEA is an OTA style Kiki function where members of the ballroom community walk and compete in various categories in front of a panel of judges.

Expect voguing, posing, fashion, sexuality and more in a night of queer expression!

FRUITEA is a QTBIPOC* priority space.

Classes will run from 5:15pm - 6:45pm on:

• Wednesday 12 June
• Wednesday 19 June
• Wednesday 26 June
• Wednesday 03 July
• Wednesday 10 July
• Wednesday 17 July
• Wednesday 24 July
• Wednesday 31 July

Please pay on the door at the beginning of the session. Julia will accept payments via cash or card.

About Julia
Julia has worked extensively in dance over the past 30 years She trained at the Laban Centre and received an MA in Creative Producing from UWE. Julia is the Artistic Director of Julia Thorneycroft Dance. Under the umbrella of JTD, she has devised and produced many funded projects including Full Bloom, a festival of dance for and by older people. This project developed from working with older Bristol residents to set up Gerry’s Attic Dance, a performance company for over-55’s in partnership with Trinity Arts Julia is currently working with Untold Dance Theatre. Having toured with the company as a performer for Woman Wise and Ties that Bind, Julia recently co-directed the companies new show On the Inside which toured in 2022.

Harbour Festival 2019 - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes

Trinity is commited to creating spaces to celebrate and engage with different types of artforms. This is why we have teamed up with Harbour Festival to bring back the dance stage at this year's festival, programming a stage in Queen Square 20 July.

On Saturday, Trinity will be curating the stage, followed by Movema – an award-winning dance company – taking the reins on Sunday. This year's dance programme is more inclusive and representative than ever before, celebrating Bristol's diverse community through an array of talents and styles.

As always, we'll be collaborating with local dance companies, community groups, independent artists, and cultural organisations to showcase the rich tapestry of dance talent Bristol has to offer. We will also advocate for dance across the city, featuring open access and free-to-attend dance workshops leading up to the festival, ensuring dance is accessible to all.

We are thrilled to announce that Penny Marie will be our dance facilitator for Harbour Festival, working with the community to co-create a dance piece for Bristol through community workshops. Additionally, Trinity residents Hype Dance, an urban dance group for young people, will unveil their Ultimate Dance Championships 2024 – a competition open to all dance styles for ages 12 and above, giving contestants the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience at the Harbour Festival and win exciting prizes!

Our programme boasts an incredible lineup of dance groups, featuring long-time collaborators with Trinity: Gerry's Attic, a regular dance class for over 55s; Anna K, a Turkish belly dancer who led performances and workshops at our Garden Party on 12 May; Bristol Ballroom, a queer-led collective known for their vogue balls at Trinity and previous Harbour Fest performances; and Kennedy Muntanga, a professional dancer presenting his new work ‘Hare and Lion’. We are eager to unite these established partnerships, promote fresh work, and provide a platform for these talented dancers at one of Bristol’s biggest events of the year.

Come and strut your stuff to music from Decades Disco.

Alcohol will be served alongside soft drinks and snacks.

Please note that the Bar is not able to take cash payments and can only accept card payments.

Please be aware that everyone has to pay for parking on site. Parking cannot be paid using cash and must only be paid using card payments.

For any questions or advanced tickets, please contact Friends Ageing Better (FAB) at fab@ageukbristol.org.uk.

Kick off with a warm-up before you prance ecstatically and unguided for 60 minutes. Bring your most flamboyant moves, or just finger-dance in a corner - all are welcome.

Keep the event alive by supporting with a fiver in cash or card at the donation station. You won’t be turned away if you're in a financial pickle, but please donate if you can.

Newcomers are welcome! It’s okay to feel nervous, especially if you come alone. Dancing freely around others is a courageous act. Yet we come together to overcome our fears. If it helps, a bunch of bobbling humans is meant to look hilarious and not #InstaCool. You’re welcome to stay for snacks and chatter at the end.

Please bring earplugs if you are sensitive to loud music.

Dress code: wear whatever you like but fancy dress is encouraged.

Ecstatic Prance will run on these dates:

• Tue 10 Sep
• Tue 17 Sep
• Tue 01 Oct
• Tue 15 Oct
• Tue 12 Nov
• Tue 26 Nov
• Tue 10 Dec

Classes will run from 5:15pm - 6:45pm on:

• Wednesday 10th January
• Wednesday 17th January
• Wednesday 24th January
• Wednesday 31st January
• Wednesday 7th February
• Wednesday 14th February
• Wednesday 28th February

Julia has worked extensively in dance over the past 30 years She trained at the Laban Centre and received an MA in Creative Producing from UWE. Julia is the Artistic Director of Julia Thorneycroft Dance. Under the umbrella of JTD, she has devised and produced many funded projects including Full Bloom, a festival of dance for and by older people. This project developed from working with older Bristol residents to set up Gerry’s Attic Dance, a performance company for over-55’s in partnership with Trinity Arts Julia is currently working with Untold Dance Theatre. Having toured with the company as a performer for Woman Wise and Ties that Bind, Julia recently co-directed the companies new show On the Inside which toured in 2022.

The sessions are for families (parents/carers) inclusive of people of all ages and dance abilities.

We encourage people of all ages to join in with activities and welcome volunteers to help us make the group a warm and inclusive space.

As well as the weekly workshops, the project will involve a local performance.

Dates of sessions:

Tuesday 16th May

Tuesday 23rd May

Tuesday 6th June

Tuesday 20th June

Tuesday 27th June

Tuesday 04 July

Please note:

Children must be accompanied at all times, and the parent or guardian will be responsible for the children during their visit to The Trinity and during any performance events connected to this project.

Two weekly session run

• Mondays, 5:30pm - 6:30pm - Fyfe Hall
• Fridays, 12pm - 2pm - Main Hall

Please email here if you are interested in joining the class, Julia will need to speak with you before sign up. The company is led by Julia Thorneycroft.

About Julia 
Julia has many years experience of creating, directing and teaching dance in professional, community and academic contexts. She is Programme Leader for the Dance Foundation Degree,City of Bristol College, and has Artistic Director roles for Kinesis Youth Dance Company, and Julia Thorneycroft Young Dancers Company. Her performance company, Julia Thorneycroft Dance, creates accessible dance theatre that explores current social themes and human nature, engaging the core human emotions of its audience. She is committed to reaching out beyond traditional theatre space into outdoor festivals and rural touring.

Please note: Trinity operates a 24hr Pay & Display Car Park and all Visitors are required to Pay & Display.

As part of Full Bloom Festival 2020, Gerry's Attic Dance Company is offering taster sessions from dance around the world for over 55s.

These workshops will include;
- 10.30-11.25am - African
- 11.30-12.25pm - Flamenco
- 12.30-1.25pm Argentine Tango

You can take part in 1, 2 or all 3 classes.

Full Bloom Festival is a celebration of dance by and for older people showcased through a weekend of workshops, discussion and performance. This year Full Bloom Festival will take place from 4th - 5th April. Please click here for more information and tickets about the festival.

To book a place on the Full Bloom Dance Workshops taking place on Sunday 1st March, please email julia.thorneycroft@blueyonder.co.uk.

Price: £3 for 1 class, £4 for 2 classes, £5 for all 3 classes.

A group of Bristol-based dance artists will take it in turn to lead morning class, each drawing on their own experiences of dance and of other somatic and body-mind practices.

Whether through improvisation or the learning of set material these classes welcome each mover to explore and bring their attention to their own sense of being and moving. Come along to interrogate and deepen your dancing craft.

Level
Experienced movement practitioners.

Time
The space will be open from 9.45am, class time is 10-11.30am, with time to stretch and meet 11.30-12noon.

Dates
16th & 23rd Sept - Anna Kaszuba
30th Sept (MOVED TO SOUTHBANK CLUB, SOUTHVILLE)
7th Oct - Laura Dannequin
14th & 21st Oct - Laila Diallo

Location
The class will hop from venue to venue across Bristol. We are at Trinity Centre until 21st October and will continue at Bristol Old Vic until Winter break. Double check location before travelling!

Price
Drop-in £5 per class cash only or £40 for a 10-class card (valid until 1st April 2020).
To buy a 10-class card email: info.gatherup@gmail.com.
Note that the classes will take place across a number of venues between now and July 2020.

Details
Admittance is on a first come, first served basis.
Each class has 3 bookable places (please email info.gatherup@gmail.com) for anyone travelling from outside Bristol or with childcare or access needs who may not be able to arrive on time.

Please get in touch if you have any particular access requirements.

Class will not run during half term, Winter and Summer breaks alongside school calendar.

Credit: Image by Vojtek Brtnicky

Workshop leader Neus Gil Cortés, founder of NUA Dance offers an open and engaging workshop for the curious amongst you. NUA Dance aim to make every participant feel that they leave having explored their own thoughts and have found a way to physically celebrate their own voice.

This workshop price includes a ticket to QUIMERA at Circomedia on 20th September and gives you a chance to perform in the last scene!

About Neus Gil Cortés...

With more than ten years of experience as a dance artist, Neus previously danced in companies such as Hofesh Shechter Company, National Dance Company Wales, Protein and Dance Works Rotterdam, amongst others. 

As a choreographer, her work has been commissioned worldwide, including performances at festivals such as World Stage Design and Ellas Crean, companies such as Frontier Danceland (Singapore) and several national CAT programmes, including the London Youth Circus.

She has taught workshops for people over 50s for East London Dance- Leap of Faith, Damn Fine Dance, CD60+ and Retrospectif.

"Celebrate your inner goddess"

Inspired by the Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), SACRED is a transformative women's only workshop to worship you! SACRED uses fertility dances, yoga and explorative dance to explore and experience our emotions, the 'shoulds' and 'should nots', pleasure and boundaries in an unashamed and delicious way. Connect to your divine feminine wisdom in this womb focused movement meditation. For all ages and experiences.

Ella Mesma is an IGNiTE Associate Artist.