Striking Attitudes is a dance theatre company that works with professionals and community participants. The creative sessions evolved as a result of Striking Attitudes’ 2005 production of ‘Three Parts Iced Over’; a work of intergenerational significance.

The sessions are primarily geared to creating work for performance and are designed to appeal to the older dancer (50+). Our members have a broad range of abilities, from those working professionally in dance to those who have never danced before. 

Online Creative Sessions are led by Striking Attitudes’ professional creative team:

Artistic Director and Choreographer – Caroline Lamb

Rehearsal Director and Course Tutor at Rubicon dance – Janet Fieldsend.

Balans director and dancer – Aleksandra Nikolajev Jones.

 

Working through movement and the spoken word, Striking Attitudes’ Online Platform and Outdoor Activities offer creative movement and talking sessions, allowing older people to connect, share experiences, and keep fit. We use a  holistic approach creating connections between body & mind.

WHY BE CREATIVE?

Striking Attitudes’ creative sessions are an opportunity to use our bodies to express ourselves. Through our bodies, we experience the world around us, not only our immediate physical environment but also, the inner feelings we have about the world outside. 

Using our bodies creatively is freeing and one of the best ways of communicating our inner selves – who we are and what we want to say – to the world. 

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SESSIONS 

Our creative movement sessions start with a short burst of Balans – a  movement-based exercise system – devised and led by Aleksandra Nicolajev Jones. This gets our bodies warmed up and ready to move. 

Janet Fieldsend develops the warm-up by giving physical images and ideas to stimulate free and expressive movement. This helps us connect with our own individual ways of moving and also pushes us to find new ways of moving. 

Caroline Lamb uses many starting points to develop her choreography for the main creative part of the session – words, music, paintings, personal writing. Week by week, she slowly builds movement material to make a structured sequence – some of the material will be gestural and some more dancelike. The sequence can be adapted and personalized, if necessary so that all participants are comfortable with it. 

The ideas and images behind Caroline’s movement are offered to the participants to play with and discover their own way of interpreting them. These movement ideas are then developed, together with a partner, or in small groups – 3 or 4 people. In these Covid times, this is done through the use of breakout rooms. The results are then shared with the rest of the group and there’s a chance to chat and feedback to each other.

Participant’s Thoughts

Thank you so much for my first Striking Attitudes’ experience. I absolutely loved every moment! I love the sessions for the dancing and the creativity of being with others giving so much.

Sally

I think it’s been brilliant! I’ve really enjoyed the rhythm of it. I really like the balance between what is set and having the freedom to explore. It’s been a lifeline for me.

Lynette

It’s been a lovely experience coming back into creativity, meeting people I wouldn’t normally have met and rediscovering my body and the way it moves.

Janet

It’s been great! A bit of a highlight in the middle of the week.

Jill

I love these sessions!

Diana

“So many things about the group have given me pleasure. To have the chance to dance again in my own way and not feel pressured or judged. To be in such a supportive and encouraging atmosphere gave many of us a much-needed confidence boost. Great to be taught and be a participant in a class rather than be the teacher and I have loved the stimulus and creativity that has emerged from this fusion of like-minded people. It’s been a chance to rediscover a love of dance and why it’s so important to us.

There has been so much fun and laughter in the workshops and a real pleasure from dancing together and watching each other. We have all been surprised at the wealth of ideas that have emerged week by week, as we opened up more and more and felt our confidence grow. However tired we were or stressed, it soon evaporated as we came together in the studio, and we left smiling, chatting. Every Thursday was a tonic it gave me a lift for the week.

It has been different to any class I have been involved in before because of the wide range of ages and therefore life experiences of the participants. It was very special to be able to share memories, feelings, and experiences and express them through dance. Long may it continue.”- Shirley Stansfield.

“It makes me more aware of my physical self – usually in a positive way. It inspires me to keep fit. It is a really great opportunity to express myself as a person. When I’m dancing I’m just me, not a mother, grandmother, wife etc.” – Elizabeth Harris.

“It takes me out of myself and has a calming affect on my whole attitude to life. I really like being able to dance with people of my own age and being able to work towards film and stage work.” – Karen LeBeau

“I am more flexible and relaxed and I find it very cathartic. I love the chance to work creatively towards a dance performance with a wonderful group of people.” – Olivia Jones