Classes
Join one of our intergenerational movement improvisation classes
Acting Our Age in-studio
Led by Artistic Director, Yael Flexer our intergenerational classes are open to adults of any age without or with dance experience, and are made to suit those aged 50+
Sessions are designed to:
develop awareness of our anatomy
develop connection to our bodies and each other through use of imagery and playful exploration
build confidence and social connection
develop technical and creative skills
Classes will lead you through gentle movement improvisations and simple exercises that are accessible to all.
Join our growing and lovely community, connect, move, dance, and laugh with us every Wednesday & Friday morning.
Please wear comfortable clothing and we recommend you work on bare feet or if needed with socks.
Day & time:
Wednesday 2:45pm - 4:15pm
Friday 10:15am - 11:45am
New Term Schedule:
Wednesdays 17 April - 17 July. A total of 6 classes*
Fridays 19 April - 19 July. A total of 13 classes
(no classes in half term)
Location: South East Dance, The Dance Space, 2 Market Square, Circus Street, Brighton, BN2 9AS.
Class fees:
Termly fee Wednesday* £60/£48 concession (equivalent to £10/8 per class).
Termly fee Friday £130/104 concession (equivalent to £10/8 per class).
Termly fee both Wednesdays* and Fridays £178/£140
Drop-in fee £12/10 concession.
*= Note that currently our Wednesday classes run over the first half of summer term (6 classes), and will be continued on request.
This includes the transaction fee for online payments.
“Great classes, stimulating, well-paced, fun and creative. A very friendly and warm feeling emanates from the teachers and participants.”
- Acting Our Age in studio participant
Acting Our Age online
Led by a range of Flexer & Sandiland experts and supportive teachers, join our welcoming and international community of movers for 1 hour of movement, inspiration, connection, and fun.
Classes are aimed at those aged 50+ and open to adults of any age without or with dance experience. These movement classes are easy to access online using zoom through the link we send you.
Grounded in Flexer & Sandiland’s somatic approach sessions are designed to:
develop awareness of our anatomy
enhance a sense of ease, joy and pleasure in moving
develop connection to our bodies and each other through use of imagery and playful exploration
develop technical and creative skills
build confidence and social connection
Classes begin with a gentle warm-up followed by image-based improvisations and compositional tasks. Classes are accessible to all and open for adaptation to suit your space and physical ability. A great way to start your day.
Teachers: TBC
Day & time: Wednesdays 10-11am (GMT) 11am-12noon (CET) 12-1pm (IDT)
Schedule: 17 April to 17 July with half term. A total of 13 Classes
Location: online using Zoom
Class fees: Termly fee £91/78 (equivalent to £7/6 per class). Drop-in £8
Classes can be taken anytime during the term (if you block-book part way through the term you will only be charged for the remaining classes). We have some subsidised bursary places so please do contact us for those via the link below too.
Teacher biographies
Luke Birch
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Luke began his dance training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and then went on to complete his BA Hons degree at Laban in 2008. In 2009 he joined postgraduate dance company Edge at London Contemporary Dance School. Professionally he has performed for a variety of companies internationally alongside working with visual artists performing in galleries (Tate and Hayward Gallery). His choreographic work has been shown at Canterbury Festival, Sadlers Wells (Damn Fine Dance at Elixir Festival), The Place, Siobhan Davies Studios, Move it 2016 and Arts Depot. Luke also has a passion for teaching and has delivered classes and workshops with Greenwich Dance, The Place, Circus Space, Independent Dance, Trinity-Laban, Surrey University, London Studio Centre, Salzburg Academy of Experimental Dance, Shobana Jeyasingh and Candoco.
Yael Flexer
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Yael’s choreography is fast-paced, intricate, thought provoking and humorous. Her work is primarily concerned with interaction; connecting with an audience on a human and visceral level. Informed by somatic and improvisational practice, Yael has developed a specific methodology for work with intergenerational and 60+ movers.
Aya Kobayashi
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Born in Japan, Aya is an independent dance artist based in Glasgow. Aya trained at Rambert School and performed for Flexer & Sandiland, Rosemary Lee, Charlie Morrissey, Lila Dance and Gecko Theatre. She is a member of Collective Endeavours and practices improvisation performance. She joined Barrowland Ballet as an associate artist and regularly teaches professional classes and leads the intergenerational company Wolf Pack. She works extensively with inclusive companies and communities in the UK and abroad such as Anjali, StopGap, Indepen-Dance and Paragon.
In recent years her works have been developed in the collaboration with visual art, costume, sound and architecture that accommodates moving bodies. She often works with galleries such as Tate, V&A museum of Childhood and Tramway leading the education workshops and participatory performances. Her works have been presented in locations including The Place, Royal Festival Hall, Northern Ballet, Paralympics 2012 torch relay ceremony, Cairo, Madrid, Tokyo, Ofunato and Queretaro in Mexico.
Hannah Martin
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Hannah trained at Trinity Laban, graduating with a degree in Dance Theatre in 2008 and went on to study for an MA in Dance Performance. In 2010 she joined Flexer and Sandiland and has toured nationally and internationally with the ‘The Living Room’ and ‘Weightless’. Hannah has over 15 years’ experience of facilitating dance in a variety of different contexts and enjoys seeing the transformative nature of dance for the people she works with. Most notably, she has worked with Wessex Dance Academy for the last 9 years to deliver a unique dance programme for vulnerable young people.
Fiona Millward
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As a dancer, teacher and maker since 1985 Fiona continues to be inspired by the mediums of movement and touch, believing they offer an invigorating and intrinsic understanding of the world around us, as well as the world within. Her practice is informed by her work as a Certified Rolfer® and Franklin Method™ Educator and a curiosity around perception, pattern, and relationship. She feels privileged to have continuously worked in an eclectic range of settings and roles; as performer, maker, teacher, rehearsal director, curator, dramaturg, collaborator or project lead. As co-director of Independent Dance (1996-2014) she is a NESTA fellowship recipient for outstanding contribution to dance. fionamillward.com
Julie-Ann Minaai
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Originally from Hawaii, Julie is an international freelance dancer, choreographer, teacher and rehearsal director based in London, UK. She studied dance at Queen Emma Ballet and Mid-Pacific Institute’s School of the Arts, Hawaii. In California, she danced for Donald McKayle’s Etude Ensemble performing his renowned repertoire, Rainbow Etude. Julie completed her MA degree at London Contemporary Dance School.
Since moving to the U.K., Julie has toured nationally and internationally (Norway, Israel, China, Colombia & Peru) with distinguished choreographers and dance companies. Selected credits: ROH's Die Zauberflote, Peter Darling & Ellen Kane (Groundhog Day and Matilda), James Cousins, Flexer & Sandiland, ENO's Madam Butterfly, and Richard Malone's LFW Presentation, and commercially with Lynne Page (Pet Shop Boys, Jess Glynne's The BRITs 2019 & Stormzy’s The BRITs 2018), Caroline Pope (ITV’s Mr. Selfridge), Lucy Hind (Nick Frost & Simon Pegg’s Truth Seekers), La Dispute’s Woman (Reading) and Th1ng Corp and Saatchi & Saatchi’s ASDA Battles Campaign.
Gabrielle MacAllister
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Gabrielle is a dancer based in South West England. She trained at Institute of the Arts Barcelona graduating in 2018 with a BA in dance performance. She then joined mapdance with The University of Chichester graduating with an MA in 2020.
Gabrielle joined Flexer & Sandiland in 2020 for 'Imagining Otherwise' and has been working alongside Full Tilt Aerial as a dancer, teacher and choreographic assistant since 2021.
She teaches as part of the Swindon Dance Outreach Programme and regular workshops in Wiltshire.
As an artist she is interested in finding presence within movement and discovering what is within all the layers we hold.
She also works as a massage therapist and support worker for artists.
Karen da Silva
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Karen trained at the Laban Centre and is an independent dance artist, based in Portugal and the UK. Drawing on phenomenology and Stanislavski, she is interested in ways in which we can stay present with ideas or images to find our own unique arising movement. As a performer she has worked with Emilyn Claid, Kate Lawrence, Joe Moran and Florence Peake. She has choreographed for Duckie, Circolombia, Woking Dance Festival and Dobradiça and Todos Festivals, Portugal. Her solo work has been shown most recently in Lisbon at Arroz Studios. Karen was Performance Studies coordinator for the BA Dance Studies programme at the University of Surrey where she also completed her Phd in choreography and philosophy.