Free classes for women with experience of homelessness - thanks to you

The Big Give is a national fundraising campaign which matches every penny raised, doubling the impact.

Thanks to you we raised £2100, which - when matched by The Big Give - gave us a grand total of £4200 to provide free dance classes to women in recovery from domestic abuse and homelessness.

Since then, we worked with our charity partners RISE and Justlife to find out what kind of classes the women they work with might like to try. 

Then in October 2024, we started a year-long programme of classes with them, in an eclectic and exciting range of styles, including Musical Theatre Jazz with Damien Delaney, Yogadance with Anna Des Clayes, and My Charleston.

Fran Anderson, Head of Development at Justlife says: “We work with women who have experienced homelessness. To support them in overcoming trauma and to reconnect them with their local communities we offer a range of practical and emotional support. The opportunity to come together to dance with other women who have had similar experiences will mean so much for their recovery.”

Emily James Farley, our Creative Communities Manager, says: “At South East Dance, we passionately believe that dance can bring people together both physically and emotionally, transforming lives in the process.  Our vision for The Dance Space is and always has been a safe space for everybody to explore what dance can mean for them, so it’s a real joy to be able to welcome this community of women into the fold.”

Did you know that we’re a charity and rely on donations to offer life-enhancing dance experiences to people who need it most? You can donate at any time to support our work in your community, by visiting our Donate page.