Founded in 2022 by Isabelle Long and Ashley Lim, Transcendance offers inclusive dance workshops to transcend the narrative of what dance is. Recognising that dance is a movement, is a language, Transcendance sees and teaches dance in a different way.
We caught up with Ashley from Transcendance to discover more.
Q: Tell us about Transcendance?
A: Transcendance started up with the help of Trinity Laban’s Innovation award in 2022. It’s a project that offers dance classes in a mix range of styles with a mental health and well-being focus. We have found through personal experience that moving your body and connecting with others is a well-known recipe for positive life-changing, effects on mental health and well-being. We use a range of teaching methods to ensure that everyone can access dance/movement.
Everyone can dance and everyone IS a dancer. To explain more about that, when I teach different communities, I find that the most used expression is I cannot dance because… I am old, stiff, don’t have much experience or I’m not creative. I found that we think that there is a criteria to be able to dance and it’s understandable as the people that we see that dance on stage are people who may be tall, young, able bodied and fit. There has been a shift now on the bodies that can go on stage but the old narrative sticks to the people who aren’t able to access dance or don’t know much about it.
We encourage people to find their way of moving.
Q: What made you create the platform?
A: Izzy (co-founder) and I found that there weren’t a lot of spaces where young people our age could find alternative ways to help their mental health and well-being through movement that is focused on connection with others, play, accessibility, care and affordable but still builds on dance skills, joy and creativity like mainstream studios.
For example, a class I have created Let’s Play, which is a movement class for trans+ and or global majority people. It was created from a need I found through my Master’s dissertation. A need for a queer dance space that is sober, a place to play and dance for trans+ people. I decided to have a focus on global majorities as BIPOC non-binary person, because I at times do not feel safe in some queer spaces and so I created my own. I also found how beneficial it was for it to be a trans+ space. The methods during the class comes from dance games I use for kids, differently abled people and older adults. During my research, I found that most adults don’t get to play that much in their lives and that allowing them to play as adults was a bit of a relief but also made them question how adults should act and what dance class looks like.
Q: What can participants expect from the classes?
A: For all Transcendance classes, people can expect joy, playfulness and connection. The Let’s Play classes use scarfs, ribbon sticks, recycled items, colourful fabrics and more to help us initiate and explore movement to find your way of moving playfully. Classes usually start by gathering and meeting to then warming up our bodies for movement. The main tasks (there will be breaks inbetween games) consist of dance games and improvisation nothing is wrong or right and the sillier the better. We will end with a stretch and/or mediation. Every class will have 15 mins of reflection and socialising. Snacks are provided. There is a quiet space if you need to opt out of any activity. It’s okay to come late as we understand how intimidating it is to get ready and go to a class. communication is key and as long as we know you are planning to be on your way to join us we are already very grateful when people decide to come.
Q: What makes them different?
A: In all classes under Transcendance we take our time, we focus on care and it is flexible. They change depending on the people we have in the room so we can fit everyone’s needs as much as we can. I think it is rare to find a class where the main focus is play, improvising and just having some giggles. It’s low-stakes, you could come in feeling like absolute shit and that would be enough. For the Let’s Play classes it is specifically a trans+ and/or global majority space, it gatekeeps people who already have so many amazing things going on and that they can access where trans+ and or global majority people feel left out from. It’s where trans+ people can access a space that is dedicated to them. Also I haven’t heard of a dance class that allows adults to be playful, use props and imagination to move. Just plain being a child.
Q: What is next for Transcendance?
A: I am currently applying for funding to have these classes for a year. Bi-weekly while doing outreach work to other mental health lgbtq+ services and lgbtq+ housing shelters. A lot of trans+ people experience homelessness due to discrimination in housing, renting or just plain living. The government has used trans+ people and trans kids as pawns in their politics to put blame on their actions and more. It is hard to be a trans+ person living in the UK and its harder for trans+ global majority people.
If we receive funding, I am planning to make it covid friendly for example masking will be required, HEPA filters will be installed and distancing ourselves to make sure that it is accessible to everyone. Covid is unfortunately still with us and it is a mass disabling event which a lot of people do not realise and are not taking covid precautions seriously.
I work with older adults in care homes which means, if I have covid I can potentially affect a lot of people really badly. I am still learning and relearning how to be inclusive but i think its starts with being covid cautious.
To find out more visit Transcendance’s website.