Empowerment “Funshop” at the Elgar Centre: Dress up, dance and demand your spotlight
Learn how to drape a saree like a pro, then step into your spotlight and dance at the CLICK Arts Foundation Saree na Sorry - Dance and Dress "Funshop" 5-7pm on Thursday November 6th!
The CLICK Arts Foundation Burlesque Squad invite you to join them in an evening of fun, fashion and cultural unity at The Elgar Centre!
SareeNaSorry Funshops are an invitation from Poppy Jarman OBE, a British Bangladeshi, to bond, share and have fun whilst learning the art of draping a saree - with over 20 preloved sarees in different colours and materials for you to drape you'll not only be invited to experiment with your own drape - but claim your spotlight as you learn a dance routine in collaboration with the CLICK Arts Foundation Burlesque Squad and walk the catwalk while dressed to impress!
The saree is the most inclusive item of clothing in the world, it is versatile and fits every ‘body’! It's 5 to 9 metres of unstitched material which can be draped in more than 200 ways to fit any size, shape and gender. Steeped in South Asian history, power and identity, there is a weave, pattern, colour and style for every personality.
In the same way as the Saree cannot be categorised as a "traditional" costume; burlesque cannot be stereotyped as "fishnets" - together both Dress and Dance will bring you on a journey to celebrating yourself inside and out.
Poppy a saree collector and enthusiast and one of the founders of Mental Health First Aid England, will facilitate the funshop with insight into the history, social context and her own personal journey with the saree. “SareeNaSorry aims to connect people through the saree, a new lens which cultivates unity across cultural boundaries. The Funshops are safe spaces designed to explore identity, belonging and wellbeing through the art of drapery. They are designed to facilitate conversations through fun, glamour and discussion” says Poppy.
Funshop Outline:
- Opening and welcome from Dr Audrey Tang
- Performance by Saphron Music
- Keynote on the power of Movement by Harriet Khataba
- Performance by the CLICK Arts Foundation Burlesque Squad - dressed in the Saree
- A discussion on the social stories behind the saree from Poppy Jarman
- ·Experiment with your own drape.
- Break for networking - refreshments in support of The Lewis Foundation
- Group dance workshop, performance and Catwalk
Peer support is amongst the top protective factors for good health, so the overall goal is to create a community experience through the love of sarees, draping-up and shared movement!
Don't worry if you've never worn a Saree before - we'll make sure you leave feeling confident and stylish. So, grab your friends and family (while the space is female friendly, we welcome men too!), and get ready for an evening filled with laughter, music, and beautiful sarees!
For more information and to book your free ticket: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saree-na-sorry-dance-and-dress-funshop-tickets-1753989552969?aff=oddtdtcreator
For more about CLICK Arts Foundation www.clickartsfoundation.org.uk
For more about the SareeNaSorry Funshops: https://www.re-balance.org/projects/sareenasorry-funshop
CLICK Arts Foundation is a national charity for The advancement of the performing and visual arts for the public benefit in particular in Northampton, Milton Keynes, and the surrounding Midlands region by providing grant funding for grassroots arts organisations in that area to support inclusive public participation and to support national arts organisations and institutions.