Gail Deal talks to Second Hand Dance, a company who produce inspirational performances and digital dance films for children and adults, to learn more about their work as a disabled-led organisation and the challenges of producing inclusive work for younger audiences.
Second Hand Dance was set up in 2013 in the UK and is run by Artistic Director Rosie Heafford and Executive Producer Claire Summerfield. The company makes inclusive work for younger audiences with a strong focus on collaboration between children and adults, play, exploration and movement.
The company advocates for access and inclusion for colleagues and audiences with invisible disabilities. As a disabled-led organisation, integrated access is at the heart of any project and is considered through all the stages of the process, whether the performance is live or digital, in a theatre, a hospital or a park. The company has shown their performances and digital dance films across three continents, and is currently on tour with The Sticky Dance.
For each show, clear information is given about the target audience. For example, the show which is currently touring – The Sticky Dance – is billed as an ‘interactive dance for children and their families. For ages 3-5 years and neurodivergent audiences 3-7 years.’
The Sticky Dance
Commissioned by the Southbank Centre, The Place and South East Dance, and supported by Stanley Arts and the Arts Council England, The Sticky Dance tour culminates in two performances at Sadlers Wells, Islington at the end of May 2025.
The show, created by Rosie Heafford and Takeshi Matsumoto, is an excellent example of the company's working practices and approach to live performance and audience participation. A trailer can be seen on the company's website (link below), which shows the joy that the dancers bring to the children, both those taking part and those watching.
The dancers involved in the creation and performance of The Sticky Dance are Andrei Nistor, Chloe Mead, Paolo Pisarra, Lesley Howard, Marianna Camiloti and Patrick Webster.
The performance involves lots of coloured sticky tape. Children are encouraged to join in with the dancers, exploring the space and engaging with the tape in whatever way they choose.
The show is open for two hours and the audience members are recommended to spend between 45 and 60 minutes in the performance but can stay longer if they wish. There are also sensory adapted performances, which are designed for neurodivergent audiences. These have lower capacity and last only 60 minutes. There are no words in the performances but there might be occasional instructions given verbally.
Choreographic approach
The company spend a lot of time playing with children and the tape, improvising and experimenting with lines that can be drawn with the tape, making boundaries. These could be kept or destroyed and recreated. The tape animates the space, producing shapes into which the children can jump and explore.
Preparing the audience
Accompanying adults are directed towards a visual guide, created by Lukasz Izdebski and located on the company website, so that parents and carers can share this with children ahead of the performance and prepare them for what will happen. For example, there are photos of what the children will encounter, such as squares marked out by sticky tape where the children will put their shoes. There are photos of cushions on the floor so the children will recognise these when they enter the space.
Some children do not like the surprise of a new venue so this visual story helps to familiarise them with the performance space and reduce anxiety. Ear defenders are available on request and the space is relaxed.
Challenges
Second Hand Dance face many challenges in their field of work. Most prevalent is the issue of work made for children not being taken as seriously as that made for adults. Family audiences tend to be more available on weekends, so tours have to be scheduled around these restrictive days and times. There are often two shows a day which mostly would not be the case for companies catering for adult audiences.
Practitioners working on pieces for children do not receive equal pay with those working on more adult productions. Rosie feels that the situation should change: ‘More people are needed to make work with and for children. Facilities also need to be carefully considered to make works more accessible; for example, a vibro floor helps an audience member feel the vibrations of the music even if they cannot hear the music.
‘Dance can be a stimulating art form for all kinds of audiences,’ continues Rosie, ‘and can offer freedom to children who want to move with the dancers, or on their own, in the performance space.’
The Sticky Dance trailer: secondhanddance.co.uk/current-shows/the-sticky-dance
More information: secondhanddance.co.uk