A year of free dance classes to celebrate 40th Anniversary

Dancenorth Australia is making its full suite of Community Experience dance classes free for the entire year to celebrate the Company’s 40th Anniversary this year.

The globally-renowned dance company has been operating in Gurambilbarra (Townsville) since 1985 and is making its drop-in dance classes free until December 2025 as part of its year-long celebrations.

Co-CEO Hillary Coyne said the offering of free classes is a nod to the Company’s commitment to connecting communities through the universal language of dance.

“At the heart of Dancenorth’s ethos is a very firmly-held belief that every human being – regardless of age, experience, physical ability or income – should be able to access the transformative power of dance,” said Ms Coyne.

“For four decades we’ve been working to dismantle the idea that you have to be ‘good’ at dance to take part in it, and our Community Experience offerings invite people to explore how it feels to dance, not just how it looks. ?

“As we celebrate a big milestone for the Company, we are delighted to gift people the opportunity to carve some time from the daily grind to reconnect with their bodies, find new ways of self-expression, and bask in the joy of movement.”

Dancenorth’s Community Experience classes invite a wide range of people to dance.

Community Experience Coordinator Jordan Galliott said the classes are all about getting people moving in a way that feels fun, comfortable and right for their own bodies.?

“Our classes range from Creative Movement Classes for Kids and Dancespace for young adults to Still Dancing, which is geared toward an older crowd who might need a little more time to move,” said Ms Galliott.

“Vital Dance is a seated dance class specifically for people affected by Parkinson’s; our monthly Every Body Dance workshops are designed for people with disability and people who are d/Deaf; Dance for Absolute Beginners is ideal for people who just want to feel confident doing a simple pub two-step; and Contemporary Dance class is suited to those who want to come shake off the work week.

“All of our classes are run as drop-in classes, so people can come and go as they please without fear of falling behind if they have to miss a few weeks because life gets busy.

“We’re incredibly proud of the warm and friendly community we’ve built over the years, and would love to welcome new people into the fold with our free classes throughout 2025.”

For a full list of Dancenorth’s Community Experience classes, visit www.dancenorth.com.au/community

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FUNDING: Dancenorth is supported by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation and receives funding from Creative Australia through the Australian Cultural Fund. Dancenorth Australia is assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Townsville City Council .