Down The Track – October 2021
When you hear the phrase “bring a plate”, you’re general reminded of the wholesome tradition of bringing food along to a gathering to share with others. It’s casual, not fussy – there’s usually an eclectic mix of flavours, and always a community vibe. This is what the social enterprise dance company Bring A Plate (BAP) is all about.
By Zoya Godoroja-Prieckaerts
Kicking off in 2017 in Meeanjin/Brisbane, the not-for-profit celebrates our differences and abilities, acknowledging that “everyone brings something different to the dance floor and everyone has something to share”.
Co-founder Zoe Mitchell has been living in the Centre for a number of years now, and earlier this year mustered the courage to test the waters with a session at Wide Open Space Festival. Suffice to say, it was a raging success.
People wanted more opportunities to move and groove to funky beats with no pressure other than to have fun. And now we’re lucky enough to be lapping up workshops on the monthly, providing an accessible space to dance – physically, emotionally and culturally.
Bring A Plate challenges institutional norms of who can dance, how to dance and where. They’re committed to catering to different needs and abilities – recently, they had an 87-year-old join in the workshops!
From the get-go, they instil the message that if anything isn’t possible or feels uncomfortable, that’s okay – there are always alternative ways to move. And although choreography is pre-planned, they are absolutely open to mixing it up if it’s not working for everyone.
In a similar way, BAP doesn’t operate in the typical dance studio, which can sometimes feel a bit intimidating. Instead, it bounces around outdoors between urban and natural spaces, reducing any pressure of expertise, encouraging participants to connect with their surroundings.
If you’re looking for a friendly, no strings attached, accessible space to move your body to some funky beats, this pop-up workshop is for you. Expect a relaxed groovy start to your Saturday morning, a fair few laughs and, if you’re lucky, someone will accidentally misinterpret the name and bring an actual plate of food to share. Sounds like the perfect Saturday, really.
Bring A Plate - Pop-Up Inclusive Dance Workshop
WHEN SAT 2 OCT | 9AM
AT TELEGRAPH STATION LAWNS, MPARNTWE/ALICE SPRINGS
COST $15
INFO bringaplatedance.com | @bringaplatedance
Thumbnail & header: âBring A Plate, Wide Open Space Festival, 2021
