Ariane’s sessions are strongly rooted in connection to percussion, ecstatic dance and Sega/Tshega – traditional dance and song found on the African island of Mauritius. This session will incorporate elements of released based contemporary dance, and voice and mindfulness with a touch of characterisation. Ariane’s practice seeks to hold space for the emotional, physical and spiritual body by connecting dancers to their cultural lineage and ‘ecstatic self’.
The session will include an opportunity to learn a combination of sensual and fiery dance moves, originating from your inner warrior – your truest self. This will all stem from floor work, group pedagogy and channelling your connection to divinity, ancestry and rhythm, towards a shared sacred space for you to experience feeling held by your time together.
Feel free to do as much or as little as you feel. You may wish to bring a sarong/pareo/lapas to wear around your hips and something to write with.
Access
Independent Dance is resident at Siobhan Davies Studios. To find out more about accessibility and the amenities available within the building please see here.
If you have any questions about the accessibility of our programme and would like to discuss any specific access requirements, please feel free to reach out to us via email info@independentdance.co.uk or by phone on 0207 091 9665, to speak directly to a member of the Independent Dance team. Alternatively, you may phone the main reception at Siobhan Davies Studios on 0207 091 9650.
During class, all participants are welcome to take breaks, observe, exit and enter the space as they wish. Lounge areas are available on the first and ground floors of the building. Yoga mats, blocks, cushions and ear defenders are available for use. We also welcome you being in contact if you would like to discuss the option of bringing your access support worker. Please speak to a member of the ID team if you require any assistance.
Cancellations and refunds
Prices for classes are kept very low and are subsidised by ID in order to support artists to attend. To keep admin manageable for our small team, we don’t offer refunds if you cancel or can’t attend a class, and we can’t transfer your booking to a different class/event. We hope this is understandable. If a class is cancelled or changed by ID however, we do offer refunds/transfers to everyone who has booked.
Ariane Barnes (she/her) is an award-winning, British-Mauritian performer and educator. A true child of the diaspora, Ariane believes in building bridges between cultures and creates awareness around the diasporic dances of the Indian Ocean and their power to unlock healing and precision in body and mind.
Her method, the Afro Mauritian Dance technique, focuses on connecting past and present through powerful ritual movement, poetry and music. It is particularly appealing to those seeking to reconnect to self on a deeper level and shed anything that no longer serves through the body as a processing plant.
Ariane has taught for The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Carnegie Mellon University, The Federation of Drama Schools, First Dance UK and the performers union Equity. She celebrates 25 years of independent practice this year.