Common People Dance Project returns to SPARK Ipswich 2024
08 March 2024
Following a successful debut at Ipswich’s ultimate arts and cultural festival last year, the Common People Dance Project is looking for participants to dance battle for the city at SPARK Ipswich this year.
The Common People Dance Project takes people of all ages and abilities, including those with no previous dance experience, and teaches them a choreographed dance number to hit songs which they perform in public.
Heather Passant, who was part of the inaugural Ipswich team last year, can’t wait until rehearsals start next month.
“One hundred percent I will be back. It was so much fun last year and in my wildest dreams it was not something I had ever seen myself doing, but here I was front and centre on performance day having the best time,” Ms Passant said.
“We had some young kids, some kids at heart, a few grey hairs. It didn’t matter if you were a size 4 or a size 24 you were just accepted and encouraged to do what you could.
“Most of us were strangers, there were mums and daughters, friends from work, some friends who reunited to do this, it was this great wonderful mishmash of people who just came together.
“The Ipswich team was a bit female orientated last year, so come on boys come along and have a great time this year. It really was so much fun.”
SPARK Ipswich is an 11-day city-wide event celebrating the people, places, arts and culture of Ipswich and over the past four years has grown to become one of Ipswich City Council’s signature festivals.
Founder Neridah Waters described last year’s debut at SPARK Ipswich as an excellent experience and was looking forward to returning to the city.
“I am looking for between 30 and 50 individuals who don’t take themselves too seriously to get up on stage and dance battle against other groups from other areas,” Ms Waters said.
“Last year I think the group had a real connection with the local Ipswich community and I am all about giving adults a platform to play and embrace that inner child. We take all ages and abilities, and we don’t ever turn anyone away.
“The rehearsal space will hold 30 to 50 people comfortably and if we get a 100, we will just hold back-to-back lessons. We foster a welcoming environment where people can have a laugh at themselves. If we get things wrong in the routine, well that just happens and everyone moves on.”
After three months of lessons and rehearsals, the Ipswich group will battle rival groups from all over the larger Brisbane area by taking to the stage to showcase what they have learnt in a festive way.
The concept was born in 2009 when Neridah Waters teamed up with Ipswich-raised Fez Fa’anana to run a dance workshop at the National Circus Festival based around the hit Pulp song Common People.
The workshop was so popular that it led to a huge flash-mob performance witnessed by the entire festival audience.
Since that initial show, Common People Dance Project has been running dance projects at Adelaide Fringe Festival, Brisbane Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Perth Circus Festival, Surfers Paradise Festival, Edmonton Street Festival (Canada) and Glastonbury Festival (UK) and now SPARK Ipswich.
Ms Waters said the format attracts everyone from whole families, ex-professional dancers to people that that have never danced before, seniors, and people with disabilities.
“Dancing is fun and playful and joyful and can be really funny. It helps us connect with other people. It makes our bodies fit and healthy without us even being conscious of working out,” Ms Waters said.
“But most of all it makes us happier. When you dance your body releases endorphins and reduces our perception of pain. It makes us forget our immediate problems and we lose ourselves in dance.”
SPARK Ipswich will be held between 4 and 14 July this year with the Common People Dance Project Ipswich performance on 14 July.
Weekly rehearsals start 15 April and are held each Monday night from 6.30pm – 7.30pm at Studio 188 – 188 Brisbane Street.
Registrations open Friday, 8 March. To register, go to www.ipswichfestivals.com.au/common-people-dance-project
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