Saree na Sorry - Dance and Dress "Funshop"
Come join us for an evening of fun, fashion and cultural unity at The Elgar Centre!
The saree is the most inclusive item of clothing in the world, it is versatile and fits every ‘body’! It's 5 to 9 metres of unstitched material which can be draped in more than 200 ways to fit any size, shape and gender. Steeped in South Asian history, power and identity, there is a weave, pattern, colour and style for every personality.
SareeNaSorry Funshops are an invitation from Poppy Jarman OBE, a British Bangladeshi, to join her and have fun whilst learning the art of draping a saree - with over 20 preloved sarees in different colours and materials for you to drape - and in collaboration with the CLICK Arts Foundation Burlesque Squad, you'll not only be invited to experiment with your own drape - but claim your spotlight as you learn a dance routine and walk the catwalk while dressed to impress!
In the same way as the Saree cannot be categorised as a "traditional" costume; burlesque cannot be stereotyped as "fishnets" - together both Dress and Dance will bring you on a journey to celebrating yourself inside and out.
Funshop Outline:
- Opening and welcome from Dr Audrey Tang
- Performance by Saphron Music
- Keynote on the power of Movement by Harriet Khataba
- Performance by the CLICK Arts Foundation Burlesque Squad - dressed in the Saree
- A discussion on the social stories behind the saree from Poppy Jarman
- Experiment with your own drape
- Break for networking - refreshments in support of The Lewis Foundation
- Group dance workshop, performance and Catwalk
Don't worry if you've never worn a Saree before - we'll make sure you leave feeling confident and stylish. So grab your friends and family, and get ready for a day filled with laughter, music, and beautiful sarees!
