Welcome! Hello... I'm Mel.
I want to move the world... I'd like to teach the world to dance!
I believe everyBODY has the right to dance and move... Everyone has the right to draw / paint / craft / sculpt. Nothing would exist without first having been created. So we should honour that!!
We all have a body - and moving it can help to free us up, both physically and mentally! No matter what body type we have.
Being creative can help us gain a new perspective regularly - SO DIVE IN!

1-2-1 Dance Teacher CPD
Book me for an online session any time. Sessions are £75 per hour and any duration can be booked. Tailored directly to your specific needs, these sessions can explore curriculum work practically (wear comfortable dance wear) / can be a Q&A / talking advice session - or a mix of both! Including Primary, KS3, GCSE, A Level, BTEC, RSL.
If you would like me to analyse your own technique, regarding practical demonstration e.g. posture, alignment etc - or if you would like to practice teaching and for me to give you a critique to help you gain confidence with your delivery - this can always be requested. Let's raise the bar.

Teacher CPD Group Sessions
Collect a group of your dance / PE / Drama / Performing Arts teacher colleagues together and learn some tips and tricks based on best practice. Minimum is 3 delegates. Price upon enquiry via email: melsimpson@icloud.com

Book a Practical Workshop online via Zoom / Teams or Meet for you and your students
Be it Technique, Professional Repertoire, Creative Choreography, or Performance, I have a huge spectrum of styles and techniques to share with your students, to raise motivation and attainment.
Email: melsimpson@icloud.com

DANCE OR DRAW - JOIN TO LEARN THE DANCE - OR - JOIN TO DRAW/PAINT/CRAFT/SCULPT ME whilst I am dancing!

'DANCE OR DRAW' was founded during Lockdown 1 - I wanted to take part in CAOS - a local art event. Most of their artists are painters / sculptors etc - so - as a dance artist I figured, why not host Live Dance Workshops for people on Zoom, and also invite visual artists to come and draw/paint/craft/sculpt me! So, similar to life drawing - but more like "speed drawing"! I am a life model, 'Spotlit' on Zoom - but dressed in some elaborate costume based on a theme! With some form of set behind me!
Anybody can join these sessions - they are so much fun - accessible, a great way to meet other people and to try something new! Only 1 ticket is required per household.
See examples of past sessions here, including Kate Bush, Kandinsky, Matisse Cut-Outs, Aladdin (Bellydance), Bollywood, Romantic Ballet, West Side Story...
http://melsimpson.squarespace.com/gallery/dance-or-draw/

Read more about me here: http://www.melsimpsondance.co.uk/

DANCE ALIGN
I founded 'Dance Align', out of my desire to help people to un-knot their stressed bodies and minds during these difficult times. It's a slow intermediate Contemporary-Jazz dance/movement class that incorporates gentle stretches from Yoga, and some beneficial strengthening exercises from Pilates. But we also move and dance and express ourselves at the end (optional half hour, after the main class content of one hour).

It's highly influenced by the sublime, serene, soothing Simonson Technique, founded by Lynn Simonson. I was extremely lucky to train on the SMTT programme with Lynn, Teresa and Chris in 2015 in NYC. I continue to develop my learning, development and delivery of this class, as a continual process.

One thing I do know is this... Simonson Technique has allowed me to keep dancing - without pain - and it has helped me out of dark times too. Committing to practicing it every week has most definitely helped my mental heath. So, I hope my class can help other people in this way too. Come and try it!

"Simonson Technique Is an organic approach to movement that prepares the body to dance in a way that is anatomically intelligent and somatically aware" - Lynn Simonson, Founder and master teacher. Read more here:
https://lynnsimonson.com/index.php/simonson-technique.html