Desire Lines
Desire Lines is a project designed specifically for you if you live in Northumberland and the surrounding area.
Between September 24 and June 25, we will be offering free workshops at various community groups including art, photography, running, yoga and more!
We will also be exhibiting community art created from these workshops, hosting free screenings of dance performances, producing a podcast so you can learn more about the artists in our region and developing a community dance which will be performed at Alnwick Gardens.
Podcast
We have created a brand new podcast called ‘In The Studio With’, where we have a chat with Northumberland based dance artists about what they are up to, what inspires them and how to get involved in what they are doing. We are here to demystify contemporary dance and give you some behind the scenes nuggets!
To listen to our first 3 episodes with Eliot Smith from Eliot Smith Dance, Virgina Kennedy, and Beth Vetich, click the button below.
You can listen to our podcast on all your usual formats; Spotify, Apple Music and more.
We would love for you to subscribe to our podcast and you will see who our next guest is first!
Workshops
Over the next 10 months, we’ll be collaborating with local groups to offer free, personalised workshops that seamlessly blend dance with the activities you already love. Whether your group’s passion lies in running, painting, music, writing, or anything else, we will incorporate dance into your existing sessions to bring movement to life through your interests.
Since September we have worked with Wooler Art Group, Inky Fingers, Alnwick Harriers, Warkworth Art group, Hexham Photography Group, Ashington Camera Club and many more, using their preferred art form to introduce the groups to dance.
If you would like your group to be involved, you can send us an email or give us a phone call to make that happen.
Wooler Art Group
Exhibitions
There will 3 opportunities to come and see work created by the community artists we will work with, this will include artwork and photographs of us and our professional dancers in action.
Exhibitions:
We have delivered our exhibitions at:
Cheviot Centre showcasing the work created by Wooler Life Drawing Group and Inky Fingers, a children’s art group held in Wooler.
Gallery 45 Felton showcasing the created by Warkworth Art Group.
Our Dance City exhibition is currently on show, showcasing creations from The Wooler Life Drawing Group, Warkworth Art Group and Inky Fingers. You can see this exhibition for the next 3 months.
Digital exhibitions:
When you visit Alnwick Playhouse, Berwick Maltings and Queen’s Hall Hexham, you will also have the opportunity to see the work created by Ashington Camera Club through a digital exhibition. So if you are watching a film at Alnwick or Berwick, beforehand you will see our exhibition, or you will see the exhibition in the entrance of Queen’s Hall. We hope you enjoy them!
Screenings
Photo credit: Ballet Black
You are invited to join us to watch some amazing and inspiring dance films. At these informal free screenings you are invited to join Charlie, Lily and the rest of the Meta4 team, grab a drink and see 3 different examples of dance on screen. Some screenings will also include a talk with an industry expert, either a Northumbrian artist or Director of a theatre in the region, to discuss more about the dance film and their work.
After the screening you can stick around and chat about what you’ve seen.
Screenings
Within Her Eyes by James Cousins at Alnwick Playhouse: Friday 7th February at 7:15pm. You can book your free ticket here on Alnwick Playhouse’s website.
Within Her Eyes by James Cousins at Berwick Maltings: Saturday 22nd February at 6pm. You can book your free ticket here on Berwick Malting’s website.
Then or Now by Ballet Black and Swimming Upstream by Susie Tate at Berwick Maltings: Saturday 26th April at 3pm. You can book your free ticket here on Berwick Malting’s website. To view Ballet Black’s trailer, click here.
Then or Now by Ballet Black followed by an informal chat with industry expert Liz Pavey at Alnwick Playhouse: Thursday 8th May at 6pm. You can book your free ticket here on Alnwick Playhouse’s website. To view the trailer, click here.
Live Performance
We invite you to a mesmerising and thrilling outdoor performance in front of the fountains at Alnwick Gardens on Saturday 24th May 2025 at 2pm. You will be treated to a performance by a cast of 30+ community and professional dancers as we explore personal and shared experiences in nature, developed from our previous work Confluence. Supported by the incredible sound artist Tom White who will be creating a live sound score in response to the live performance including sound from the fountains and other parts of the gardens. We will also have custom made costumes created by Lucy Minta-Reeves.
Tickets are included in the Alnwick Gardens entry fee, we ask for a donation towards our performance next to the stage in front of the fountains where you can also see our limited edition Desire Lines t-shirts and how else you can get involved in what we do.
Make an impact today
You can support our company and help bring more free accessible movement sessions and projects to more people by simply adding Easy Fundraising to your browser and when you make an online purchase the retailer contributes to our cause. Simply use the link below to add our cause.
If you prefer to donate directly to us, your support is massive for us as a non profit company, and by supporting us you enable us to make a difference to people’s lives.