Relaxed Sessions: Improvising with Ascension Dance
Take a deep dive into your imaginations as dancers help us to create a whole world of possibility with our movements.
Relaxed Sessions are the perfect place to start the weekend, specially designed for children and families who would benefit from a sensory adapted space and a smaller group experience.
This month, Ascension Dance demonstrate the craft of improvising: showing us how to ignite imaginations to make anything and nothing into something new.
Ascension’s Saturday Session is inspired by their children’s dance show Early Weaves, where sticks of willow come to life through dance, imagination and improvisation. Through dance, play and willow (a fabulously flexible, fully compostable, carbon-sink material), we explore imagination and curiosity, witnessing physical improvisation at its best.
Then, together with the dancers, children can take a deep dive into their own imaginations, exploring the depths of play with willow and themselves, creating a whole world of possibility.
Early Weaves original performance concept by Hannah LeFeuvre. Re-staged, rehearsed and produced by Ascension Dance.
Ascension Dance is a Black-led contemporary dance company based in Coventry. Inspired by movement from Parkour and Free Running, the company is committed to creating eye-catching performances with human connection and raw physicality at their heart.
Need to know
Free tickets are available to book from eight days before the event.
Relaxed Sessions are the adapted version of Saturday Sessions: if you or your child have SEND or other needs and would benefit from a smaller group and an adapted space, please book a free ticket. See all access changes in the access section.
The performance and workshop is repeated in the afternoon’s Saturday Sessions, without the adaptations of Relaxed Sessions and with no need to book a ticket.
Access
There is a general ‘what to expect’ guide available for audience members who may benefit from preparing for Relaxed Sessions.
View guide
A specific ‘what to expect’ guide for this session is also available. View guide
This session has a relaxed approach to noise and movement, a reduced capacity, sensory adaptations and a nearby rest space available to use for the duration of the session whenever needed.
Relaxed Sessions and Saturday Sessions take a relaxed approach to noise or movement coming from the audience. They give everyone permission to relax and respond naturally and people are free to come and go as they please.
The following changes are in place for Relaxed Sessions:
- Smaller group: these sessions have a reduced number of spaces, and only people with tickets can attend
- Fixed lighting state with no sudden changes
- Moderate sound levels and no extreme or sudden changes in noise
- Curtains partly drawn to reduce distractions and noise
- Chairs, benches, bean bags and floor space to get comfortable on
- A team member present who specialises in play for children with SEND
- A rest space available nearby available from 10.30am – 3.30pm
- Noise-cancelling headphones on request
- A slow start and slow finish to the session: you may relax in the space for 15 minutes after the workshop ends
You can join our free Access Scheme through your online Southbank Centre account or via email.
Find out more about our Access Scheme
All our access information
For your visit
This event is held at the The Clore Ballroom Southbank Centre
The Clore Ballroom is open six days a week.
Tuesday, 10am – 6pm*
Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
*If we’re hosting a performance, the building will stay open until the event ends.
Plan your visit
The Clore Ballroom is located inside our Royal Festival Hall on Level 2.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
There is step-free access to The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, via a ramp.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
Next to The Clore Ballroom is our Ballroom Cafe where you can grab a coffee and a piece of freshly made cake. Also on Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.