FROM Morris dancing to South Asian performance traditions, a new heritage project in Mossley is set to uncover the stories behind Tameside’s rich dance history – and you can be part of it.
Dancing Threads, led by arts organisation Global Grooves, will explore the borough’s dance heritage by collecting memories, photographs, artefacts and personal stories from people connected to local dance traditions.
The project will focus on how dance has shaped communities across Tameside, looking at everything from long-standing performance groups to the links between movement, migration, music and the area’s industrial past.
The stories gathered will form part of a public exhibition and celebration event at The Vale arts centre in Mossley in April 2027, while all materials collected will also be preserved in a digital archive for future generations.
Residents can get involved in several ways, including free training in oral history methods. Volunteers will have the chance to learn how to record interviews, research artefacts, organise materials and help build the archive.
The team is keen to hear from anyone with a connection to dance traditions in Tameside – including performers, musicians, community group leaders and those with family memories linked to dance and local cultural life.
People may be invited to share their experiences through recorded interviews, photographs or personal items that help tell the story of these traditions.
There are also opportunities for creative practitioners, with around eight micro-commissions and one larger £5,000 commission available for artists who want to respond creatively to the stories collected.
The project follows Global Grooves’ previous programme, The Worker Becomes Queen, which celebrated the role of dance as a connection between people, place and heritage.
Tor Lysaght, project manager at Global Grooves, said: “Dancing Threads is a unique and exciting project that will shine a light on the people, memories and lived experiences of dance communities over generations.
“It will explore how dance traditions have been shaped by the region’s industrial heritage and global histories, from mill towns and migration to shared public spaces, festivals and community institutions.
“A further meaningful element of the project is a schools engagement programme, where young people will get the chance to reflect on what these traditions mean today, and help shape how they evolve and remain relevant for future generations.”
Organisers hope the project will ensure Tameside’s dance heritage is not only remembered, but continues to inspire future generations.
Further information can be obtained by contacting Tor at tor@globalgrooves.org or visiting the Global Grooves website.