Move Orkney Dance Studio

12/06/2026

Move Orkney is absolutely delighted to be hosting the Orkney leg of Healing Arts Festival Scotland!

🌟 Join us for Orkney Day on Tuesday, 16th June 2026, for an inspiring day dedicated to dance, art, meaningful conversation, and community connection.

✨ What is Healing Arts Festival Scotland?

✨This wonderful event is part of a nationwide celebration showcasing how the arts can powerfully improve our physical, mental, and social health. Created in partnership with the World Health Organization and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, the festival brings communities together to experience the joy of creativity and its incredible ability to heal, comfort, and unite us.

This special day truly has something for everyone! Come along to enjoy:
🌸 Live Movement Displays by the wonderful Orkney Silver Swans and the Merry Dancers Project.

🌱 Community Taster Sessions designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and accessible for all abilities.

@🗣️ Live Talks & Creative Dialogue exploring the vital role of arts in health and wellness right here in Orkney.Whether you are looking to move, listen, or simply connect with a caring community, we cannot wait to welcome you. Let’s celebrate the healing power of the arts together!

🎨💃📍 Venues: The Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall📅, Balfour Hospital and Move Orkney dance studio. Date: Tuesday, 16th June 2026

The Innovative Role of Participatory Arts & Mental Health in Rural locations:

Tuesday 16 June, 10 - 11.30 - ONLINE

As part of Healing Arts Scotland (15th – 19th June) this conversation highlights some of the innovative arts and cultural mental health practice taking place across Scotland to tie in with the launch of the Arts and Mental Health Strategic Framework for Scotland and the Scottish Mental Health Participatory Arts Programme.

The unique cultural context of rural communities come with some challenges for people experiencing or affected by mental in remote areas of Scotland, we are taking a look at how cultural, health, natural and community assets, when they come together, can improve mental and physical health outcomes in these communities.

How can communities come together to address mental health inequalities in rural and coastal areas? How can health systems collaborate to more effectively engage with their communities through cultural intervention? And what role does arts and culture play in achieving better outcomes?

The panel including Andrew Eaton-Lewis from Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, Kathryn Gordon from Shetland Arts and Stephanie Hellewell Baird from Move Orkney discuss innovative examples of how communities across rural Scotland are using participatory arts practice to improve mental health and discuss how, through access to culture, and some of the challenges they face.

Hosted by Catherine Middleton Findlay, Freelance Arts and Health Coordinator at Creative Scotland who is facilitating the Arts and Mental Health Strategic Framework for Scotland, looking for health and arts professionals and those with lived experiences to collaborate, create and actively shape a framework for Scotland over the coming year.

Booking link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-innovative-role-of-arts-mental-health-in-rural-locations-tickets-1989905855982?aff=oddtdtcreator

12/06/2026

Move Orkney is absolutely delighted to be hosting the Orkney leg of Healing Arts Festival Scotland! 🌟 Join us for Orkney Day on Tuesday, 16th June 2026, for an inspiring day dedicated to dance, art, meaningful conversation, and community connection.✨ What is Healing Arts Festival Scotland? ✨This wonderful event is part of a nationwide celebration showcasing how the arts can powerfully improve our physical, mental, and social health. Created in partnership with the World Health Organization and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, the festival brings communities together to experience the joy of creativity and its incredible ability to heal, comfort, and unite us.This special day truly has something for everyone! Come along to enjoy:🌸 Live Movement Displays by the wonderful Orkney Silver Swans and the Merry Dancers Project.🌱 Community Taster Sessions designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and accessible for all abilities.🗣️ Live Talks & Creative Dialogue exploring the vital role of arts in health and wellness right here in Orkney.Whether you are looking to move, listen, or simply connect with a caring community, we cannot wait to welcome you. Let’s celebrate the healing power of the arts together! 🎨💃📍 Venue: The Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall📅 Date: Tuesday, 16th June 2026

12/06/2026

Move Orkney Silver Sewans are heading to Eden Court in November to perform on the big stage!!!

We are delighted to announce the return of Elevate; a dance platform celebrating the participatory dance sector in the Highlands. It is especially exciting

10/06/2026

I really enjoyed this today! Something different and got to chat to so many folks and got to see so many lovely happy people. I love ❤️ my job. !

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

💗💙❤️🧡💛💜🤎

08/06/2026

❤️🙌💙💗💝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👌

08/06/2026

✨ Day 11. Full hearts, busy studios, and immense gratitude. 🤍As I step into my eleventh consecutive day of work without a break, the physical fatigue is very real but the energy filling our studio keeps us moving forward. Today is a beautifully diverse day of dance, from welcoming our inspiring Silver Swans and tappers, to a private session with one of our dedicated senior students.Fast forward to this evening, and the studio will be alive with a very special rehearsal. Our dancers are preparing to head away to U.Dance, the prestigious national platform for youth dance run by One Dance UK.This year, our journey to the national festival looks a little different. We did not go through the standard application process; instead, Move Orkney has been personally invited to attend as Guest Artists to perform and support the opening of this incredible three day UK celebration of youth dance! 🇬🇧✨We are still deeply humbled by our experience at the One Dance UK national platform back in February. Move Orkney was incredibly fortunate to bring home two national awards. To put that into perspective, only one other Scottish organisation received an award at that level and that was Scottish Ballet, the national dance company of Scotland. 🩰🌟To see our independent island studio held in the highest regard alongside the country’s leading national institutions is completely overwhelming. I am profoundly proud of our dancers’ grit, consistency, and passion, and so deeply appreciative of our wonderful community who support us every single step of the way.This work takes an immense amount of behind the scenes dedication, but milestones like this make every single long day worth it. Thank you for being on this journey with us. 🦅❤️ . Photo credit Stephanie Hellewell Baird. Dancers Millie and Jen.

08/06/2026

Move Orkney Studio Culture & Community

As a core pillar of dance education and professional artistry on the island, our studio is a space built on grit, passion, and mutual respect. We look at these standards as a shared agreement that allows our entire community from our youngest dancers to our Silver Swans to thrive, stay safe, and achieve excellence.

By stepping into our studio, you agree to uphold these 10 core values:

1.Respect for the Craft & Space: Treat our custom studio, specialised flooring, mirrors, and barres with care. Keep the space tidy and free of clutter.

2. Punctuality & Readiness: Arrive with enough time to change and prepare mentally. Being on time ensures you never miss the vital physical warm-up that prevents injury.

3. Professional Presentation: Wear the correct footwear and uniform for your specific class. Ensure hair is securely tied back and out of the face (such as a classic ballet bun for RAD grades) to allow for safe turning and spotting.

4. Focus & Mindful Presence: Leave outside distractions at the door. Mobile phones must be silenced and kept in bags; devices are strictly forbidden in changing areas to protect everyone’s privacy.

5. Professional & Safe Touch: Dance requires physical alignment. Instructors will use clear verbal cues and professional, hands-on adjustments to teach safe technique, always prioritising student comfort and consent.

6. Kind & Inclusive Language: We operate a zero-tolerance space for gossip, bullying, or negative comparisons. Encourage your peers, celebrate their progress, and speak kindly about yourself and others.

7. Studio Loyalty, Safety & Dedicated Training: Move Orkney provides a comprehensive, high-level curriculum designed to support every dancer’s long-term growth. To ensure cohesive group progression, safe ensemble choreography spacing, and focused RAD exam preparation, our dancers commit their training exclusively to Move Orkney. Training simultaneously across multiple external programmes often introduces conflicting technical methods, which can confuse a developing dancer and increase the risk of physical injury. Furthermore, split training creates scheduling conflicts that disrupt class rehearsals and let down peers who rely on a consistent team. Out of respect for your faculty’s expertise and your classmates’ hard work, participation in outside commercial dance training requires an open discussion and prior consultation with the director.

8. Grit & Consistent Attendance: Progression and festival choreography require consistency. Commit to your schedule, and notify the studio as early as possible if an emergency forces you to miss a session.

9. Hydration & Fuel: Bring a sealable water bottle to class to stay hydrated. No food, sugary drinks, or chewing gum are permitted on the specialised dance floors.

10. Proud Ambassadorship: Whether you are training in Kirkwall, preparing for RAD exams, or travelling with our professional touring company, carry yourself with the integrity, manners, and pride that define the Move Orkney family.

Thank you for choosing Move Orkney for you or your childs dance education, we value your commitment and loyalty to Move Orkney. 😊

Photo of dancers Jen, Phebe and Erin-Rose. Photo credit Stephanie Hellewell Baird.

07/06/2026