Anjali restored

Anjali is the UK’s first company which represents dancers with learning disabilities, founded in 1993 as a series of contemporary dance workshops led by Nicole Thomson. Thomson is now the company’s Artistic Director and has reason to celebrate; after Anjali was forced to dissolve in 2011 due to financial difficulties, the company is now able to relaunch following two anonymous (and large) donations. In a last attempt to pull the company from the bottom, a funding campaign and gala evening meant the company received the two donations which total £70,000. As a result, Anjali has been able to return to its dancing roots. Following time as purely workshops, the company became a performance company and worked alongside leading UK choreographers including Matthew Hawkins and Charlotte Vincent. The company is now able to return to the work, and its provision of a range of education and outreach programmes in which Thomson worked to use and develop the performing skills of young people with learning disabilities. Similar to the work of Candoco Dance Company, made up of physically disabled and non-disabled dancers, Anjali celebrates disability arts. In addition to the two mysteriously anonymous donations, the company has also received a grant from Arts Council Grants for the Arts to help research and develop a new production for Anjali, which will include two new pieces by choreographers Lea Anderson and Gary Clarke. The production, Genius, aims to question society’s perception of normality and celebrate the notion of genius. Anjali already works to have a huge impact on many lives, so to be able to continue this work is fantastic news for both the dancers, the audience (and their changing perceptions) and also those who experience the education and outreach programmes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9tj5QVvhaw July will see the company celebrate its return with a showcase at the Clore Ballroom, Southbank Centre.