Empowering Followers with Agnes Hjelm

IMPORTANT INFORMATION for Empowering Followers with Agnes Hjelm participants 🥰 Location: Tanssistudio Fenix Tuureporinkatu 13, next to synagoga, there is a locked gate to the courtyard. We will be at the gate from 10:30 to 11 to let you in. The entrance is in the E stairway, in the back right corner of the yard. If you know you will be late, send me a message and I will let you know the gate code to get you in. (Or contact my helping hands Amanda Silvennoinen or Kiesha Serena Rice) Indoor dancing shoes, wolly socks, or just socks are good in the dance studio. Take your water bottle, and wear comfortable clothes. Some fruits & snacks are available, but you can bring your own as well. We will have a 15 min snack break in between. Schedule (ish) with Agnes Hjelm 11 Welcoming words 11:15-12:30 Part I 12:30-12:45 Snack break 12:45-14 Part II After this workshop, there is a 1h (late lunch) break before the urbankiz workshops start. There is also a shower if you feel like freshening up, but you need to bring your own towel. If there is anything on your mind, don't hesitate to ask! Welcome! So excited to see you all! --- Warmly welcome to an afternoon dedicated to empowering followers, women, and non-conforming folks to feel comfortable taking more space within partner dance communities! As we all know, partner dancing has traditionally centered on the experience of the leader, and leaders’ voices are the ones that have been heard and their perspectives the norm. It can feel scary and intimidating as a woman, follower, or person not conforming to the norms to take up space within these communities, or you may simply not know how, where to begin. The dance scene needs other perspectives, to become more inclusive and welcoming, and to help other women and followers develop their dancing, it needs YOU! ⭐️ This workshop aims to give you the tools, confidence and courage to start making your voice heard, to contribute your perspectives alongside those of the leaders, to step up and show the world (and yourself) that you belong here, and that you are valuable. 💎 It will be a mix of movement and mindset exercises, motivational talks, and group discussions. The workshops are open to women, gender-nonconforming persons, and hbtq-men, regardless of dance role, and straight men whose primary dance role is follower. It is not open to straight male leaders. Talks will center on the perspective of a female leader and follower, since that is where Agnes has personal experiences, but for group discussions we warmly welcome other perspectives. 📆Date: April 6 🕥Time: 11-14 (with a break*) 🏠Venue: Tanssistudio Fenix, Tuureporinkatu 13 E 80, 20100 Turku 💵Cost: 30 € (students/unemployed/on parental leave 20 €) 🙋Sign up: *We recommend you to bring your own snacks for the break, but there is some restaurants & cafes close-by About Agnes: Agnes has been dancing different couples dances since 2007, and teaching since 2011. She has been a part of different dance communities such as bugg/fox, lindy hop & swing, bachata, kizomba, and tango, and has noticed some differences between the norms and attitudes of each scene, but also a looot of similarities regarding the respect for women and for the follower dance role. She is primarily a follower, and has been without a steady partnership for most of her dancing career. Since 2021 she has also been teaching as a leader in the kizomba scene. She wasn’t always the strong, feminist warrior in partner dance that she is now, she has worked a lot on overcoming her insecurities and stepping up and taking space. Now she wants to help empower others to make the same journey.