Welcome to
Freedom Soul Dance.
Join Penny Marie on a journey into dance, self-discovery and the awe-inspiring sensation you experience when your story and your body meet on the dance floor.
Created by dancer, choreographer and movement director Penny Marie, Freedom Soul Dance is based on the foundations of rhythm, roots and spirit. Uniquely crafted for all abilities and experiences, it has been designed to find joy and release in the connection that dance brings.
What makes Freedom Soul Dance different?
Penny created Freedom Soul Dance to help inform herself and others about what is truly within our own being. Having danced for more than three decades she was at an inflection point artistically.
It led to a discovery of pushing past fear and trauma and connecting on a much bigger level with the world at large. It would also see her create and develop a uniquely informed dance ethos and practice.
The result is an intoxicating mix of styles rooted in West African, contemporary and freestyle dance for the mind, body and soul.
Together in a state of flow; this creates a way of dancing that can be made uniquely yours, a physical sense of being in the world, a way of expressing your true self and experiencing this in others.
“Dance is a game of extreme emotions and freedom of the soul, where nothing is ever the same.”
- Sergei Polunin
Discover how to connect you with your own physical expression through a specially choreographed and guided dance..
Dance to the beat of freedom
Move: to the vibrant rhythms and music of soul, Afrobeat, house and more this is a transformative journey that goes beyond the studio.
Connect: these dances and the music go beyond genre. They tap into the heartbeat of cultures, engaging a soulful tapestry woven with stories of joy, struggle, and resilience.
Understand: when you dance to these rhythms, you connect with something profound and timeless.
These classes help you embody this powerful energy, allowing your soul to express itself authentically and passionately.
Join Us!
Our dance classes are more than just lessons; they are a gathering of like-minded individuals who share a love for music, culture, and expression. Feel the collective energy of a community that dances together, supports each other, and celebrates individuality. Experience the transformative power of Freedom Soul Dance today!
Different Moves
Performance
Bringing the Freedom Soul Dance energy to your audience
Penny’s dancing portfolio has seen her perform on the biggest festival stages in the UK, performing with national and international artists.
She also creates choreography and performance for major diaspora events and community programmes, which have included local, regional and national festivals.
This practice has helped create the perfect live productions, for it is not just about technical excellence.
It’s also about merging body and spirit, creating performances that move with rhythm and energy. Freedom Soul Dance gives you the foundation to captivate and inspire every audience.
Story & Choreography
Creating immersive and meaningful narratives through movement
Penny is uniquely placed to support programmes that tell stories through dance and theatre, which connect with the audience.
This is designed to provide the audience experience with deeper meaning and purpose.
In today’s busy world, we miss these immersive and slower moments, we crave to be a part of something authentic and real. Something that moves us on a spiritual level
Harnessing her own experiences, investigating the impact of history on modern life and holding space to be understood and healed has been a primary function of the creation of Freedom Soul Dance..
TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
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Jess Neill; Producer, Diaspora Festival
Penny is such a powerful and beautiful practitioner. Not only is she an amazing dancer in her own right, performing work that is as moving as it is thought provoking, she’s also a brilliant facilitator and leader.
We worked together on the inaugural DISAPORA! Festival when Penny joined our team to coordinate the Dancers of Diaspora closing ceremony. She was a joy to work with – so positive and friendly – and did a truly amazing job.
I can’t recommend her and Freedom Soul Dance enough. Thank you, Penny – it was a pleasure!
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Dougie Blaxland; Director, Live Wire Theatre
We were fortunate to work with Penny on the production of Our Little Hour – the musical based on the life and story of the late, great Walter Tull.
Throughout the rehearsal period and on into the production period, Penny brought passion, flair and an astonishing level of commitment to her work as Movement Director. The results were there for all to see and audiences were blown away by the superb physical language of the drama.
Her ability to inspire actors and bring deep emotion to their movement is remarkable and her carefully planned choreography has great freshness and vitality.
As far as Movement Directors go Penny is the best; creative, collaborative and forever encouraging.
Our Little hour: Five stars Bristol World https://www.bristolworld.com/community/theatre-review-our-little-hour-the-musical-based-on-the-life-of-walter-tull-4832253
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Kirby; Director, Vital Beats
Vital Beat are an integrative arts charity offering therapeutic intervention for women at risk in the South West. Penny supported our outreach sessions in HMP Eastwood Park Women’s Prison and everyone was blown away.
Vital Beats are now taking her on as their on-going dance practitioner in prison because of the unique qualities she possesses. Her beautiful and thoughtful movements bring out joy, laughter, emotion and togetherness.
During her body of work in the prison she took great care, inclusivity and a rare deep compassion for the women, ingredients so needed in this trauma- inducing environment.
Both Women and staff loved her as her dance transcended the environment and brought peace, dynamism, fitness and humour.
I couldn’t recommend her enough - she really is pure sunshine!
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Deasy Bamford; Director, Diverse Artists Network
I’ve known Penny for a few decades and always as a dancer. She is a total joy to learn from and work with. She has such a generous dancing spirit, overflowing with talent.
She started Freedom Soul Dance as a way to connect with her own unique take on the deep connection of dance to roots and spirit.
She takes us all on a journey with her, to reach our own destinations – dancing all the way there!
