Professional Contemporary Class

About the Class

Autumn Term 2026
Monday 14th September – Sunday 13th December
Age: 16+

Professional Contemporary Class (90min) 

Each week Dance Base offer classes for the professional dance community. Our classes are taught by a range of artists who are actively working in Scotland so that they can share their technique and approach with the professional sector. Find out more about our teachers and the practices on offer in the upcoming term below. 

Mondays 10:00 - 11:30

14 September - 5 October with Abby Warrilow

Abby's class is primarily release-based, focusing on efficiency of movement, groundedness, and dynamic flow. Emphasis is placed on back work, spatial awareness, and clarity of line. Alongside technical exploration, the class incorporates my own choreographic style, encouraging dancers to apply release principles within expressive, contemporary phrase work.

The class follows a progressive structure designed to prepare the body for dynamic and expressive movement. I usually begin with a gentle roll-down and back warm-up to bring awareness to alignment and breath. Floor work follows early in the session, as it’s a key part of my practice—this allows participants to explore groundedness and fluid transitions that will later be integrated into standing and travelling sequences. We then move through strengthening and mobilising exercises for the legs, back, shoulders, and arms, followed by pliés and travelling phrases that build coordination and momentum. Jumps are introduced once the body is fully activated, leading into a final sequence that ties together the technical and expressive elements explored throughout the class.

The class aims to develop both technical strength and expressive agility. Participants work to build a solid physical foundation through strengthening and technical exercises, while also enhancing coordination, fluidity, and responsiveness. At times, group and partner work are incorporated to encourage connection, spatial awareness, and ensemble sensitivity. I also integrate choreographic tasks and compositional ideas within the technique framework, allowing dancers to explore creative decision-making and performance quality alongside physical skill.

12 October - 2 November with Magnus Westwell

9 November - 7 December with Rob Heaslip

Saturdays 13:15-14:45

19 September - 10 October with Alan Greig

Alan will lead a Nikolais/Cunningham warm up. The emphasis for this class is not teacher/pupil, but a collaborative approach. We will explore some technique, improvisations which involve self exploration and partner or group work. Travelling combinations will be explored and using Alan's choreographic solo material, as research, to take the original compositions and expand, find and create new pathways. Alan says "I'm 64 and wont be demonstrating 'steps' This is a class to explore guided improv and choreographic scores.

17 October - 07 November with Jack Webb

Jack teaches a dynamic release-based class that focuses on sensing the body and deepening our physical awareness.

Intelligent use of the weight of bones and muscles and swinging, shaking, folding, flow and making space in the body, particularly in the hips and spine are all used to explore and harness the potential energy that is contained within the body. Set material, imagery, breath and flow will all feature whilst finding a sense of virtuosity with ease and softness.

14 November - 12 December with Penny Chivas

Please note: Classes are offered at Pro Drop In Rate of £5.50 for those who are in dance training, or who are actively working in the dance sector at a professional level in areas of performing, making, teaching and/or choreographing.