The Sticky Dance For Ages: 3-5 yrs, and neurodivergent audiences 3-7 yrs

The Sticky Dance is open for 2 hours for each performance. We recommend you spend approximately 45 minutes in the space, although you can choose to stay for longer or less. Entrance slots are available every 15 minutes. The first 2 slots have a lower capacity, for children who might prefer a gentler start. 

A visual story is available to help your family prepare for the experience: Visual Guide 

The Sticky Dance 2025

Saturday 8 February 
Chat's Palace, London 

10am - 12pm
https://chatspalace.com/events/second-hand-dance-presents-the-sticky-dance/

2pm - 4pm:
https://chatspalace.com/events/second-hand-dance-presents-the-sticky-dance-2/
Performed by: Lesley Howard, Mariana Camiloti, Paolo Pisarra

Saturday 15 February
Pavillion Dance South West, Bournemouth
https://www.pdsw.org.uk/whats-on/the-sticky-dance-by-second-hand-dance/ 
10am - 12pm  
2pm - 3pm / 3.15pm - 4.15pm - for Sensory Groovers!
Performed by: Lesley Howard, Mariana Camiloti, Paolo Pisarra

Tuesday 18 February 
Feb Fest at The Hat Factory Arts Centre, Luton 
https://www.culturetrust.com/whats-on/feb-fest-sticky-dance
10am - 12pm / 2pm - 4pm
Performed by: Lesley Howard, Mariana Camiloti, Paolo Pisarra

Saturday 1 March 
Crawley's Creative Playground, Crawley College
https://www.creativeplaygroundcrawley.com/whats-on/the-sticky-dance-by-second-hand-dance/  
10am - 12pm 
2pm - 3pm / 3.15pm - 4.15pm - for Sensory Groovers!
Performed by: Lesley Howard, Mariana Camiloti, Patrick Ross Webster

Meet The Sticky Dance performers

Andrei Nistor

Andrei is a Romanian-born dancer and choreographer who trained at the London Contemporary Dance School and MAPDANCE 21/22. Beginning his dance journey in 2005 as a Ballroom & Latin dancer, Andrei has since expanded their practice, blending Ballroom & Latin techniques with contemporary dance. He also draws inspiration from Romania’s rich culture, history, and folklore to shape their unique artistic voice.
In 2022, Andrei wrote and choreographed SEED, a short dance film created with award-winning director Corina Andrian. The film delves into the hidden world of gay elites during communist Romania, portraying the emotional toll of growing up in hostile social circles. SEED had its premiere at the Art200 International Queer Culture Festival in Bucharest.
Throughout his career, Andrei has collaborated with a wide array of artists and companies, including EDIFICE Dance Theatre, Holly Blakey, Richard Alston, Flute Theatre, James Cousins, Sarah Golding, Keira Martin, Leila McMillan, Simone Mousset, Leah Marojević, Robert Clark, Ricardo Ambrósio, and ATASH Dance Company.

Chloe Mead

Chloe is a performer and maker living in London. After graduating from London Contemporary Dance School she has worked as a freelancer, shaping and refining her performance and choreographic skills. She has built strong and loyal professional relationships with 6 companies for which she works regularly on each project. These include: Ceyda Tanc Dance, Casson & Friends, Made By Katie Green, Royal Ballet & Opera, Kate Flatt projects and Combination Dance Company. She is so thrilled to have been invited to join Second Hand Dance and is so excited to continue being a part of their brilliant work. Alongside her performing, Chloe designs and makes costumes for dance, choreographing on various projects and producing large and small scale dance projects.

Lesley Howard

Lesley Howard (they/them) is an Autistic dancer and maker based in Scotland. As one half of Just Us, a disabled duo, who create work focused on joy, accessibility, curiosity, and play, often blending British Sign Language, stimming, and visual arts to ensure young audiences see their sensory needs and languages respected. Since 2022, Lesley has worked with Second Hand Dance as a performer, facilitator, and consultant for We Touch We Play We Dance. They’ve also been part of Barrowland Ballet’s Graduate Programme, performing in Frames, Imaginate's Launchpad Artist and were a performer/choreographer for Ba/ance with V&A London. They have experience as a Youth Arts Coordinator at Clifftop Projects and serves on the boards of Imaginate and Birds of Paradise Theatre Company.

Mariana Camiloti

Mariana is a Brazilian dance artist who trained in ballet and contemporary dance before receiving a postgraduate diploma in performance at London Contemporary Dance School and a MA in Movement Direction at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. With over 16 years of professional experience, she has performed across the UK and Internationally with many companies and Artists such as: Second Hand Dance, Fevered Sleep, Clod Ensemble, Hagit Yakira, Rosemary Lee, Sally Cookson, Riccardo Buscarini, dybwikdans and more. Alongside performing, Mariana has worked as a movement and rehearsal director, choreographer, workshop facilitator, and Pilates instructor. She is interested in collaborative approaches and works that are rooted in improvisation.  

Paolo Pisarra 

Originally from Puglia (Italy), Paolo trained in Rome before moving to the UK to find new ways of inspiration. He has performed works by Mathieu Geffré, Celia Rowlson – Hall, Emanuel Gat, Sivan Rubinstein, Merce Cunningham, José Limón and Tess Letham. Paolo has also danced with BalletBoyz, ZoieLogic Dance Theatre and Scottish Dance Theatre, performing works by Colette Sadler, Botis Seva and Fleur Darkin. He was selected for the “Night of 100 solos”, the Centennial event for Merce Cunningham. From 2019 he has been a member of Rendezvous directed by Mathieu Geffrè. He is currently performing with Second Hand Dance, touring nationally and internationally their immersive experiences for young audiences.

Patrick Ross Webster

Patrick is a queer dance artist working across dance performance and participation in Birmingham and Greater London. They perform in outdoor, site-specific performances and mid-scale dance theatre shows. They also teach dance to ages 4 to 74 in mainstream and inclusive contexts, such as schools, community centres and hospitals. Paddy’s aim is to share dance with others, prioritising the values of access, freedom, joy and connection.  

Keir Patrick - Company Tour Manager

Keir trained at Laban and did his postgraduate at London Contemporary Dance School (EDGE company). He was a member of Ben Wright’s bgroup and has worked for Clod Ensemble, Nigel Charnock, Siobhan Davies, Maresa von Stockert, Colette Sadler, Katie Green, Theo Clinkard, Bare Bones and Malmo Opera and at the Royal Opera House. He has been working with Michael Keegan Dolan since 2011: Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre’s Rian (2011–2014) and Rite of Spring and Petrushka (2013) and Handel’s Julius Caesar with ENO at The Coliseum in London (2012). For Teaċ Damsa, he has performed and toured internationally in Swan Lake / Loch na hEala (2017-2018) and MÁM (2019-2024).

With Second Hand Dance, he has performed in several international touring shows for younger audiences:- Grass, Getting Dressed and Night Tree. He is rehearsal director for We Touch, We Play, We Dance (2018-2024) a work for babies, early years and SEND audiences, and company tour manager for The Sticky Dance (2024) an interactive show with sticky tape!

These performances of The Sticky Dance have a smaller capacity and are intended for neurodivergent audiences aged 3-7 years. The Sticky Dance is open for 60 minutes for each performance, although you can enter and leave the space when you choose.   

A visual story is available to help your family prepare for the experience: Visual Guide for Sensory Groovers

Notes on Access 

• Children and families choose how they interact with the performers and the space 

• There are no words as part of the performance, but the company may give some instructions or say hello 

• The Sticky Dance does not use bright or flashing lights although it does incorporate a soundscape through speakers embedded in the set.  

• Some of the structures in the set incorporate technology which translates the music into vibration. 

• There is seating in the space including floor cushions and chairs.  
• The performance installation is interactive, but you can participate in any way you feel comfortable; watching, listening, touching, dancing or moving about. You can find your own way to be; and our performers are there to join you, or play alongside you.

This performance is available for specialist schools for disabled and neurodivergent children. For more information, email emily@secondhanddance.co.uk

Concept & Artistic Direction: Rosie Heafford & Takeshi Matsumoto 

Created & performed by: Andrei Nistor, Chloe Mead, Paolo Pisarra

Company dancers: Lesley Howard, Mariana Camiloti, Patrick Ross Webster

Set Design: Alison Brown

Sound Design: Dinah Mullen  

Costume Design: Chloe Mead

Lighting Design & Production Management: James Ball 

Production Advisor: Froud 

Company Tour Manager: Keir Patrick 

Technical Stage Manager: Niamh Percy/Joshua Lucas

Dramaturg: Neve Harrington

Audience Ambassadors: Chris Fonseca, Katherine Smith, Kimberley Harvey, Laura Dajao, Rachna Joshi

2024

• Southbank Centre
• DanceEast
• The Place
• Brighton Festival
• Spark Festival
• Midlands Arts Centre
• bOing! Festival
• Cambridge Junction
• Polka Theatre
• Hullabaloo
• The Egg, Theatre Royal
• Gloucester Guildhall
• Mill Arts Centre

Co-commissioned by The Southbank Centre and The Place, and South East Dance, with support from Stanley Arts and using public funding by Arts Council England.  

Thank you to Selhurst Nursery School, Addington Valley Academy, Crosfield Nursery School, Coin Street Children's Centre, and Cherry Garden School for supporting our creation process.