About us

At giraffe dance, we are proud to offer inclusive dance sessions where everyone is welcomed and celebrated. Our qualified facilitators are committed to creating a supportive environment where individuals of all backgrounds and abilities, can come together to experience the joy of dance.

Our mission is to create joyful and inclusive dance experiences that are accessible to all.

a blonde smiling lady hugs two dance students. One dancer is a young girls wearing a pink top the other is a young boy with a whitw top.
people laughing and smiling whilst playing under a parachute in a dance class
young grils with blond hair smiling in a dance class. She is dressed up in a rainbow scalf and has a tinsel headband on.
dancers sitting in a circle. They have paper infront of them that has colourful sticky notes on it.
A group of elderly women and a young woman dancing together in a room, with one elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair. The women are holding hands and appear to be enjoying the activity.

“We all can dance when we find the music that we love.”

— Giles Andreae author of the book Giraffes Can’t Dance

a blonde female dance teacher lies down on her tummy on a spotty black and white cushion. she is smiling and looking to her left. Next to her on a green been bag is a young boy with brown hair wearing a red jumper who is also smiling

We have worked with

Two vertical badge logos, one with a green tree above a red and white structure labeled CBJS, and the second with colorful hands and a small tree, with text 'PROSPER TOGETHER' and 'Where we learn, work, and succeed'
Logo for Father Hudson's Care with the text "Father Hudson's Care" in blue, and the word "Father" curved above "Hudson's".
Logo for Big Brum Theatre in Birmingham, featuring a red and yellow swirling background with the theater's name encircling it, and the tagline 'In Action'.
Logo with red and green baby footprints and the words "First Steps Nursery" in a circular arrangement.
Logo for Dame Ellen Pinsent School featuring a large green tree and three children dancing in front of it, with the phrases 'Shine like a star' and 'Dancer Ellen Pinsenberry School' surrounding the image.
A poster with the word 'SURREAL' written twice in large black capital letters, with the second 'SURREAL' upside down and an eye inside the letter 'O' in the upside-down word. Logos of HM Government, Commonwealth Games, West Midlands Combined Authority, Culture Solihull, and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council are displayed at the bottom.
Logo for Culture Solihull featuring a colorful tree and the text 'Core Creatives'.
Royal Opera House logo featuring a crest with lions, unicorns, and a shield, above the words 'Royal Opera House' in capital letters.
Logo with a black circular background featuring the words 'Rochelle Dance Academy' in red, surrounding three red silhouette dancers in ballet poses, and five red stars.
Logo for Dance Leaders Group featuring an orange circular emblem with the letters DLG and text beside it.
Logo of Coleshill Heath School featuring a large letter 'C' with an open book and the initials 'HS' inside, accompanied by the text 'COLESHILL HEATH SCHOOL' and the motto 'EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY'.
Logo for Oasis Hub Blakenhale featuring an orange square with a white circular scribble and the words "oasis" in lowercase, and a maroon irregular shape with the words "hub blakenhale".
School emblem with a green tree, a sun symbol, and the letters E, F, and S on a blue shield.

Meet the team

Our team at giraffe dance all have a strong inclusive ethos and are qualified from an education or dance background. We all hold an enhanced DBS certificate and have adequate insurance.

a blonde lady wearing black leggins and a black top. She has her hands in a heart shape and is smiling. she is sat underneath a parachute

Alison Penn (She/Her) Founder

Alison (she/her) is a dance artist and educator dedicated to making dance fun and accessible to all. She creates dance opportunities for those with limited access to the arts, believing dance supports community engagement and mental and physical wellbeing. A lifelong dancer and qualified teacher with over 20 years’ experience, she supports learners at all stages, including those with additional needs. A Sports Science graduate specializing in dance, Alison promotes a whole-person, health-centered approach. Skilled in various styles, she encourages dancers to express themselves uniquely. Committed to inclusion and equity in dance, she is a member of People Dancing, an alumna of New Adventures’ Overture programme, and part of the Dance Leaders Group, maintaining active professional development and connections.

A young woman with wavy hair, earrings, a nose ring, and a black sweater, smiling at the camera against a plain background.

Milly (she/her) | Dance Artist & Choreographer

 

Milly Best is a West Midlands–based dance artist and choreographer with a BA (Hons) in Dance & Choreography from Falmouth University. She has worked with numerous companies, such as : Propel Dance Company, FRONTLINE Dance, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Solihull Society of Arts, Hungry 2 Move, and Giraffe Dance, where she is also Director. A member of the Dance Leaders Group and alumna of The Birmingham Hippodrome’s Young Choreographers Project, Milly specializes in improvisation, screen dance, and inclusive practice. Her work champions the idea that dance belongs to everyone, using movement as a tool for creativity, connection, and empowerment.

A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes smiling at the camera, wearing a blue dress with a floral pattern and a silver necklace, standing against a plain cream-colored wall.

Emma Ford (she/her) Support Artist

Emma is an inclusive dance artist dedicated to removing barriers to dance access. With 11 years’ experience working with vulnerable children and adults, including those with additional needs, she supports mental and physical well-being by fostering creativity. Emma tailors sessions to individual levels, creating empowering moments. Emma has delivered projects in SEND settings promoting confidence and visibility through dance. Additionally, Emma supports autistic youth as a community worker and works 1:1 in alternative education. She holds a BA in Dance, is a member of People Dancing and Dance Leaders Group, and commits to ongoing professional development in inclusive dance practices.

 

Work with us

Collaboration

We are always looking for new ways to spread our dance magic! If you have a project or an idea we can help with we would love to hear about it.

Freelance opportunities

We welcome enquiries from magic makers interested in becoming new freelance giraffes to support our growing team. If you are interested in working with us get in touch.

Volunteer with Us

We love having magical volunteers to support our team here at giraffe dance. This is a great way to gain experience in the dance sector and is a very joyful and fulfilling way to contribute to your local community. If you would like to help us create the sparkle, please do get in touch, we would love to hear from you!

Start your adventure with us today!