Sadler's Wells' Creative Learning department, Connect, has long expressed the simple ethos of Lilian Baylis, one of the most visionary directors of Sadler's Wells, to make the arts accessible to everyone. In our contemporary lives, we recognise that dance connects people, promotes confidence and physical wellbeing. Our work prioritises community involvement, educational insight and challenges perceptions of who can dance.

Activities are carefully designed to suit all tastes and experiences, drawing on the diversity of Sadler's Wells dance programme. Our activities truly cater for all ages with local primary school children rubbing shoulders with our resident over 60s performers, Company of Elders. In the year 2008/09 Sadler's Wells Community and Education department, Connect, delivered almost 500 workshops and events, directly engaging over 10,000 people.

Connect's work is at the heart of the Sadler's Wells' vision which embraces artistic excellence and opening the theatre to new audiences and experiences. Activities range from post-show talks, lecture-demonstrations, an over 60s arts appreciation club, weekly Baby Groovers classes for toddlers and their carers, termly dance development projects in primary and secondary schools and large-scale community events. The highlight of our calendar is the annual Connect Festival which provides a showcase for many of our projects and offers up to 2000 members of our local community a chance to perform at Sadler's Wells.

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