Join us in Rugby for a Friday night with a difference!

A barn dance (or ceilidh) is a fun night of social dancing that everyone can join in with. You don't need to know the steps beforehand as our dance caller, Lisa Heywood, will teach the dances as we go along. Complete beginners welcome!

There will be live music from The Rainbow Folk (Beth Gifford on viola/violin and Nat Brookes on accordion), and a bar is available at the venue.

We will be using LGBTQ+ inclusive dance instructions, and there will be a raffle in support of Warwickshire Pride.

Read on below for information about:

• Timings
• Access
• Inclusion
• Travel

Check out the video below for a taste of what's in store...

Timings

• 7pm - Doors open

• 7:30-9pm - Dancing

• 9-9:20pm - Break

• 9:20-10:30pm - Dancing

Access

You can let us know about any access requirements you have when booking your ticket. We have also included as much information as we can about access below. 

If you have any further questions about access please get in touch with Lisa at hello@lisaheywood.net. 

Physical access

• Access to the venue: There is wheelchair access to the building via a ramp. The function room (where the dancing will be happening) is on two levels. The dance floor, bar and some seating has level access - additional seating is accessed via a few steps. If you require level access to seating please let us know and we can reserve a table on the lower level for your group. Unfortunately the bar does not have a lowered area for wheelchair users, but here will be an assistant seated just opposite the bar who can assist with ordering if needed.

• Disabled parking: Disabled parking spaces are available immediately outside the venue.

• Accessible toilet: An accessible toilet is available inside the venue.

• Dancing with mobility aids/wheelchairs: You are very welcome to join in the dancing with a mobility aid or wheelchair, and to adapt the moves as you see fit. If you have not attended a barn dance before you are welcome to get in touch at hello@lisaheywood.net so Lisa can discuss the best way to adapt the dances with you :)

• Rest: You do not have to dance every dance and we won't pressure people who are "sitting out" to join in. If you need to rest during a dance you are welcome to leave the dance at any time - we will continue the dance and make it work!

Sensory access

• Sound: Both the music and dance instructions will be amplified, and there will be other ambient noise such as people chatting. The band is only a duo, so the music isn’t likely to be as loud as a full band with a drum kit. If you are experiencing discomfort due to noise levels please let us know and we will try to find a comfortable level at which everyone can hear the music and dance instructions without discomfort. You are welcome to wear ear defenders if this would make you feel more comfortable.

• Lighting: We will have coloured lights and a disco ball in the room as well as uplighters around the sides of the room. We will not be using strobes.

• Physical contact: Barn dancing is a group style of dance and most dances involve being in a pair with someone and holding hands/linking arms with that person and others. For closer contact moves we will offer lower contact options. You are welcome to adapt and improvise if there are any dance instructions that you're not comfortable following. You can also let us know in advance of any access requirements around physical contact, and we can warn ahead of time for particular moves (e.g. "this is a dance where you only touch your partner" or "this dance will involve dancing with lots of different people."). 

• Quiet space: You are welcome to leave the room/venue at any time if you need to. There is a corridor outside the function room which will be quieter than the main room.

Inclusion

We have included as much information as we can about inclusion below - please contact Lisa at hello@lisaheywood.net if you have any further questions :)

LGBTQ+

Dance with whoever you like: As an event run by members of the LGBTQ+ community we aim to be as inclusive as possible. One way that we do this is to use "gender-free" dance instructions. This means that we won't use gendered terms (e.g. the men do X and the women do Y) to teach the dances, and everyone can dance with whoever they like.

Toilets: Unfortunately on this occasion the only gender-neutral toilet is the accessible toilet. 

Neurodivergence

What to expect: We’ve put together a guide below of what to expect on the night. We’ve tried to be as accurate as possible, but please be aware that there may be changes on due to events outside our control (e.g. adverse weather).

• You are welcome to arrive at the venue any time after 7pm. It is ok to arrive after the dancing has started.

• When you arrive at the social club you enter the main doors, which face Oliver Street. There is a small foyer and then a set of doors which will be open. We will have someone in the foyer until around 8pm, to welcome people as they arrive.

• Once inside, turn right past the toilets and the function room is on the left. There will be someone on the door of the function room who will be selling tickets, and checking tickets bought online.

• When you enter the function room you can choose somewhere to sit down - there will be tables and chairs as well as benches around the edge of the dance floor. There will be a welcome table for people who have come on their own. There will be background music playing in the function room as people arrive. The bar is inside the function room and serves soft and alcoholic drinks.

• At 7:30pm the band will play a tune and then Lisa, the “caller” (dance instructor), will invite people to join in the first dance. You will not need to be in a pair for the first two dances, and Lisa will encourage people to introduce themselves to the people standing next to them in the dance. After this the dances will be for pairs - Lisa can help you find someone to dance with if needed!

• For each dance Lisa will teach the moves and then “walk through” the dance with everyone. This means that everyone does the moves without the music. Then the music starts and Lisa will “call” the moves out at the same time. If Lisa thinks everyone has got the hang of the dance then she may stop calling out the moves after 3 or 4 times through the dance. Most dances are repeated around 8 times through, which is approximately 5 minutes of dancing with the music.

• You do not need to dance every dance. If someone asks you to dance and you don’t want to, you can say “no thank you” without giving a reason.

• You may leave the function room or venue, and come back in, at any time.

• There will be a break at around 9pm. We will play background music, and then call the raffle at around 9.15pm.

• We will start the dancing again at around 9:20pm and will continue until around 10:30pm. After the dancing finishes the band will pack up, and we’re aiming to be out of the venue by 11pm.

Coming on your own

We will have a table set up as a welcome table for anyone who comes on their own, so that you have some people to sit with and (if you like) dance with!

Safer spaces policy

We want to make our events as safe and inclusive a place as possible. If you have any concerns please speak to Lou, who will be on the door, in the first instance. She will pass any concerns onto Lisa (the organiser and dance caller) at an appropriate moment. We will do our best to take appropriate action as quickly as possible.

Travel

By train: The venue is 30min walk, 10min cycle or 8min taxi ride from Rugby train station.

By car: The nearest car park is Westway Car Park, which is free after 7pm.

[Insert video guide here]

By bus: There is a bus stop for the 86 bus from Coventry to Rugby very close to the venue, with buses arriving in Rugby around 7pm (as of March 2024). However the last bus back towards Coventry leaves at 7:15pm, so you'd need to get a taxi back!

There are also bus stops on North Street (10min walk) and outside ASDA (5min walk). Check the Stagecoach website for timetables and route planning.