Family Weekend, Sadler’s Wells’ annual two-day festival of family-friendly events, was back on Friday 14 & Saturday 15 April, taking over the theatre building and offering something for all ages with fun activities, arts & crafts and workshops. These complemented Aracaladanza’s Vuelos on the Sadler’s Wells stage, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s quest to make man fly. Suitable for ages five and over, Family Weekend continued to see the theatre transformed into a magical space for children and their families as an unmissable jam-packed day out.
In the Lilian Baylis Studio, the stage was transformed into a mystical world by Vanessa Woolf, a professional storyteller. Woolf took listeners on an adventure with an interactive story also inspired by da Vinci’s wish to make man fly. The Lilian Baylis also hosted a ceilidh with live music from The Ceilidh Liberation Front, a group dismissing normal ceilidh traditions with its own energetic style. A ‘caller’ explained and demonstrated the dances before each one began, meaning children and their families could jump in to have some fun and dance together to uplifting and inspiring music.
In the foyers, lots of activities to entertain before and after the show took place. Arts and crafts activities included hat making, origami birds, decorating wooden spoons, stained glass and screen printing sessions. Casson & Friends returned with their interactive performance The Dance WE Made, which invited everyone, with or without dance experience, to be choreographers. UK-based dancer and choreographer Tim Casson and The Dance WE Made collaborate with members of the public to devise original choreography which is then made into a dance piece and performed by The Dance WE Made team.
With the foyers decorated with designs by artist Anna Bruder, inspired by da Vinci’s work, the weekend was a treasure trove full of activities.