Moonlight Dream SureStart Workshops 2025: Shared Moments

In February 2025, Maiden Voyage Dance partnered with SureStart to deliver a series of free movement and sensory workshops.

The sessions were inspired by Moonlight Dream, our dance theatre production for babies aged 0–3 and their grown-ups. Taking place across South and North Belfast, the workshops welcomed parents, grandparents and babies into calm, playful spaces designed to encourage curiosity, connection and shared exploration through movement and music.

Delivered by the Moonlight Dream cast, the sessions invited families to move together, explore textures and objects, and respond to the gentle sound of live harp music. It was a joy to see how absorbed the children became, particularly in the sensory elements and live music, with many growing calmer and more settled as the sessions unfolded.

Parents spoke warmly about the atmosphere of the workshops, describing them as relaxed, inclusive and supportive. Although these groups already meet weekly through SureStart, the workshops felt like something special, a gentle, creative experience that align closely with SureStart’s emphasis on connection, wellbeing and shared time.

For many families, this was also their first experience of participating in a dance workshop or considering attending a dance performance with a very young child. Feedback showed that every parent would recommend the experience to others, and the majority said they would now feel confident bringing their child to a live dance performance in the future.

As a continuation of this journey, participating families have been invited to attend Moonlight Dream as part of Belfast Children’s Festival in March. This invitation offers families the chance to experience the full performance together, building on the familiarity and confidence developed during the workshops and we are excited to see what they think!

These workshops reaffirm the importance of early-years dance experiences. By creating gentle, welcoming spaces for babies and their grown-ups, they support imagination, emotional connection and shared joy.

If you are interested in a Maiden Voyage workshop for your group email nuala@maidenvoyagedance.com