Celebrating Somerset's Creative & Cultural Practitioners - Emma Randall

Emma Randall is a Community Dance Artist and Fitness Instructor based in Yeovil. She originally moved to Yeovil in 2001 for a dance lecturer role at Yeovil College. Since then, her career has grown in many directions e.g. Postural Stability Instructor for Age UK Somerset, Lead Dance Artist for ‘Our Turn Dance and Dementia’ Project for Take Art and Dance Teacher for Stagecoach Performing Arts Yeovil. She also delivers FitSteps Dance Fitness and Pilates classes locally too.

Emma has danced from a young age – Ballet, Tap, Modern. She tells me she was a hyperactive kid who had lots of energy (“and I still do”). After completing A Level Dance, Emma studied Dance Studies at Middlesex University, and then was introduced to Further Education teaching. Completing a Certificate of Education at Exeter in 2001.

“I know this may sound cliché, but I just love the joy, fun and connection that dance can give to a person. It does not matter about age, ability, background. The idea that we can all share a positive experience with dance that brings people together.”

We have recently funded Emma through our Creative Ideas funds to start up a new community dance project; The Move and Groove Roadshow has been created in partnership with fellow Community Dance Artist, Georgina Greenwood.  “Georgina and I met due to my fractured little toe in September 2024 (long story). Since then, we produced a dance workshop for the National Day of Dance ‘Let’s Dance’ in March 2025 in Sherborne. After this success, we created GEM Events and decided to expand this idea further and reach more people. We thought that we would visit three different towns in Somerset on a Sunday afternoon for a once-a-month experience by booking a hall, provide tea and cake and have a dance. (NB: This is not a Tea Dance but a dance workshop that includes tea and cake).”

As part of the grant application, Emma detailed who the target audience for Move and groove is and what people should expect when they attend.

“The essence of the Move and Groove Roadshow is to provide an opportunity to move, groove and dance. It is an opportunity for friends and/or family to get together and share a few hours of fun. The only stipulation is that you need to be over 50 years old to join in. You do not have to be dance trained, but have an open mind, give it a go and have fun.”

“During the workshop, participants will be learning simple dance moves based on a different dance style. Then people will work/dance together like a ceilidh with music. There will be an opportunity to learn a longer dance phrase, then we can put on some great tunes and the disco lights for a proper freestyle groove.“

I finished my chat with Emma by asking her about the importance of Dance for her; “Dance and the joy of dance can bring people and communities together. You do not have to be young to enjoy a dance. With people living longer and being more active, this workshop can bring something different to the social calendar. Maybe you engage for a one-off experience, maybe you want to attend each session. 

We are launching this project to allow people over 50 years old to engage in something fun, creative and active. We hope that people living in and/or surrounding the three Somerset towns will come along and try something new or different. We aim that these workshops will bring joy and a fun thing to do on a Sunday afternoon.”

If you want to experience Emma’s project or know someone who might, The Move and Groove Roadshow will be visiting the following Somerset towns on the dates below.

Sunday 28 September 2025 & Sunday 8 February 2025 – Ridgway Hall, Langport

Sunday 19 October 2025 and Sunday 8 March 2026 – Horton Village Hall, nr Ilminster

Sunday 16 November 2025 and Sunday 19 April 2026 – Odcombe Village Hall, Yeovil

All sessions run 2.30pm – 4.30pm. Each session costs £10.50.

All workshops can be booked via www.dancefitwithemma.co.uk (just find the date in the schedule) or for more information email dancefitwithemma@gmail.com or call 07764 160 424. You can also find them on Facebook @ GEM Events.