“When was the last time you did something for the first time? All of the workshops at L Fest are included in your ticket price, so why not try something out of your comfort zone with arts and music workshops, lifestyle & wellbeing, laughter & happiness and much more there is something for everyone!”
Loosely latin and ballroom dance
Barbara Harrington
We will learn dances like the merengue, social foxtrot and cha cha and have fun in the process. You’ll be surprised at your dancing ability and discover the pleasure of dancing with a partner as you live out any Strictly Ballroom fantasies. No previous experience or partners necessary.
Barbara has facilitated dance workshops at various events including Women In Tune and runs women only dance classes in Swansea and Cardiff.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Stacey Stockwell
This is a great opportunity to get your hands out and have a go at a sign song! Sign songs are becoming ever-popular within the Deaf and hearing communities. They’re great fun to do and fabulous to watch! You’ll also be able to learn, or re-cap on your BSL fingerspelling alphabet and learn a few useful signs. This year, once again, we have Stacey Stockwell leading the workshop. She’s signed for The L Project’s “It Gets Better” and their most recent brilliant song “We’re all Human” She’s fun and full of energy, and she’s guaranteed to have you dancing and signing away! (Oh, and she’s not half bad with her hands….
Sign Song – Learn to sign a song! Just bring your hands :- )
Effective Communication – In this workshop you’ll learn everything you need to know about communicating with a Deaf person.
Rogue Vogue - Rogue's Drag King Workshop
A three hour friendly titillation for all who thought about joining or wanting to explore the captivating world of Drag King's, hosted by Rogue Drag King with guest Drag King's Adam All and The Drag King.
1. What’s on and who’s who?
An introduction by Rogue, Adam All and The Drag King
2. What is a Drag King and a brief account of the history of Drag Kings
A summary and hand out of a description of and history of Drag Kings you can take with you.
3. How do I become a Drag King?
A chance for you to experience becoming a Drag King:
· Choose a name! – We will give you some help with this
· The clothes make the man - there will be some costumes for you to try out and experiment with,
which must be returned at the end of the workshop
· Breast binding – disguising the curves and is not compulsory!
· Facial hair – we will show you different methods and how to use make-up / hair
· Eyebrows – we will apply the make-up
· Hair – we will supply the hair products
· Performing masculinity on stage – we will supply the demonstrations of how to act, physicality, performance and how to stand, walk and talk like a man. The will even be the opportunity for the confident princes to strut their stuff to a song of your choice!
· The package – bring a spare of socks…all will become clear ;)
4. The Performance - a short performance by Rogue, Adam All and The Drag King.
Facebook - Roguedragking
Improvised Comedy Workshop
The Short & Girlie Show
Short & Girlie Show: Comedy Improv Workshops - kids (4-15 year olds)
Length: 50-mins
Number of participants: 12
Description: Have fun and make new friends while learning something new! We will play drama games and make up silly sketches.
Short & Girlie Show: Comedy Improv Workshops - women (16+)
Length: 90 mins
Number of participants: 20
Description: Learn the basics of improv in a safe, supportive environment. Fun and laughter guaranteed!
Brighton Dance Flash Mobs: Flash Mob Workshop - all ages
Length: 90 mins
Number of participants: no limit! (only the limitations of the room we are put in)
Description: Learn a dance routine and be prepared for flash mobbing at some point over the weekend! All ages and abilities welcome.
Maximum number: unlimited
Cycling Workshop
British Cycling Breeze Network
L Fest have teamed up with British Cycling’s Breeze network – Led by women, for women.
Once again we will be running some bike rides from the racecourse. Breeze provide groups bike rides for women in a fun and social environment. The leaders will be qualified and first aid trained and will (where possible) find the quietest routes for 2 bike rides over the weekend. One ride will be slightly longer and will be suitable for women who are used to riding slightly further distances – we will probably do about 20 miles. The other ride will be more suitable for beginners and will be for around 10 miles. Breeze is all about riding with other like-minded women, no one is ever left behind and if we can sneak in a little drink and cake stop we will.
Visit our website.
Looking for lurve, friendship, or fun?
Ali Harness
Ali Harness is a qualified Life Coach specialising in women’s confidence coaching. With a passion for helping women discover their true potential, Ali can help you realise your inner resources, discover what you really want from life and develop the confidence to go and get it!
These workshops are designed to provide a taste of what Life Coaching can do for you with a range of tools.
Return to life after LFEST a more confident you!
Create a Carnival
This years carnival parade theme is "LGBT CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD". We have seen earlier in the year politics on everyones lips with the ggeneral election and who supports LGBT rights. But also many different movements around the world, most recently with the amazing news in USA. Bring your flag or make one and march in our carnival parade
Drumming Workshop
Organic Rhythm
Facilitated by Sharon and Nikki of Organic Rhythm who are delighted to be returning to L-Fest with a van full of drums!
We’ve got some big kick ass bass sounding drums, loads of African djembes and some smaller drums that add to the diverse mix.
This is an interactive workshop suitable for all abilities, beginners welcome.
Wanna come? Don’t miss out,you might just love it!
Fun, easy, uplifting and energising – this was very popular last year to so be sure to get there early to guarantee a drum! There may also be opportunity to be in the carnival parade too!
Proud to have won the L Fest Best Workshop award for 2013 and we can’t wait to do it all again!
Strawbale Building Workshop
Barbara Jones & Rae Parkinson
In this 2 hour workshop you will be encouraged to get your hands mucky with clay and learn how to apply plaster to a strawbale wall – totally different to working with cement – fun and friendly! You’ll also see how bales can be used for structural wall building and most likely catch bale frenzy… If you want to participate you should wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, although clay will easily wash off. You can also just watch and learn, though it’s not so much fun….An opportunity to learn basic techniques of working with straw to construct a small building, from the UK’s leading strawbale company, many of whom happen to be lesbian!
Salsa Dance
Norma Daykin
Salsa
This fun, friendly session is open to everyone, including complete beginners. No partner is needed and you can lead or follow. We will swap partners during the session. You will learn the basics, including a mixture of cross body and Cuban style salsa, as well as some “doable” more advanced moves.
Funny Side Out
Lara A King
Unleash your inner funny and learn to experience humour and laughter as a powerful and effective currency within your every day interactions. Through a series of theatrical techniques, role play and improvisation exercises, join award winning comedienne Lara A king on a journey towards being a more relaxed and confident communicator and someone known for their smile, their lightness of being and their ability to see the funny side.
Songwriting - Finding the words to say....
Beth Prior
Beth Prior offers an insight into her methods of songwriting and composition, sharing ideas and insights into what makes her tick as a songwriter. Bring your ideas, voices and an open mind. All welcome, feel free to bring an instrument if you want to jam along too!!
Fact or Fiction
A great chance to share and discuss our favourite quotes, poems or passages from books.
Great thinkers, writers and poets can give us whole new perspectives and help take us on incredible journeys, but with so many books and so little time, it can be hard to choose.
Think back to some of your all-time favourites that you'd like to share with others, and please bring your own copy to read from.
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou
Writing the Body Erotic
Suitable for the curious beginner and offering something extra to the experienced, join us to discover the risky and risqué pleasures of letting sex take shape on the page. We’ll also consider how to use poetic techniques to support a truly embodied poetry performance.
Beginners Aerial Hoop Fitness workshop-with photo opportunities in decorated hoops.
Ali Cocks
A step by step workshop in how to use the Aerial hoop for fitness and fun. Works beautifully on core and upper body strength, combining skill and flexibility. You do not need to be a dancer or aerialist/circus performer to do this class as it's tailored and situated at a suitable height for the complete novice. There is also an opportunity for photos inside a decorated hoop so bring youre friends and cameras to capture this lovely aesthetic .
www.facebook.com/alispolefever.com
Figure Drawing
Emma Sparks
Life Drawing An opportunity to learn to draw or to practise and improve your existing drawing skills. Using models we will study the figure in different poses, using different techniques and mediums. Beginners and experts welcome!
Kat Holmes
Join in the fun of the inaugural scavenger hunt, where participants will be sent all around the LFest site looking for clues, objects and other items of interest. Turn up at the Planet London market stall on Saturday at 2pm in teams of two – or if you need a buddy just turn up and we’ll pair you up with someone. We’ll give you the list and send you on your way.
Teams will have 2 hours to complete the hunt. The first team back with all the correct items/answers will be deemed the winner and take first prize.* Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams, as well as for other achievements (such as most creative answers).
The scavenger hunt is a great way to see the whole festival area, make new friends, and enjoy the thrill of the chase.
*Some clues will require teams to be in a certain place at a certain time so it won’t necessarily be all about the fastest team.
Tarot Healing Circle
Tarot cards are a powerful tool for accessing intuition and gaining deeper insight into your life. In this one hour workshop, participants will each draw a tarot card and the group will offer interpretations under the guidance of Rebecca D'arcy, who has many years experience reading tarot. We will create a safe space together to open up to guidance from the tarot. The emphasis of this workshop is to use tarot as a tool for empowerment and self development, not fortune telling or predicting the future
Goddess Meditation
Start the day with stillness and serenity as we connect with the Divine Feminine in a guided meditation. 40min.
Connecting with the Goddess can open up a wellspring of creativity, sustenance and joy.
In the ancient world, myriad aspects the Goddess were revered and invoked to provide solace and divine intervention to sooth life's difficulties. Today, the Goddess is alive in Pagan spirituality, within Hinduism and also in other faiths. In this 2 hour workshop, Rebecca D'arcy will give a presentation on Goddess worship, both ancient and modern. Afterwards, there will be a discussion on how the Goddess is relevant in our lives today and how we can call upon Her.
www.rebeccadarcy.co.uk
Yoga Workshop
Josetta Malcolm
Saturday Ashtanga Yoga led class.
Ashtanga is a dynamic style of yoga – it is a flowing form, meaning you don’t stay in poses for long but keep moving. This means that it provides a cardiovascular workout as well as strengthening core muscles. It uses the traditional yoga poses, so the whole body gets gently stretched and toned and the nervous and endocrine system get balanced. Josetta teaches with a gentle approach and according to where your body is at on any given day. She is very skilled at supporting individual needs within her class.
She specialises in teaching beginners, who often have physical ailments and/or injuries. Obviously, as with any exercise, you should check with your GP before starting yoga if you have any health conditions. However, the Primary Series in Ashtanga is known as Yoga Therapy (“Yoga Chikista”) because it has so many therapeutic benefits – strengthening the back and balancing the body and mind. Josetta says:
“I have tried quite a few styles of yoga and found Ashtanga to be the best for people like me who want to have a strong supple body as well as getting the mental health benefits (as it also calms and balances the mind). Ashtanga is suitable for all ages, shapes and abilities”
Please bring your own yoga mat if possible, there will be a very limited number of mats available to borrow
Sunday Gentle Yoga:
A gentle paced yoga class suitable for all abilities and levels. We will be exploring traditional yoga poses and breathing techniques to build strength, flexibility, balance and a sense of well-being. The focus is on relaxation and rejuvenation.
Josetta teaches yoga therapy for the NHS in East London, harnessing yoga’s unique power of healing for physical and emotional health. This workshop will give you a wonderful opportunity to experience the incredible sense of calm and serenity that yoga offers.
Yoga has numerous health benefits including; lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, depression, anxiety, increasing bone density, muscle mass, improving circulation, flexibility etc.
Josetta specialises in teaching beginners, who often have physical ailments and/or injuries. Obviously, as with any exercise, you should check with your GP before starting yoga if you have any health conditions
Please bring your own yoga mat if possible, there will be a very limited number of mats available to borrow
Line dancing
Lara A King
1: Kink for Beginners
Bondage and Discipline (BD), Dominance and Submission (DS), Sadism and Masochism. Your kink is not my kink and that is OK, so where can I find people and places to play? Well lets talk about it! Over 18's only need attend please. (You may be asked for ID). This sex positive workshop will include: A look at the lingo, social networking sites, and the facilitating of a discussion on BDSM along with a demonstration of some equipment.
2: Ropes, Floggers and Whips
We may not be riggin bitches but bunny up and we will show you the ropes? Or Knot?Well the least we can do is have a crack at it? This sex positive workshop includes a discussion, followed by a demonstration of equipment and a chance to learn some new skills. Over 18's only need attend please. (You may be asked for ID)
3: Polyamory in 2015
Polyamory, the practice of engaging in multiple sexual relationships with the consent of all the people involved. This workshop is for those people who are; new to the concept, already in a poly relationship, for those who are thinking of trying this alternative relationship model, a general discussion for those who seek networking opportunities (please note, this is not a cruising event as most people attending will be poly saturated.
Since the explosion of social networking, access to alternative relationship model's has become easier and the acceptance of them, has become more broadly understood. Most definitions of polyamory centre on the concepts of being open to, or engaging in, multiple loving relationships, wherein all parties are informed and consenting to the arrange. An emphasis on ethics, honesty, and transparency all around is widely regarded as the crucial defining characteristic.
Polyamorus relationships are highly varied and individualized according to those participating, they can take on different forms or configurations, such as a V, quad etc, however people who identify as polyamorous typically reject the view that sexual and relational exclusivity are necessary for deep, committed, long-term loving relationships. Those who are open to, or emotionally suited for, polyamory may embark on a polyamorous relationship when single or already in an open relationship. Sex is not necessarily a primary focus in polyamorous relationships, which commonly consist of people seeking to build long-term relationships, and who realise monogamy isn't for everyone, and want relationships with more than one person on mutually agreeable grounds, with sex as only one aspect of their relationships. For many, such relationships are ideally built upon values of trust, loyalty the negotiation of boundaries, and compersion, as well as overcoming jealousy, possessiveness, and the rejection of restrictive cultural standards.