2025

In this workshop, the students will receive a series of videos and short sequences to learn at home months before the festival, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Oval Portrait." On the day of the workshop, the sequences will be recorded in a historic outdoor location in Leicester without disturbing the citizens.

In this recording, the students will come dressed and made up in the Victorian era style and will bring a large picture frame or mirror (just the frame). They will dance holding the frame with their hands, so that their torso and head can be seen in it.

Each sequence will be reviewed and recorded one by one, without the students having to memorize an entire choreography.

The advantage of shooting videos is being able to repeat if something goes wrong.

In addition to the dance part, we will record several shots such as close-ups and some simple theatre acting (sitting, walking...) for the final edition, in which effects such as slow motion, ghostly disappearances, etc. will be applied.

The video will be edited the week after the Gothla festival and will be posted on YouTube for the whole world to see.

The style of the video clip will be dark and dramatic.

Note: This will take place outside and involve some walking around Leicester, unless the weather is inclement, in which case the class will be in a classroom.

Level: Open

Doors @ 7:30pm
Show @ 8:00pm
Out by midnight!

Tradition is to carry on at the Metal Monacle :)

In this workshop you will learn a Dark Fusion choreography with masks, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Masque of the Red Death," to perform on the Open Stage.
The story takes place at a masquerade party where people stop dancing every time the wall clock chimes.
A few months before the festival, some videos and short sequences will be provided to learn at home. During the workshop we will practice position changes, corrections, and the rest of the choreography.
The costumes will consist of black dresses and red masks.

Level: Open

Unleash your inner warrior with Susan - and come and dance with your fellow sword enthusiasts! Susan is a regular at Gothla and runs Lincoln Belly Dance and Lincoln Sword Dance. She also dances with Collexive, a group of Midlands teachers who perform and teach across the UK. Susan has been teaching dance for over 10 years. She is the UK’s only qualified Boho Blade instructor, and has created her own improv sword format which she and her sword troupe now regularly use to perform with. Mixing some Boho Blade, some adapted ATS move, and a whole lot of new sword moves created by Susan, this improv format is unique in it’s moves, it’s formations, it’s lead changes and the way it ensure everyone gives an equal chance to shine. Come along and learn some new sword skills and have a good dance with other Gothla sword enthusiasts - then you can take these moves away and use them in your own sword work.

Some swords will be available for people to come along and give sword dancing a try. Contact Susan beforehand if you would like to borrow a sword for the class.

Level: Open

Come join Fuchsia's army! Bring your stomping boots, attitude and grit to this workshop with performance opportunity at the open stage.

We are one, we are many, we are united and we have had enough! An army of misfits we are taking back our time and our right to be exactly who we are without apology. We'll be focusing on simple combinations, overlayed with bad ass attitude, formations and staging to create our righteous revolution.

Combos, concepts, costuming will be shared in a private Facebook group ahead of the event.

And we will of course be dancing to Army of Me by Bijörk💜

Level: Open

In an atmosphere of calmness and serene grace, we feel the freedom to express the hidden treasures of our souls. Let us unveil our inner beauty through dancing with liberation and surrender.

During this workshop, you will develop your own approach to your majestic and calm voice through dancing. In a relaxed and gentle atmosphere, Leocadia will guide you towards your own structured improvisation.

In the workshop's first part, you will explore and expand your movement vocabulary in guided technique practices. You will learn fluid and serpentine moves flowing through your body, combining them with sharp and slinky locks and pops for contrast.

After this exploration, we will discover together how to let our inner goddess shine through our dancing. You will learn to stay calm and surrender to the music in an improvisation setting. Learn ways to guide your improvisation and structure your performance's flow to create an exciting storytelling arc. Use it for your own performances.

You can use the structure for your own performance or just explore the possibilities of dancing for yourself under Leocadia's gentle guidance.

Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Let's make something together! We will be working in the moment to create an original and unique choreography specifically for Gothla UK! Dig into the process of making choreography quickly and celebrate the moment with an opportunity to perform the creation!

Level: Open

The Open Stage: Come and support the Show-backs and participants and Par-Tay!

Doors open 7:45, show starts at 8:20!

Dive into the mystic depths where dance becomes ritual and the sea whispers ancient truths. In this Fusion workshop, you'll embody the fluid power of water and the archetypes of sirens – drawing inspiration from Tarot symbolism and the shadowy beauty of oceanic realms.

Elisa guides you through flowing, expressive combinations that channel the watery arcana of the Tarot. At the heart of the workshop lies a dark fairytale choreography: three sirens gather the souls of the drowned in glowing lanterns, preserving the balance of the deep. A chalice is raised, a scale tips, a veil falls – and the current cannot be reversed.

This is movement magick – a space to create from within, where imagination and intention shape your dance. You'll explore how mysticism, storytelling, and symbolism can enrich your practice and expand your expressive range. With compassionate guidance and creative depth, Elisa invites you to surrender to the current and let your inner siren rise.

Level: Open

Masha Archer, one of the main influences in “Tribal” Fusion Bellydance Style, saw this style as a visual art and the dancer as a moving sculpture.

Posing and posture will be an essential element of this workshop. We are going to discover different styles, qualities and motivation of poses within Tribal Fusion as well as other styles, such as Burlesque, Vogue or fashion photography within a ludic choreography. Leocadia uses her experiences as a dancer and photo and fashion model to help you discover different shapes and movement qualities and develop your own moving sculpture.

Level: Open

Connecting movement to the soul and spending energy in areas that inspire passion and growth. We will crack open our bodies and hearts to take a spiritual dance journey together. See you in the Spirit!

Level: Open

This is a technical workshop on provocative dance, undulations and simple, controlled floor work, suitable even for people who have knee problems.

Get over your fear of dancing on the floor and you will see that you can expand your repertoire of steps in an original way.

Morgan East&West has specific training in floor work, in which Morgana has created a wide repertoire of movements and steps of different levels and difficulties, adapted to the physical conditions of each student.

Level: Open