Q: How does the application process work?
A: The application form will be made available online on 8th December 2025 and the application window will remain open until 19th January 2026. You will need to fill in the form with some information about yourself, including your motivations for doing the course. We want to make sure the course is the right fit for you. You will also be asked the learn a short combo taught by Catherine via youtube video. You need to film yourself doing the combo and share that with us.

Q: What are the criteria for selection?
A: Successful applications will come from dancers from diverse backgrounds who have a solid grounding in dance (ideally, but not restricted to, some form of belly dance). There is no minimum amount of time you should have studied dance for; we know that progress is not linear. This retreat is different from Catherine’s Performance Skills Courses, in which you’d be learning lots of skills for building your confidence on stage – while this retreat will help improve your stage presence, it is best suited to dancers who already have some performance experience. Perhaps most importantly, we are looking for individuals who are open-minded, adventurous, with a strong work ethic and who work well as part of a team.

Q: Can I apply if I have physical limitations?
A: Absolutely! Every body is unique. Catherine and Amy have plenty of experience adapting choreography for the dancers who are in the room. We encourage (but do not require) applicants to let us know about any limitations via the application form so that we can best prepare and best place them choreographically.

Q: Is performing in the end-of-retreat show mandatory?
A: Yes. Of course, if something happens during the retreat (e.g., heaven forbid, family emergency, illness or injury) that prevents you from performing, that’s completely reasonable. But we do ask you to apply only if you are available to perform in the show, as this is a big part of the retreat.

Q: I want to do the retreat, but I can’t afford it. What can I do?
A: There are a few options. You are welcome to pay in instalments to spread the cost. You can ask a loved one to buy a gift voucher for you, which you can put towards the cost of the retreat. And we are also offering two scholarships of 50% off each. The application for these is included in the main application form.

Q: What are the criteria for scholarship application?
A: The scholarships are designed to make the course more accessible to those in need of a price reduction. We welcome scholarship applications from anyone and everyone, but are particularly keen to hear from those on a low income, people of MENAHT (Middle Eastern, North African, Hellenic and Turkish) origin and people from other ethnic minority groups, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, carers, neurodiverse people, those with a mental health condition or any disability. We will also consider your reasons for wanting to do the course. The criteria for scholarship selection are diverse and we encourage applications from anyone who feels they need financial help to access the retreat.

Q: Will we learn choreographies before the retreat?
A: Yes, you will be asked to learn two choreographies prior to the retreat; the other choreographies will be developed in-person during the retreat. The two choreographies to be learned in advance will be taught online via pre-recorded lessons. These lessons, totalling approximately 15 hours, will break down the choreographies thoroughly and give you plenty of practice. Access to the lessons will be granted around April 2026, provided you have paid at least half of the total balance. It is important that you take the time to learn these two choreographies well, as we will have just 3 hours in the studio to go over questions, set formations, get feedback and run through the pieces. Failure to learn the choreographies prior to the retreat may result in that dancer not performing that choreography on stage (they will still perform the other pieces).

Q: So how many choreographies will I need to learn in total?!
A: In addition to the two learned prior to the retreat, there will be two or three choreographies developed during the retreat. Of course, this is a lot, but if you are concerned about being able to remember everything, please bear in mind that you will be working with two teachers who are excellent at teaching choreography and there will be plenty of practice time during the retreat. The group choreographies will be dynamic pieces that mean you won’t be on stage for the whole of them. Equally, there may be moments when you have a short solo or duet or trio. It will be a challenge, but all the best stuff is, right?!

Q: Are costumes included?
A: Either Catherine will provide costuming at an extra fee or you will be asked to source some items yourself. The aim is to keep it simple and keep costs as low as possible.

Q: Is accommodation included?
A: To be flexible and allow you to have choice over where to stay, we have not included accommodation in the retreat fee. We are planning to rent a lovely Georgian town house within walking distance of the studio and theatre for retreat participants – this will be a gorgeous space for you to relax, have meals together and unwind after a long day of dance! You will decide if you wish to stay there with the other retreat participants or if you prefer to arrange your own accommodation.