All it took was one class for Anne Gollan to realise she was experiencing something valuable and long lasting. It’s hard to tell now whether she loved it more for how it made her feel – like a child, uninhibited and excitable – or for the freedom of movement and expression she saw light up her one-year-old’s face. Maybe it was an equal mix of both. But when her son grew up and the class ended, Anne knew she had to continue. 

Since that first class 10 years ago, Anne built on her professional theatre experience, trained in the Mangala principles of European contemporary dance fused with Eastern yoga, and founded her own creative movement class for children.

MOVE CREATE DANCE is a place where meaningful connections are made: between drama and design, music and movement, mind and body. This is a place where there are no wrong moves; where laughter and silliness is encouraged; where an entire session may be themed around dinosaurs if it frees a cautious mind. 

This is also a place not limited to any room or timetable. It is much more long lasting than that. ‘Is it dance day?’ Anne’s students have been known to ask, as they form shapes with their bodies in the supermarket, hallway or bath. The wonderful thing is that now, for these creative little beings, every day can be ‘dance day’. 

History of Mangala

This vibrant and approachable discipline is a fusion of European contemporary dance and Eastern yoga, brought to Australia in 1970 by dance icon Dorotea Mangiamele.

When Dorotea came to Australia from Germany, she took up yoga to help her body. After seeing and feeling the benefits of yoga and dance paired together, she started a Mangala studio in Melbourne, offering creative dance classes for children. The classes also began to incorporate props and music, to encourage creativity through all our senses.

Anne Gollan completed a diploma course at the original Mangala studio, and brings her own style of performance and connection to MOVE CREATE DANCE.