Inclusive Sensory Station Session

Saturday 23 July, 2pm-4pm

Venue: Festival Hub (next to Toyland), The Piazza, Princess Alexandra Walk, HD1 2RS

Ticket price: Free (booking recommended)

Age guidance: all ages (under 16s and vulnerable adults should be accompanied by a parent or carer)

Venue Access Guide: https://www.accessable.co.uk/huddersfield-literature-festival/access-guides/hlf-festival-hub

A free afternoon of activities designed for children and young adults with additional needs, physical and mental disabilities (self-soothing calming areas available). Led by dance and drama teacher and SEN specialist Salma Zaman.

This session will use words, movement, dance and music to engage with participants and allow them to take part in teacher-led activities, as follows:

1. Sitting or standing, listen to the Being Me poem being recited while engaging with balloons, leaves and bubbles
2. Take part in a variety of different movement and dance to encourage mobilisation
3. Have a go at making your own dance
4. Have a go at making your own music with props and resources
5. Perform your movement and dance with music
6. Relax with a no hands massage.
7. Self-soothing calming areas available throughout the workshop
8. Self-regulating resources available

Salma Zaman is a trained teacher in dance and drama, an SEN specialist, choreographer and fitness instructor, and the founder and artistic director of Salma’s Bollywood Academy (SBA). Salma has been teaching for many years, providing professional educational school workshops for all ages, levels and abilities, and works closely with several specialist provisions. Salma’s Bollywood Academy was awarded the title ‘Best Dancing School’ for 2019 for its inclusivity.

Salma is also an award-winning author of four children’s books: Bollywood Princess; Help! I Can’t Dance Without My Bhangra Pants (centred on her own son, who has autism); Sally and her Super Snot; and Greedy Gertie, which features a cow who is a wheelchair user. With Thom Craigen, she has produced an inspirational and representational activity book, I Can Do Anything Colouring Book, created to celebrate girls of different South Asian heritages and encourage them to consider a wide range of professions.

With a colleague Nisha Lall, Salma has also produced videos and downloadable activity packs for SEND families for the My Family Creates project, commissioned by the Huddersfield Literature Festival and available on the Festival website.