Global Grooves - Manchester

12/10/2026

We're delighted to have won Creative Business of the Year 2026 at the Tameside Business Awards on Friday night! Holly and Freya attended the awards night.

"We receive this with huge gratitude for every volunteer, artist, participant, and team member who has shared their time, energy, and talent with us over the years. It has been a delight in recent project work to represent Tameside on the global stage in our Barcelona premiere of 'The Worker Becomes Queen'. It was such a full circle moment accepting the award with Freya, one of our super talented producers who began her journey with us through our youth leadership programme over 10 years ago. This is what it's all about." - Holly

Tameside Means Business Tameside Council

09/10/2026

This fantastic Cuban Carnival short course starts next week! We're so excited to present this amazing opportunity to study with Christian Weaver of La Timbala.

Cuban Carnival: Introduction to El Mozambiqué
🗓 6 week short course (every Thursday eve)
🗓 15 Oct - 19 Nov
⏰ 7pm - 9:30pm
📍The Vale, Vale Mill, Micklehurst Road, Mossley, OL5 9JL

You don’t need any experience of Cuban music. An open mind and a desire to learn something new will go a long way to helping you on this course.

This short course is an introduction to the carnival music known as El Mozambiqué, developed by percussionists Pello el Afrokan in Cuba towards the end of the 1950s. El Mozambiqué developed the traditional percussions, brass and vocal music of carnival with new hybrid rhythms, mixed with existing parts to create a new style that swept the island!

Booking link in the comments 👇

06/10/2026

26th October - Lightpool ‘Carnival Magic’ ✨

Carnival Magic returns to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of Lightpool Festival, with an extra special evening filled with your favourite puppets and performances with some brand new, exciting twists, never seen before in the Tower Ballroom.

Professional and community performers come together in an exhilarating journey through wild nature, fiery fantasy, futuristic fun and a spectacular celebration of light, joy and togetherness.

From giant hand-crafted puppets and incredible costumes to powerful drumming, mesmerising movement and explosive surprises, this year’s show promises something unforgettable for all ages.

We can’t wait to bring these delights (and more!) to Lightpool

📸 (images 1 & 2) Gregg Wolstenholme

04/10/2026

It's been brilliant to see this year's La Mercé Festival footage, with their exchange with Shanghai. It's got us reminiscing about our epic Catalan collaboration 'The Worker Becomes Queen' last year for La Mercé 2025 in Barcelona.

If you've not checked out our documentary, grab a Sunday brew and enjoy (full film link in the comments)

Film by John Grey.

Produced by Global Grooves and commissioned by Xtrax for MCRxLaMercè2025. Supported by City Council, Arts Council England and XTRAX. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, , I love Oldham and Tameside Council

03/10/2026

Calling Oldham and Tameside Primary Schools - bring dance heritage to your classroom!

As part of Dancing Threads, we’re looking for primary schools in Oldham and Tameside to take part in an exciting new dance heritage workshop between now and December.

Our engaging half-day KS2 session introduces pupils to the traditions and creativity behind dance heritage through dance, costumes, artefacts and colourful puppets. Pupils will have the chance to explore different dance traditions, get involved through movement and creative activities, and discover how dance connects people, communities and generations.

"The workshop was highly engaging and the children participated enthusiastically throughout. The loved being given the opportunity to hold a range of artefacts and try and on different costumes. The dance sessions brought the heritage and culture of the different art forms to life. The adults leading the workshops were well prepared and tuned into the needs of the audience and this allowed all pupils to experience all elements of the day." - Laura Trelfa (Headteacher Micklehurst Primary School).

''The session made me feel excited, curious, creative and proud.'' - Pupil

Contact [email protected] to enquire about this workshop.

You can read more about the project here: https://www.globalgrooves.org/learning/dancing-threads/

01/10/2026

Funk Carioca Masterclass with Roberto Soli 🇧🇷🔥

In this workshop, we’ll explore several styles of Funk Carioca, the high-energy music and dance genre that was born out of Rio de Janeiro and has since gone global with its infectious moves and sounds.

This is an open-level masterclass designed for everyone. Bora dançar!

Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro’s Zona Norte, Roberto is a dancer, choreographer and researcher of Funk Carioca, Brazilian music and dance genre. He has taken his work across the world, sharing the dances born and shaped within Rio’s funk culture.

🗓 Wednesday 14th October
⏰ 7pm - 9:30pm
📍 The Vale, Vale Mill, Micklehurst Road, Mossley, Greater Manchester, OL5 9JL
🎟 £10-25
🇧🇷 One of only TWO UK stops on Roberto’s Tour
📍 The ONLY stop north of London

Tickets: https://www.globalgrooves.org/whats-on/funk-carioca-with-roberto-soli/

30/09/2026

We're absolutely delighted to be launching a brand-new monthly cinema programme, we'll be screening the best of recent independent cinema right here at The Vale in Mossley! We'd love you to come and be part of our first screening here in October.

The first film screening will be 'I Swear' on Wednesday 21st October, with the rest of the programme to be announced 👀

🎥 I Swear
🗓 Wednesday 21st October
🚪 Doors 6:30pm, film at 7pm.
📍 The Vale, Vale Mill, Micklehurst Road, Mossley, Greater Manchester, OL5 9JL
🎟 Tickets booked in advance: £5*. On the door tickets: £6

Book here: https://the-vale.co.uk/event/i-swear/

⏰ Runtime: 120mins
🎥 BBFC age rating: 15

Based on an inspiring true story, I Swear is a brilliant example of feel-good British filmmaking – it’s tough, tender, hilarious and heartfelt. Robert Aramayo gives a breakout, BAFTA-winning performance as John Davidson, and is backed by an impressive supporting cast that includes local hero Maxine Peake and Scottish stalwarts Peter Mullan and Shirley Henderson.

Diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at a time when the condition was little known and entirely misunderstood, John’s world quickly falls apart around him. But a chance encounter with an old friend sets John on a new path, kick-starting a remarkable journey that will take John to places he could never imagine.

“Sweet, funny, and unusually moving.” – Empire ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Director: Kirk Jones
Cast: Robert Aramayo, Peter Mullan, Maxine Peake

*A limited number of donate what you can tickets are available on a first come first served basis

This programme is supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network

Based in Mossley, in the foothills of the Peak District, The Vale is a former textile mill converted to a state-of-the-art venue for all kinds of artistic, creative and Carnival happenings.

24/09/2026

Not long to go now, come and warm yourselves up this autumn with some Cuban Carnival. We're so excited to present this amazing opportunity to study with Christian Weaver of La Timbala.

Cuban Carnival: Introduction to El Mozambiqué
🗓 6 week short course (every Thursday eve)
🗓 15 Oct - 19 Nov
⏰ 7pm - 9:30pm
📍The Vale, Vale Mill, Micklehurst Road, Mossley, OL5 9JL

You don’t need any experience of Cuban music. An open mind and a desire to learn something new will go a long way to helping you on this course.

This short course is an introduction to the carnival music known as El Mozambiqué, developed by percussionists Pello el Afrokan in Cuba towards the end of the 1950s. El Mozambiqué developed the traditional percussions, brass and vocal music of carnival with new hybrid rhythms, mixed with existing parts to create a new style that swept the island!

Find out more here: https://www.globalgrooves.org/whats-on/cuban-carnival-introduction-to-el-mozambique

22/09/2026

Caixa Blast class this Thursday 🥁 Join Holly for percussion classes in Caixa (Brazilian snare drum) here at The Vale.

Suitable for for beginners and existing players.

🗓 Thursday 24th September
⏰ 7pm - 9pm
📍 The Vale, Vale Mill, Micklehurst Road, Mossley, Greater Manchester, OL5 9JL
🎟 £5 - £12 per session

Book here: https://www.globalgrooves.org/whats-on/caixa-blast-24th-sept-2026/