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Wandsworth’s celebrations as Borough of Culture are in full swing, and they started in style on Saturday with an all-day dance extravaganza called Strictly Wandsworth. There were three main activity tents, all free to join, plus tempting food and drink kiosks, arts and crafts stalls as well as a chance for local dance companies to let the community know what’s available in this richly diverse and dynamic borough through their stalls and the energetic performances of their dance students on the main stage.

I made a beeline for the big pink tent, which housed the silent disco. I’ve heard a lot about silent discos but have never taken part in one. It was an uplifting start. From very young children being swivelled around by their parents to the more vintage folk who probably find clubs too loud and the music not to their taste (here, I relate), everyone was swaying at a different pace but all had a big smile on their faces. A silent disco is the manifestation of the idiom “she dances to her own tune” – we should all do a bit more of that.

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The interactive tent was constantly well attended throughout the afternoon. This is where different dance instructors taught their own dance moves. Pitched at an accessible level for everyone, here again, the most notable thing was how joyful the vibe was. Whether you were perfectly co-ordinated or not didn’t matter, all that was needed was a willingness to try out something different.

My last stop and where I lingered the longest was at the main stage where none other than Gok Wan was belting out crowd pleasers at his DJ set. He was very much in tune with what the crowd wanted to hear and kept encouraging us to take part in a very persuasive but mild manner.  I am sure there were people dancing there who hadn’t danced in public for years – it feels like dancing in public is the preserve of the young but not here – everyone was made to feel at ease.

Strictly Wandsworth couldn’t have been a better start to this exciting year of events in this brilliant borough. As well as an encouragement to do something physical to keep you fit and healthy, the focus of this event, like many others on the horizon, was on social connection and engagement – getting people to go out and enjoy socialising, trying out something new and fun for all the ages whilst exploring what Wandsworth has to offer. Follow @welcometowandsworth on IG or FB and @wtowandsworth on X to join in the fun.

For more on upcoming events visit:  https://welcometowandsworth.com/

You can also volunteer to help in the events program for London Borough of Culture and become a Culture Hero.

Angela Zaher is a freelance food writer. Find her on Instagram @angela_zaher.