A new heritage project is seeking to uncover and celebrate the rich dance traditions of Oldham and Tameside, calling on residents to share their memories, stories and artefacts. The initiative, named Dancing Threads, will focus on local dance forms including Morris dancing and South Asian dance, aiming to preserve and showcase the region's cultural history.

Coordinated by Mossley-based arts organisation Global Grooves, the project will collect a range of materials from community members, group leaders, long-time participants and musicians. These contributions will be used to create a public exhibition, a celebration event and a digital archive, ensuring these traditions are accessible for future generations.

Volunteers are being offered free oral history training as part of the project, with opportunities to help record interviews, research artefacts, organise materials and support the development of the archive. This hands-on involvement is designed to build local skills and deepen community engagement with the area's dance heritage.

In addition to documenting dance practices, Dancing Threads will explore their links with mill heritage, migration patterns and wider global histories, providing a broader context for how these traditions have evolved in Oldham and Tameside over time. The project aims to shine a light on the people and experiences that have shaped local dance communities across generations.

Creative practitioners are also invited to get involved, with around eight small commissions and one larger £5,000 commission available for those who wish to respond to the collected material. This offers a chance for local artists to create new work inspired by the area's dance heritage.

Project manager Tor Lysaght said: “Dancing Threads is a unique and exciting project that will shine a light on the people, memories and lived experiences of dance communities over generations.” The project builds on Global Grooves' previous programme, The Worker Becomes Queen, which involved local artists in a cultural exchange with partners in Barcelona.

Dancing Threads will culminate in an exhibition and public event at The Vale arts centre in Mossley in April 2027. Funding for the project has been provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Residents with stories or artefacts to share are encouraged to come forward and help shape this celebration of Oldham and Tameside's dance history.