The Spokes an all women bicycle dance troupe Manchester

Posted on August 4, 2008
Filed Under North West, Women's Event, Women's Group | Comments Off

At 7pm every Wednesday we are having practices for the Spokes dance troupe. We are currently starting with a mostly new group of women that love bikes.

It involves synchronised bike riding and some simple tricks which are easy to learn.

We come in all different shapes and sizes, from different backgrounds and different bike and dance abilities. We make up routines to suit each members strengths and what they feel comfortable doing… and everyone can join in!

Now is a great time to join!!!

We do need people that can give one evening per week so we can be a really strong team. if people can only make a different evening we might be able to change it so email (info@ibikemcr.org.uk) which night you can do if you can’t do Wednesday

Please let me know if you’re coming and I’ll send you the address x x x

INFO ABOUT THE SPOKES

The Spokes are an all-woman all-bike-loving bicycle dance troupe. Basically we want to entertain people by choreographing and performing synchronised bike riding/ dancing and tricks.

We are always on the lookout for new ladies to join us, you don’t have to be a dancer or have to have loads of tricks up your sleeves because we all support each other and teach each other stuff and come up with ideas of stuff to do together it would be great for The Spokes to get bigger and bigger! If you want to join The Spokes then email us at info@ibikemcr.org.uk.

AIMS

Promote bicycle riding,

Promote riding bikes as a mode of transport that is safer, more sociable, more rewarding, more fun, less damaging to ourselves and the people and environment around us than this massive car culture,

Promote positive self image for people no matter what their body shape or appearance, and to celebrate the empowerment of women,

Encourage health and fun exercise that isn’t in boring expensive gyms,

Encourage people and ourselves to live out our craziest dreams every moment,

Have masses of fun and encourage others to as well..

PAST SHOWS

Get Bent Festival August 2007
Generate Festival September 2007
London Bicycle Film Festival October 2007
Manchester Temporary Autonomous Arts Exhibition October 2007
Not NYE Festival January 2008

WHY WE’RE ALL WOMEN

There are a few reasons why we wanted to be an all female group. One was to promote a positive image of cycling, specifically, to women. Men cycle more than women, with 16% of men cycling at least once a week compared with only 10% of women (Department for Transport, 2002). Despite this, the bicycle has had an important role in women’s history which we want to celebrate:

“The bicycle has been responsible for more movement in manners and morals than anything since Charles the Second. Under it’s influence, wholly or in part, have wilted chaperons, long and narrow skirts, tight corsets, hair that would come down, black stockings, thick ankles large hats, prudery and fear of the dark; under its influence, wholly or in part, have bloomed weekends, strong nerves, strong legs, strong language, knickers, knowledge of make and shape, knowledge of woods and pastures, equality of sex, good digestion and professional occupation- in four words, the emancipation of women.” (Galsworthy, 1890)

Also there are so many female dance troupes that are all about being sexy and concerned about how they look. We just want to have a laugh and have fun and show that bikes can be fun. They can be fun no matter what you look like, what size you are and that you don’t need to sexualise yourself to ride them or to be entertaining.

The TRL conducted “Attitudes to cycling: a qualitative study and conceptual framework” (1997) where they found that women were less keen on cycling due to concerns about personal appearance, stating that it spoilt their hairstyle and were “worried about the view from behind” (TRL, 1997, p.10) We want to show that it’s ok to not care about these things and let ourselves concentrate on fun not hairstyles or how big our bums are.

http://www.ibikemcr.org.uk/spokes.htm

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