FREE dance classes will be held at a special event to celebrate Pavilion Dance's fifth birthday.

The Anniversary Open Doors Day will be held at the Bournemouth dance house from 11am until 4pm on Saturday September 5.

Classes will be held for all ages and will include a Mini African class for under fives, ballet basic, a youth street dance class, Capoeira and 1940s social dance.

Pavilion Dance is the physical home of Pavilion Dance South West, a dance development organisation working across the the South West region. The £3.29 million redevelopment project, enabled by investment from Bournemouth Borough Council and the vision of founding director Kate Castle, took the disused part of the Bournemouth Pavilion and turned it into a dance centre with rejuvenated, but original, art deco features.

The 200-seat venue presents a vibrant programme of live dance performances across the year, complemented by a carefully curated arthouse film programme and up to 40 weekly dance classes for all ages and abilities in its two spacious studios. The studios are also being used for various workshops, youth projects and dance & health events, as well as by dance artists creating and developing new work.

"We are very lucky to have this fantastic venue. By a rough count, we have delivered more than 8,000 dance classes, showed nearly 500 live performances, and supported more than 60 artists and companies to create work here since it opened in 2010" said Helga Brandt, head of marketing and development.

"Pavilion Dance is a fantastic resource for dance in Bournemouth, in the region and nationally, and we are very grateful to have been given this beautiful building to work in."

Saturdays's event will also feature a free drawing workshop and exhibition by local artist Maggie Farmer and the launch of Pavilion Dance’s autumn season, introduced by Artistic Director Deryck Newland.

For more information and to book the dance drawing workshop, please visit pdsw.org.uk/celebrate or call 01202 203630.