zoielogic annual report 25

Introduction from Zoie Golding MBE, Artistic Director and ben mcmahon, ZOieLogic chair

We are moving bigger, bolder, and stronger than ever! This year has been about breaking barriers, sparking movement, and proving that dance belongs to everyone.

From our Fuzzy Youth Companies, where we rebuilt and strengthened our cohorts, to ManMade, where 250 young men owned the stage, we’ve been pushing boundaries and championing change. Our work in Holyrood has flourished, with The Holyrood Hub driving a 77% surge in engagement, and our education programme has grown—training 7 new male facilitators to inspire and ignite the next generation.

And then, there’s The Big Movement. A game-changing three-year programme, bringing mass participation, powerful conversations, and transformative opportunities for men in movement. This is about rewriting the story – challenging perceptions, creating new pathways, and making space for more people to move, express, and belong.

But beyond the numbers, it’s the energy, the stories, the moments that matter. The young dancer who found his confidence. The community that came together through movement. The sheer joy of breaking down walls and making space for more people to dance.

— Zoie

This has been a year of incredible growth and impact for ZoieLogic. We have deepened our engagement with young people, expanded our educational reach, and strengthened our community, civic and business partnerships.

With the launch of The Big Movement, we are taking another bold step forward – championing more men into dance, challenging stereotypes, and promoting mental wellbeing through movement. This initiative, alongside our commitment to engaging young people and building strong partnerships, marks an exciting next chapter for ZoieLogic.

Continuing to challenge perceptions has shown that dance is truly for everyone, regardless of background, ability, or experience. As we approach our 25th year, we’re focused on sustainability, growth, and ensuring that the impact we’ve made continues to thrive for years to come. The future is exciting, and I’m incredibly proud to be part of this journey.

— Ben

ZOIELOGIC’S ANNUAL REPORT 25

8 Stats and 8 Pictures: A year of ZoieLogic

230

Youth and community sessions delivered

12

A new partnership with The Point, Eastleigh enabled us to deliver a full year of Pro Class for local dance artists

Increase in We Are Holyrood participant numbers

27%

The cash raised by 8 active Changemakers for We Are Holyrood

£11,000

3

Work experience placements for emerging artists

23

School partnerships, plus a long-term school programme

19

Live performance opportunities created

1,600

Participants engaged across all programmes

ZoieLogic’s Annual Report 25

Mass dance: Creating big dance floors

This article is part of our Annual Report 25, tap below to see the full report

Annual Report 25

Mass dance is where we go big – really big. In acts of epic collaboration, we transform public spaces into joyful dance floors, bringing together people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences to move as one. It’s about the buzz of the crowd, the beat of the music and the shared energy that comes from creating something unforgettable together.

These large-scale events are moments of connection, celebration and pure, unfiltered joy. Whether it’s 50 or 500 people, Mass dance is a bold invitation to take part, take up space and feel the power of unity through movement.

1. Co-Design and Community Voice at the Core

Our landmark mass dance programme, The Big Movement, was, from the very beginning shaped by men. Over 12 monthly steering group sessions, a core group of 20 men consistently co-created with us to shape the programme’s identity, structure and engagement plan.

This model ensured that the evolving programme was not just for men but with men, honouring lived experience and amplifying diverse voices. Bespoke adult dance sessions through The Collective offered an ongoing opportunity for men to engage physically, creatively, and socially.

2. Laying the Groundwork for Cultural Shift

2024/25 was a pivotal year for research, development and strategic planning. A choreographic R&D phase with national experts laid the creative foundation for future work, and a launch event at MAST Mayflower Studios gathered stakeholders from across civic, business and cultural sectors.

Alongside this, two digital outputs and a bespoke website amplified the campaign’s advocacy reach. Notably, national recognition came via a feature on The One Show as part of the LET’S DANCE campaign, positioning The Big Movement as a bold new vision for how dance and men’s mental health intersect.

“I feel energised for the rest of the day. I feel more connected to both familiar and new faces of men in my city. Feel valued and warm”

— Steering Group Member for The Big Movement

“We’re proud to be partnering with ZoieLogic Dance Theatre to provide more opportunities for men to move more for positive mental health, and take another step towards a world where anyone who is experiencing a mental health problem has access to the support they need.”

— Sally Arscott, CEO of Solent Mind

Watch our Launch Film for The Big Movement

Watch (2mins)

3. Strategic Partnerships and Inclusive Growth

New city partners joined the movement – Solent Mind, ManGang, Saints Foundation, Abri, Mayflower Studios, Mettricks and Forth Engineering. These collaborations span mental health, housing, culture and engineering, signalling a wide appetite for creative, preventative approaches to wellbeing. A unique workplace dance activation for men, delivered in partnership with a corporate business, pushed dance into new territory changing perceptions and challenging stigma in traditionally male-dominated environments.

4. Mental Health and Movement Intertwined

The Big Movement is designed to support men’s mental health by combining creative expression with opportunities for connection and conversation. Alongside The Collective, 33 men engaged in community workshops, reaching groups including the Army Welfare Service in Marchwood, Abri residents in Mansbridge and offering accessible public tasters such as Let’s Dance.

Complementing these were three open-access social events that blended creativity, guest speakers and networking, ranging from a spoken word night for International Day of Happiness to a festive dinner and a talk on grief awareness. Twenty seven individuals participated, with representation from six local partners and community organisations, creating welcoming spaces for dialogue and community-building.

A performance at the Southampton Christmas Light Switch-On marked the project’s first public moment to an audience of 4000, a symbol of what’s to come.

ZoieLogic’s Annual Report 25

Hometown: Bringing dance to your doorstep

This article is part of our Annual Report 25, tap below to see the full report

Annual Report 25

Driven by people’s stories, we are using dance to animate the places we call home, the places that are familiar to us, and illuminating what is important to each community. Our long term vision for HomeTown is to be nationally recognised in empowering communities to become the masters of creative activation.

1. Expanding Hyper-local Access to Dance

Across Southampton and beyond, Hometown delivered a total of 84 creative sessions, including 48 local dance and community sessions, 26 bespoke workshops, and 10 education partnerships. We engaged 496 participants, including 160 students through schools and 86 individuals outside of Southampton. Community partnerships were vital to our Hometown programme and included Blue Apple Theatre, Hampshire Community Heritage, Winchester Hat Fair and Wokingham Borough Council.

Monthly attendance exceeded growth targets, with a 27% overall rise in participation and 70% of refugee participants reporting improved mood and happiness. Through these diverse access points, we brought dance to people’s doorsteps, embedded creativity in local spaces, and empowered individuals of all ages and backgrounds to explore self-expression through movement.

2. Strengthening Community Connections Through Creativity

Through initiatives like The Hub Festival and Live at the Library, Hometown brought together 674 attendees in creative celebration, breaking down social barriers and building trust. The Hub alone drove a 77% increase in participation, with workshops in dance, arts, wellbeing, and storytelling. Holyrood activity and Bespoke Community Projects such as Hat Fair strengthened social connections through storytelling, shared creative experiences, and the visible celebration of local identity.

FuzzyLogic’s focus on performance development showed increased commitment, connection and reflective capacity, highlighting the wider personal and social development benefits of co-creation and sustained engagement.

“Thank you! My children didn’t like dancing before, but now they enjoy using moves to express themselves. You make such a difference.”

— Parent and audience member – Wokingham Refugee Project

“It was such an uplifting experience to be a part of The Hub community event”

— Holyrood Resident

“ZoieLogic’s is so well connected with the community here and especially young people, it made a huge difference to why people joined in. This is an excellent example of strong community relationships which have helped build trust and confidence.”

— Malkeat Singh Community Engagement Officer Southampton City Council

Watch The Adventures of the Holyrood Heroes, created by young people from Holyrood

Watch (9mins)

3. Championing Underrepresented Communities and New Voices

Hometown intentionally targeted underrepresented groups. Partnerships with Hat Fair and Wokingham Borough Council ensured access for learning disabled dancers and refugee communities, ensuring creative ownership was placed in local hands. Engagement in We Are Holyrood reflects and celebrates the diversity of the community, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, neurodivergence and disability. The Adventures of Holyrood Heroes film project, enabled nine young people to lead on choreography, sound, design, and filming reaching 1,400+ viewers across in-person and digital screenings.

4. Creating Sustainable Impact and Pathways for the Future

Beyond engagement, Hometown invested in skills, careers, and education. Through 10 school partnerships, 160 students participated in workshops and one long-term programme, with 7 newly trained male facilitators joining the team. Creative projects fostered emotional wellbeing—70% of refugee participants reported improved mood—and Live at the Library reimagined the library as a vibrant cultural venue, with 73% of participants visiting it for the first time.

ZoieLogic’s Annual Report 25

Get Guys Dancing: Redefining perceptions in dance

This article is part of our Annual Report 25, tap below to see the full report

Annual Report 25

We are leading the way in creating access to dance, nurturing talent, challenging perceptions of who dance is for and celebrating positive male identity. And we’ve been doing it since 2000, it’s where our story began…

1. Inspiring Passion and Creativity

Our spaces gave boys the freedom to move, express, and belong. Across 32 ManMade workshops, over 250 boys, many in their first ever male only creative space, found joy and connection through dance. The sense of achievement was clear in their reflections and performances.

2. Unlocking Dance as Holistic Physical Activity

This year Get Guys Dancing continues to demonstrate the broader skills development that dance and movement can offer. Participation in male only non-competitive physical activity enhances teamwork, communication, resilience, self-expression, emotional awareness and confidence. Fuzzy engaged 19 young men and boys long term across 145 sessions for our 3 youth companies.

3. Celebrating Achievement and Building Legacy

With 6 public performances of a brand-new FuzzyLogic work, including 2 ManMade platforms (Newbury and Southampton), boys took centre stage. 463 audience members witnessed their growth and talent. Meanwhile, older FuzzyLogic members progressed into leadership and mentoring roles keeping the legacy alive.

“This was a magical evening and it was so good to see young people both in the audience and on the stage so enthusiastic and expressing themselves through dance”

— Cllr Katherine Barbour, ManMade Solent Audience Member

Watch RISE, a film made with boys taking part in ManMade 2025

Watch (3mins)

4. Expanding Representation and Accessibility

Our work reached boys from diverse backgrounds. Thanks to full subsidy from the Backstage Trust, the Southampton ManMade platform removed financial barriers and welcomed schools from across the region. This year also saw the expansion of FuzzyClear with the addition of a brand-new class for younger participants tailored to boys aged 7-11 with autism and other sensory differences.

5. Strengthening ZoieLogic’s Sector Leadership

ZoieLogic continued to be recognised for bold, high-quality male engagement in the arts. The success of FuzzyLogic, increased demand for ManMade, and the launch of our ‘RISE’ film all reinforced our reputation as national leaders redefining dance for boys and young men.

What we’re seeing:

Dance builds more than skill, it’s building identity.
Our work is sparking sustained engagement and shaping future pathways in dance and beyond.
We’re reaching more diverse male communities, providing non-competitive, male-led environments.

We’re not just getting guys dancing. We’re growing confidence, connection, and creativity while advocating for the power of dance.

If you’d like to get in touch with Zoie, you can email zoie@zoielogic.co.uk

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Zoie Golding MBE

Zoie is a celebrated dance pioneer and social innovator, who has made her mark on the UK and international dance world over the past two decades. As an accomplished Artistic Director, Movement Director, Executive Producer and CEO, challenging perceptions of dance, its audience, and its place in society.

In 2000, Zoie founded the nationally acclaimed FuzzyLogic Youth Dance Company, leading the way in male dance engagement. In 2013, she established ZoieLogic Dance Theatre, recognised for its exceptional and innovative dance experiences that bring people together and create positive social impact.

Zoie has a passion for breaking down barriers, taking risks, and communicating ideas with clarity and boldness. Her ambitious entrepreneurial flair is driven by a deep commitment to raising people’s aspirations and increasing access to dance and culture, specialising in engaging those who might not otherwise have access to dance and the arts. Through her work, Zoie has demonstrated the power of the arts to inspire and transform lives.

Throughout her career, she has been a tireless advocate for dance and the arts and is a source of inspiration for those who seek to make a difference in the world of dance and beyond. Leading to her recent honour of being awarded an MBE for her services to dance.

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The science behind dance

Dancing has been shown to have a positive effect on people with depression, anxiety and stress. In one study, dancing for just 25 minutes reduced the symptoms of depression by 47 percent, and dancing for 45 minutes reduced the symptoms of anxiety by 57 percent.

Dancing has been found to decrease cortisol levels – the hormone that is released when we are stressed – improve our moods, increase our energy levels and releases endorphins, which help us feel good.

“Regardless of the style of dance, adults who participated in dance interventions showed a reduction in symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress compared to groups that did not participate in any type of intervention.”

— Journal of Dance Medicine & Science

Study Area

A recent study which analysed over 200 high quality studies found dance to be better than other physical activity when it comes to improving motivation, supporting aspects of memory, increasing social awareness and reducing distress.

— Sports Medicine

A 2025 study found that dancing can be more effective at reducing stress for some people than traditional gym workouts. Participants experienced lowered cortisol levels, reduced anxiety and improved mood due to the release of endorphins and oxytocin during dance sessions. It also found dance can facilitate emotional expression and foster social bonds which create a powerful buffer against stress.

— University of Surrey

A 2024 study found that dance appears to be a promising treatment for depression, and perhaps more effective for some than SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) for short-term depression relief.
The study also highlighted that dance not only boosts neurotransmitter activity but also offers benefits in the way of social interaction.

— British Medical Journal

To chat about supporting us with Easyfundraiser, get in touch with the Lizanne at lizanne@zoielogic.co.uk

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Support us by giving to zoielogic on easyfundraiser

There is now an even easier way to support our work and it won’t cost you a penny! ZoieLogic has set up an easyfundraising page which generates donations for not for profits through online shopping that you’re already doing.

Easyfundraising partners with over 7,500 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won’t cost you any extra. The cost is covered by the brand.

To make things even easier, Easyfundraising has set up an option to install their browser extension, called the Donation Reminder. It will pop up on every trailer site where a donation is available, which means you don’t have to remember to come to easyfundraising first!

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Contact Ollie Webb (Creative Producer) for a chat about Fuzzy. ollie@zoielogic.co.uk

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Fuzzy offers a vital alternative to traditional physical activities – a creative, inclusive, and non-competitive space where young people can move, express themselves, and feel part of something bigger.

Our classes enhance physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing, especially for those who don’t feel drawn to competitive sports. It’s also a place to connect with positive male role models, build confidence, and discover the joy of dance in a supportive community.

What you’ll get from our Fuzzy companies:

Weekly inclusive dance classes where boys and young men build confidence, movement skills, and friendships.
Performance opportunities—optional, but rewarding.
Growth pathways: many graduates progress to dance conservatoires and creative careers.
A welcoming environment for all experience levels, including first-time dancers.

If you are unsure what class is best for you – please contact our Creative Producer Ollie Webb to ask any questions and find out more: Email ollie@zoielogic.co.uk

Take a look behind the scenes at what weekly FuzzyLogic sessions look like

Watch (5mins)

Contact Ollie Webb (Creative Producer) for a chat about Fuzzy. ollie@zoielogic.co.uk

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FuzzyLogic is A nationally acclaimed touring and performance company for young men and boys to excel in dance and creativity

Age Guide: 13 – 18 years
When: Wednesdays (Term Time)
Time: 7:15pm – 9:00pm
Where: Mayflower Studios, 142-144 Above Bar St, Southampton, SO14 7DU
Cost: £80 per term (Bursary scheme offered)

FuzzyLogic specialises in providing high quality training in dance and choreography for young men who enjoy performing and want to improve their dance skills.

FuzzyLogic are proud to be a company nationally recognised for developing male dance talent, with many going on to study at top dance schools and becoming acclaimed dance professionals.

If you are unsure what class is best for you – please contact our Creative Producer Ollie Webb to ask any questions and find out more: Email ollie@zoielogic.co.uk

Book a free taster session

Beneath the Mask: Take a look behind the scenes of FuzzyLogic as they develop a new dance piece called ‘Masked’

Watch (9mins)

Watch Attention, one of FuzzyLogic’s touring performances

Watch (7mins)