No Dress Code is our informal scratch night. We welcome you to our studio theatre to watch new dance works-in-progress by dance artists and companies. This is a pay-what -you-can event with a suggested donation of £5.00.

Following the performances there will be a chance to share your feedback and insights in a relaxed setting.

The Yorkshire Dance bar will be open before and after the performances. Age guidance 10+.

No Dress Code 2026 Programme

Counterfeit Goods by Beth Emmerson 

Counterfeit Goods loosely explores a failed attempt to mimic the authenticity of human emotion through a superficial lens. After watching films such as Blade Runner, Under the Skin, and scrolling through one’s Instagram feed, several existential dreams ensued, questioning what is real and what is not. What does being a person on this planet mean today, and how will that change in the future? Guided by images of packaged dolls, the life cycle, and mannequins in shop windows, Counterfeit Goods is a hauntingly sci-fi-esque depiction of being a body that is supposed to feel but doesn’t quite get it right.   

Held by Brian Yam 

Held invites audiences into a dreamy, peaceful world where movement, stillness and sound come together. The dancer moves freely, exploring different ways of moving through curiosity, play and imagination. Without aiming for a perfect result, each moment is allowed to change and develop, creating an open and shifting experience.  With music and sound gently shaping the space, Held offers a moment to slow down, pause and simply watch. Like a dream, the work does not ask you to find a meaning. Instead, it invites you to experience a moment that might stay with you as a feeling, an image, or a memory. 

Instrumental (working title) by Eleanor Sikorski 

Instrumental is a solo situated in a complex, mechanical set made of simple materials: ropes, lights, weights and the occasional unexpected shiny object. Connections are formed between the objects and the performer’s body as she pulls, pushes and twists the materials, triggering surprising sequences, sounds, and chain reactions.

Find us and access

Yorkshire Dance is opposite BBC Yorkshire and Leeds Conservatoire. There is step free access throughout the building and wheelchair spaces are available. Our building contains free drinking water and a rest space. Full access information for Yorkshire Dance is available here.

Yorkshire Dance aims to be an accessible and inclusive place for all. We create a ‘braver space’, where you feel able to express yourself in a supportive and empowering way. You will be welcomed and treated with respect by Yorkshire Dance staff and we expect and encourage everyone at our events to do the same. Learn more about our Braver Spaces Policy here.

About Pay What You Can

At Yorkshire Dance, we’re committed to making our work affordable for everyone so all our events are Pay What You Can. By donating £5.00 or more you are contributing to the artist’s fee for performing and ensuring everyone in our community can access a ticket they can afford. If you cannot afford £5.00 you are welcome to enter your own amount or simply enter £0 as you checkout.

Once you have booked your ticket your name is added to our register. Just head to the welcome desk at Yorkshire Dance at least 10 minutes before your event to sign in.

Read our full Terms & Conditions here.

Images top to bottom: Conor Campbell, Hsien Tzu, Camilla Greenwell