Introducing DANU
DANU is an empowered women’s movement that liberates women through pelvic dance, yoga, pelvic and womb health, community, herbalism and joy.
About DANU
Our story
Who DANU is, how we started and where we’re heading.
Why DANU, and who is she?
Danu is an ancient Celtic and Irish mother goddess, best known as the matriarch of the Tuatha Dé Danann (“the tribe of the goddess Danu”), the mythical race of supernatural beings and gods in Irish lore.
She’s the most ancient of the Celtic gods, and was known as the mother of the Irish gods. In modern Celtic neopaganism and popular art, she’s often celebrated as a Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother and Crone) or shown alongside the Tree of Life.
We love the image of Danu because she’s always shown holding a vessel overflowing with water. We see that vessel as the pelvis: when it’s held well, it overflows with life and creativity.
How it all started, and what’s next
2024
A first date and a shared dream
In 2024, Emilia-Jane went on a first date with her future husband, Richard, and told him she dreamed of teaching twerking to women for empowerment. He wanted to introduce her to his best friend, Sarah, as that was her dream too. He introduced them on their 4th date and the dream unfolded from there.
Summer 2024
Training with Twerk After Work
Sarah and Emilia-Jane decided to train with Twerk After Work along with their friend Charlotte (a local booty bass DJ) and spent the summer of 2024 training, twerking and getting to know each other whilst forming the foundations of the South West Twerk Collective.
Oct 2024
The first weekly classes
In October 2024, after 6 months of training, planning and getting to know each other, they launched their first weekly classes, which sold out from the first week.
2025
Special events and the first courses
In 2025, they ran twice-weekly classes and hosted their first special events (Jiggle & Steam, hen dos and birthday parties), performed flash mobs at local venues and launched their first courses (Beginners and Advance your Twerk).
2026
From Collective to School
In 2026, the SW Twerk Collective changed to SW Twerk School to reflect the changing nature of our offering, with dedicated students, in-person courses and dreams of online courses, trainings and school merch.
Mar 2026
Jazz joins the team
Co-founder Emilia-Jane went on maternity leave, and we welcomed our newest dance instructor, Jazz.
Aug 2026
Making our own choreos
Twerk After Work stopped operating as a franchise. We waved goodbye to them as our source of choreos and began making our own.
Nov 2026
South West Twerk School becomes DANU
South West Twerk School became DANU, embracing our true approach to pelvic dance. [Placeholder: the rest of this entry is still to come from the team.]
Feb 2027
DANU’s Dancers
Our dance troupe, DANU’s Dancers, starts its 4-month container, getting ready to perform in summer 2027.
Next
New towns
We’d love to bring our classes to your town or city once there’s enough interest. Let us know which town on the classes page.
Our mission
Our mission is to create a welcoming, women-centred space where movement, pelvic connection and community support self-expression, healing and empowerment.
Through our events and growing community, we aim to spread the pelvic power movement throughout the South West and beyond. We envision retreats, teacher training and, in time, a dedicated studio space that serves as a community hub.
We honour and respect the origins and cultural lineage of pelvic dance, womb wisdom and pelvic health, and engage with these practices through education and with the greatest care and humility.
We prioritise sisterhood over competition and welcome every body and every journey. Through movement, we support women to trust their bodies and experience joy, confidence and liberation.
Teachers
Meet Emilia-Jane, Sarah and Jazz
Read how each of them came to pelvic dance, and what they bring to their classes.
Classes
Come to a class
Weekly pelvic dance classes in Totnes on Monday and Friday evenings. Beginners are welcome.
