Free Dancing Book Sessions for Children from Dance West
Holding workshops at Brentford and Osterley Community Hubs
The Dancing Books group at Brentford Library. Picture: Hounslow Council
February 10, 2026
Young children and their families in Hounslow are enjoying a new programme of free dance and movement sessions designed to spark imagination, build confidence and bring stories to life. Dancing Books, delivered by Hounslow Council in partnership with DanceWest, forms part of the borough’s Year of Reading celebrations and is already proving popular with parents and carers.
The early-years workshops, aimed at under-fours and their grown-ups, combine dance, storytelling and imaginative play to support children’s communication, coordination and social development. The programme is funded by South Western Railway, whose support has enabled the sessions to be offered free of charge to local families.
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Hounslow’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, visited a Dancing Books session at Brentford Community Hub and Library on Tuesday 28 January. He met parents, carers and children taking part, as well as Maria Jell-Shah from DanceWest, who led the workshop. Many families told him they had already recommended the sessions to friends and neighbours.
Cllr Shaheen said he was delighted to see the impact of the programme. “I’m so grateful to the DanceWest team who’ve brought Dancing Books to our libraries, and smiles to so many faces. Here, stories come to life, children learn through play and movement, and families are given free activities they can take part in together. It’s a fantastic addition to our early years offer. I must bring my kids along.”
Maria Jell-Shah said the sessions are designed to help children and adults connect through shared creativity. “One of my favourite things is that we try to get everyone involved, so you get these little social connections between a grown-up, who might sit at the side in another session, and a child. They have these tiny little moments where they interact with each other, which are really special.”
Dancing Books workshops take place every Tuesday during term time at two venues:
• Osterley Community Hub and Library from 10.30 to 11.05am and 11.15 to 11.50am
• Brentford Community Hub and Library from 1.30 to 2.05pm and 2.10 to 2.45pm
Sessions run until Tuesday 24 March and are free to attend. As well as encouraging movement and creativity, the workshops aim to nurture a love of reading by bringing children’s books to life in an interactive and playful way.
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