They Still Dance

They Still Dance

They Still Dance explores the presence of Working Men's Clubs in London as a relic of time, a third space holding community and accessible entertainment.

Describing these places might seem ordinary to some, wondering why these differ from bars or pubs.
Working men's clubs were radical spaces in their own right, spearheading a working model of collective ownership and self-management. Yet they have all but dwindled over the last few decades, thanks to changing demographics, the 2007 smoking ban and higher taxation on alcohol.

These clubs stand for “social intercourse, rational recreation and the advancement of progress in political opinions.”

Some clubs have evolved or survived, and some fade into obscurity, becoming a nostalgic footnote in local history. A reinvention paradigm is Bethnal Green WMC, a now queer WMC, with drag shows and karaoke parties.

The essence of WMC has been unity, community, accessibility to entertainment, community, diversification and the notion of a 3rd space. There’s a defiance of holding onto tradition in the face of inevitable change.