Do you wanna dance? Sam Duffin did. But there was no one to dance with – not until she set up The Dancing Ladies, that is.

Now Sam and a group of other women from across the Herald area are regulars on the dance floor and may even be credited with helping to revive the local live music scene.

There’s more to the story too. The Dancing Ladies are also about friendship, connection and mental health.

Sam, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday with other Dancing Ladies at The Queen’s Head in Farnham, said: “I’d been in Farnham for around ten years but hadn’t found my ‘tribe’.

“I was also studying for a masters in applied positive psychology and did an assignment on courage, authenticity and nostalgia which made me realise that I needed to dance, as I used to go to raves.

“I couldn’t do that any more and during Covid I felt this more keenly and started dancing on my own at 5.30am in a park opposite my home. I connected with both my body and the music but needed the crowd.”

In August 2021, as Covid restrictions were lifted, Sam put a message on the Nextdoor social platform asking if anyone would like to join her for a drink with a view to having a dance.

“I felt embarrassed and was just looking for a couple of women to dance with, but that first time about 20 turned up and everyone was so excited.

“We had no preconceived idea of what would develop, and it has been entirely organic, but it has totally changed my life.”

The Dancing Ladies is celebrating its fourth birthday this month and for Sam and others those four years have meant connection, positive esteem and friendship as well as music and dance.

“We have a foundational rule: this is just play and celebration. No politics. It tends to be for women in the second half of life though we have all ages.

“We don’t even advertise; it is just by word of mouth and connection. Sometimes we meet women on the dance floor and tell them about it.

“We also meet once a month in a local pub on the first Tuesday and decide what we are going to do. We go to day-time raves in London, festivals in the area or local evenings and we’ve linked up with a similar group in Alton.”

Their energy is infectious and Farnham DJ Phil C even started up a pub night because of them.

Sam said: “I think we have ignited people’s confidence to do more things and it feels like it has given members of the Dancing Ladies the chance to step into our authentic selves and given us confidence.

“I am glad that I decided to make it just a women’s group as it has given us greater power and voice. There is a sense of sisterhood there.”

Anyone interested in joining The Dancing Ladies should email [email protected]