A Story About Our Name

Ever wondered how we got our name?

Shut Up & Dance was the first and only name we came up with, due to one of us being obsessed with a particular YouTube compilation of all the best dance moments in film put to the song Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon.  

It was (and still is) a brilliantly curated selection of some of the best feel good moments in films spanning from Mary Poppins to Silver Linings Playbook.  Featuring Tom Cruise in his underwear in Risky Business, We Go Together at the end of Grease, moments from Happy Feet, Billy Elliot, The Mask.

Although the three of us had independently dreamed of creating a dance class where you could learn routines from films and music videos, it wasn't a reality until we combined our powers; Lesa's wild imagination with Abby's already-prepared business plan (a particular YouTube compilation at the forefront) and Clair's excitement to make new friends in a new city meant we we were suddenly sitting down, writing to do lists and asking ourselves the question: Should we change the name, or does Shut Up & Dance kinda work?"

We loved it.  Shut Up & Dance.  Initially we thought it worked because it was funny, memorable and the domain was available (hah!).  While those reasons are still true today, we realise it goes deeper than some sassy branding.  

We're over burpees. We're over good form. We're over social expectations. The idea that we can go into a room to shut off our brains for 45 minutes and just dance and be free from everything else has so much appeal.  We're not interested in looking good, we're interested in feeling good, so to your mind, we say Shut Up.  To your body, we say: DANCE.