Sarah Singleton look sat what to do and see over the weekend

An engaging event Discover the work of emerging dancers and learn about the support offered by Swindon Dance to professional artists at Engage, a special event tonight.

The evening combines performance previews, works in progress, films and discussions, looking at the work of Swindon Dance in supporting new talent.

Among those presenting pieces of work will be artists from the studio’s young professional programme, including Charley Logan, Deepraj Singh, Liam Wallace and Rob Bridger, winners of the Marie Mccluskey’s Dance Makers Fund. They will be joined by associate artists Jamaal Burmar and Heath Walfond, along with Anna Watkins, Estela Merlot and Thom Gulgec.

You can also find out more abut the Commissions Programme from Ieva Kunikis The evening offers a chance to learn more about the professional programme – and to enjoy a glass of bubbly.

Swindon Dance believes it is vital to invest in local, regional and national artists if the UK is to have a thriving dance industry – in order to support those starting out in a professional career, or looking to develop or change the focus of an established career.

The event, at Swindon Dance, Town Hall Studios in Regent Circus, begins at 6.30pm. Tickets are £11 and £9. To book, call 01793 401700 or visit www.swindondance.org.uk

Buswell's back with new challenge

Take a musical adventure into the unknown at a world premier with a difference – in the form of a live performance of new album Stitched Shoes and an Irish Wristwatch, by Swindon musician Shaun Buswell tomorrow.

The orchestra of 26 musicians will play 145 musical parts in 45 minutes, starting at 7.30pm at Swindon Arts Centre.

Concert-goers will also have the opportunity to snap up the limited edition vinyl recording of Stitched Shoes, as well as CDs, of a musical project seven years in the making. It is also available on iTunes.

The collection took a thousand hours in the studio to record, and the complex performance is likely to be a challenge for Buswell and the orchestra.

The album has 11 new songs, and features and orchestra, as well as some less familiar instruments such as the mandolin and the erhu – a Chinese two-stringed instrument, played with a bow.

Tickets are £11 with concessions £2 off. People working for the emergency services, the NHS or military, are also welcome to a £2 discount for the show. To book, call 10793 524481 or visit swindontheatres.co.uk.

Learn some of the write stuff

If you have a great idea for a story and an ambition to write for children, then an exciting workshop by published author Elen Caldecott may be just what you need to get started.

The three-hour event, taking place at the Richard Jefferies Museum on Marlborough Road, Swindon, begins at 10am and is suitable for both newcomers and experienced writers.

Perhaps you need to know how to start, or ideas for maintaining momentum when writing – in either case, this half-day workshop starts with the basics then builds up with practical exercises. The workshop will include using examples from texts and responding playfully with your own ideas.

Leader Elen is known for her Marsh Road Mysteries and she co-wrote Evie’s Magic Bracelet, the first book in a sensational seven-book series with Jessica Ennis-Hill. She graduated with a Master’s in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University, and was highly commended in the PFD Prize for Most Promising Writer for Young People.

Tickets are £25, and booking is essential. For more information, visit richardjefferies.org.