Season's Greetings from Dancescape!

What a busy year 2010 has been…..

Back in March, Dancescape received a Grants for the Arts award for The Journey, which will allow us to create lots of opportunities for young dancers, emerging and professional artists over the next two years.

In June we had the first Movin’ On Up careers event at Coventry University, and Beyond Boundaries at Warwick Arts Centre, where we teamed up with Dancefest for an opportunity for youth dance groups from across the sub region to perform alongside groups from Herefordshire and Worcestershire – and while they were there, we asked the dancers to create a short advert for the launch of Dance Box, our young people’s dance network, which can all be seen on facebook!!

This Autumn young people from across the sub region have been able to see a range of professional dance performances through Dancescape’s venue partnerships, and have now sent us their reviews of the shows, which can all be read at your leisure on the Dance Box Reviews blog. At Bounce!10 in October, 8 youth dance groups from Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire performed to a near-on full house at Solihull Arts Complex. One of the groups performing was Dancescape’s Rugby Youth Dance Company, whose members have had a busy and exciting time this year getting involved with Godiva Awakes, Imagineer Productions’ large scale project for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Dancescape has continued to support professional dance artists in 2010 with bespoke advice and one to one surgeries, networking events and professional development opportunities. We’re also really pleased to be working in partnership with Coventry Performing Arts Service and Solihull Arts Complex to offer the first of our Apprenticeships, whereby Nick Smith and Becky Foster are being mentored by local professional artists whilst undertaking a school’s tour (Nick) and leading a class for 4-7 year olds (Becky).

What’s in store in 2011…….

Next year looks set to be just as busy with lots more opportunities to look forward to. The second phase of Boys Dancing will be getting started with performance projects in schools, youth centres, PRUs and a prison across the region led by a team of professional male dance artists – and later in the year we’ll be recruiting for male Apprentices to get on board too!

There will also be the 2011 versions of Movin’ On Up and Bounce!, as well as an event for future dance leaders and a young people’s career development programme. Dance Box will continue to keep young dancers up to date with news and opportunities along with workshops and special events, and there’ll be more go-see opportunities for young dancers to see professional shows.

For professional dance artists there will be networking and workshop opportunities and we’re excited to see the development of a sub regional Dance Maker’s Circle. Don’t forget there’s also the ongoing offer of support and advice to professional dance artists, whatever your need.

You’ll be able to stay informed about everything happening at Dancescape through our regular e-newsletters, facebook pages and blogs and we always welcome your feedback, comments and thoughts.

We’re really looking forward to 2011 and all the dance opportunities that it will bring, and to continuing to work with all our colleagues and partners.

With many thanks for your continued support and best wishes for the festive season!

Sarah Jassal & Hayley Guest
Dancescape

Please note we will both be on annual leave after Friday 17th December until Tuesday 4th January 2011.

Dancescape on facebook
Dancescape blog

Dance Box on facebook
Dance Box blog
Dance Box Reviews

ACE Dance and Music are looking for Dancers!

ACE dance and music are offering professional dancers the opportunity to participate in an intensive residency with internationally acclaimed Japanese choreographer Akiko Kitamura. This exciting professional development opportunity will take place at the ACE dance and music studio, the Link Dance Space, Birmingham, from 14th to 18th February 2011.

Highly admired choreographer Akiko Kitamura, formally of the Leni-Basso dance company, Tokyo, previously collaborated with ACE dance and music on their celebrated production ‘Skin’, which toured successfully both in the U.K. and abroad from 2007 to 2008. ACE dance and music are looking to build on this creative relationship and use this residency as a research and development period for their next production ‘ICE’ (working title).

Akiko Kitamura is known worldwide as a leader in contemporary dance and her work continues to tour across continents. This residency will give participants the opportunity to experience her distinct style of dance, and will offer a flavour of the production to come. In summer 2011, Akiko Kitamura will return to Birmingham to collaborate with ACE’S Artistic Director Gail Parmel and will co-produce ‘ICE’ for touring from autumn 2011.

The five day residency is priced at £100.00 per dancer, with limited places available. For more information or to apply for a place please email Charlotte Gregory at info@acedanceandmusic.com with C.V., photo and letter of interest. Deadline Friday 21st January.

Performance and Masterclass with Vincent Cacialano and Dancers

LIMITED SPACES BOOK NOW!!

A NEW addition to the 011 Dance Festival
Performance and Masterclass (free) with Vincent Cacialano and Dancers“Instructions on Stopping & Starting”

Saturday 15th January
Venue: The Victoria Hall

Contemporary performance and masterclass exploring the ideas in the piece. For Dancers (15+) in dance education and professional Dance Artists. Vincent’s work is recognized in Holland and the UK, and his company of talented contemporary performers will provide a creative and challenging opportunity for dance lovers.

Performance – 11.00am – 11.45am; Workshop 12 noon – 1.30pm approx.

Performers: Vincent Cacialano, Leanne Cardill, DeeAnne Donalds and Rachel Rimmer.
Please bring energy snacks and inform the theatre of any access requirements you have in advance.

ADMISSION FREE but book your place.
Advance reservations Booking Line: 0844 8717649
Creative Learning e: stokecreativelearning@theambassadors.com

Supported by Youth Dance England.

Adult Contemporary Dance Workshops in Moseley and Leamington

Adult Contemporary Dance
Workshops
£15

Sunday January 23rd 2011
11 – 2 p.m.
The Danceworkshop
132 Alcester Road, Moseley

Saturday January 29th 2011
2-4 p.m.
Motionhouse Dance Studios
Spencer Yard, Spencer Street
Leamington Spa

The workshops begins with a Limon based dance class which emphasises use of breath, weight and musicality and follows with a chance to develop choreographic skills in a creative workshop

The workshop is taught by Genevieve, a dance artist who has recently relocated to the area. Genevieve danced throughout the UK and Bangladesh before attaining a BA (Hons) in Dance at DeMontfort University and an MA in Choreography at Middlesex University. She ran the BTEC Dance course at North Hertfordshre College for six years and was Senior Lecturer in Performance at Southampton Solent University.

Her work has been shown at many mid scale theatres including, The Place (London), Gordon Craig Theatre, Campus West, Milais Theatre and she is currently working on a short dance film.

Enquiries and Bookings Genevieve 07849 158 850

Contemporary Dance Class

Contemporary Dance Class

The Greig Dance Studio
Kinwarton Road
Alcester

Express yourself in this lyrical dance class which will improve your fitness, posture and co-ordination. Whether you are new to dance or have dance experience, come along and take part in a fun and challenging class.

Fridays
6.15 – 7.15 p.m.

Enquiries to Genevieve 07849 158 850

Free Dance Links Training

Free Dance Links Training
Develop your skills for working with schools

Wednesday 5th January 2011 at the Shrewsbury Sports Village from 1.00pm to 4.00pm

Are you a dance artist, practitioner or out of school dance provider, looking to develop your skills and experience in delivering dance in schools?

Shropshire Council in partnership with Youth Dance England and the National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA) will be delivering a three hour mini Dance Links training session on Wednesday 5th January 2011, at the Shrewsbury Sports Village.

The free training will be delivered by a professional NDTA trainer and cover key elements of Dance Links training, which is usually a 2-day residential programme.

It will give participants working in any dance style the chance to develop their skills and experience in delivering dance in schools, both with and beyond the curriculum.

The programme will be both theory and practical and cover elements of:• Principals of best practice in dance both in and out of schools• High quality learning and teaching• Identification of your strengths and professional development needs• Contexts, practicalities and essentials of working in and out of schools• Management of resources, time and behaviour
Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

To book a place or for more information, please contact: Alexa Pugh, Arts Development Officer, Shropshire Council. Email: alexa.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk and Tel: 01743 255938

Dance Artists required to deliver After School Classes in Shropshire

Professional Dance Artists Required
To deliver after school Dance Classes across Shropshire

This project requires 7 professional dance artists based in the West Midlands who are experienced in and able to teach at least one of the following dance styles:

Street / Hip-hop
Modern / Contemporary
English Folk
Kathak (Indian Dance)
Chinese

Project description:
Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Council are currently working in partnership with DanceXchange and Youth Dance England to develop, support and champion dance for children and young people within the sub-region.

During January to March 2011, dance classes will be set up within 17 primary and secondary schools across Shropshire.

This project is designed to help enable schools who have an interest in developing dance, to set-up a regular programme of dance activity as part of their Extended Schools remit.

Aimed at all young people, from the ages of 5 to 19, the dance classes which will cover a range of dance styles and genres will take place out of school hours, over the course of ten weeks (a term). Schools will host one class per week, lasting one hour.

Each participating school will be offered a taster dance workshop, prior to the dance classes starting. These will take place during the school day and provide an opportunity to promote the classes and recruit interested participants.

Requirements:
- Dance training to higher education level or at least 2 years experience delivering dance classes. - This can include part-time work, i.e. one hour a week for 2 years.
- Have choreographic experience
- Experience in facilitating the creativity of young people

All applicants must be interested and committed to the project, be available to deliver dance after school from January to March 2011 and meet all the requirements listed.

Fee
The Dance Artists will be paid £35 per hour, for eleven sessions per school (one taster during the school day and ten classes after school). Artists may be appointed to work at more than one school. This fee is inclusive of all expenses, no additional payment will be paid for travel etc.

The artists will be appointed on a freelance basis and will be responsible for their own tax and National Insurance contributions.

Application Procedure

The deadline for receipt of submissions is Wednesday 15th December 2010. Please include:
A current CV
Names and addresses of two referees who can provide evidence of the quality of your work and the way in which you work with children and young people.
A short proposal of no more than 1000 words detailing how you meet the requirements above.

Please note that because of the nature of this work successful applicants will be required to undergo an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check, which will form part of the contract and will be arranged and paid for by Shropshire Council.

Send completed applications to:
Misha Crawford, Arts Development Service, Shropshire Council,
Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ND

Please also send a copy of your application by email to: shrop.youthdance@googlemail.com

For more information please contact: Misha Crawford, Youth Dance Contact at Shropshire Council for an informal discussion or more details on 01743 255938 or email shrop.youthdance@googlemail.com

Professional Dance Artists Required

Professional Dance Artists Required
Shropshire & Telford and Wrekin
KS1 & 2 Teachers Dance Training

This project requires 4 professional dance artists based in the West Midlands.

Project description:
Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Councils are currently working in partnership with DanceXchange and Youth Dance England to develop, support and champion dance for children and young people within the sub-region.

During January to March 2011, teachers who deliver dance in primary schools across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin will attend a training program run by Penny Perrett, currently Advisory Teacher for Dance in Worcestershire.

The training will provide the teachers with the skills to plan and deliver high quality dance experiences for their pupils.

The partners require dance artists to work with between six and seven primary schools. They will work in partnership with the teachers who have attended the training course, supporting them in planning, delivering and evaluating their dance classes. This support will help to ensure the teachers feel confident in delivering high quality dance within the national curriculum.

Requirements:

• Dance training to higher education level or at least 2 years experience working in primary schools. This can include part-time work, i.e. one hour a week for 2 years (essential).
• Completed Dance Links Training or equivalent (essential) Please see further post for information on Free Dance Links Training being run in Shropshire on Wednesday 5th January 2011.
• Experience of teaching dance as part of the PE National Curriculum
• Have choreographic experience
• Experience in facilitating the creativity of young people
• Experience in using dance to explore issues and themes

All applicants must be interested and committed to the project and meet all the requirements listed.

Project timetable / Commitments

- Attend free Dance Links Training, if not already dance links trained. The training will take place on: Wednesday 5th January 2011 from 1.00pm to 4.00pm at the Shrewsbury Sport’s Village.
- The training delivered by a National Dance Teachers Association trainer, will help dance artists develop their skills and experience in delivering dance in schools, both within and beyond the curriculum.
- Please note this is not the full Dance Links training which is run by the National Dance Teachers Association over two days.

- From February to March 2011, support between six and seven primary schools. Dance artists are to spend five hours working in each school; this time will be allocated as follows:
1 hour planning
3 hours delivery
1 hour evaluation

- Attend three training sessions on the following dates:
Date TBC (Training Session One, 2.50 hours – Dance Artists Only)
Thursday 10th February 2011 - Training Session Two, 2.50 hours, from 1.00pm to 3.30pm to include Dance Artists and Schools at Greenacres Primary School, Shrewsbury.
Thursday 24th March 2011 - Training Session Three, 2.50 hours from 1.00pm to 3.30pm to include Dance Artists and Schools at Greenacres Primary School, Shrewsbury.

Fee:
The Dance Artists will be paid £35 per hour, for the work in schools and attending the three training sessions. This fee is inclusive of all expenses, no additional payment will be paid for travel etc.

The artists will be appointed on a freelance basis and will be responsible for their own tax and National Insurance contributions.

Application Procedure:

The deadline for receipt of submissions is Wednesday 15th December 2010. Please include:
A current CV
Names and addresses of two referees who can provide evidence of the quality of your work and the way in which you work with children and young people.
A short proposal of no more than 1000 words detailing how you meet the requirements above.

Please note that because of the nature of this work successful applicants will be required to undergo an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check, which will form part of the contract and will be arranged and paid for by Shropshire Council.

Send completed applications to:
Alexa Pugh, Arts Development Service, Shropshire Council,
Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ND

Please also send a copy of your application by email to: alexa.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk

For more information please contact: Alexa Pugh, Arts Development Officer at Shropshire Council for an informal discussion or more details on 01743 255938 or email alexa.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk

Community Dance Artist Required

Everybody Dance Now is a celebration of social dance in Wolverhampton through history and across cultures. Central Youth Theatre (CYT) is exploring the multi-cultural diversity of Wolverhampton’s history of dance. We are planning a programme of work that will be delivered in site-specific venues around the City The project will culminate in a week-long international festival in the summer of 2011.

Everybody Dance Now’ is a Dancing for the Games project inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands.

Community Dance Artist
We are looking for someone with a variety of skills both practical and administrative who is passionate about the benefits of community dance who can help develop the central vision of a project around “social dance” – which will work across decades and cultures.

The person appointed will need to have:
• Excellent personal dance and choreographic skills in social dance. The dance styles to be taught are likely to include: Twenties rag-time, Ballroom, Rock & Roll & Northern Soul.
• Project management and administration experience
• Evidence of previous experience of working with young people who have little or no experience of dance
• Interesting and creative ideas of how to engage community groups in a large scale high profile project.
• It would be beneficial for the post holder to be a car owner/driver.

The contract will requires the post holder to:
• Commit to working weekly on Sundays afternoons during term time, plus additional scheduled rehearsals close to the show, plus working variable freelance hours (negotiable) to deliver work with community groups, and administrative and managerial duties.
• Be available full time during the festival week from 29th July to 7th August
• Combine working from the Youth Theatre Office and from home
• Be subject to an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.

A total fee of £5,400.
Deadline for Application: Friday 17th December
For a full job brief and person specification please email jane@centralyouththeatre.org

Moved...by Decoda...

Moved…by Decoda…

Confirmation of January and February intensives in Coventry for dance professionals
This marks the opening of Moved by Decoda, a series of workshops for professional dance artists.

New Year Intensive With Charlie Morrissey
13th-15th January 2011
Coventry University, Ellen Terry Building
10am – 6pm
Price for 3 days £58 (no drop in)

We will explore improvisational approaches to specific movement materials and focuses. We will work with sensation, the application of the senses, anatomical imagery and explicit movement pathways and patterns as a means to expand the potential and hone the detail and content of our dancing.


Elements of partner work will be employed as means of exploring multi directional movement and awareness as well as to stimulate and cultivate an agile and articulate relationship through our engagement with internal and external focuses. This workshop is for experienced dance improvisers and will culminate in a public sharing on Saturday afternoon.

Charlie Morrissey is a performer, teacher, director and researcher working in the UK and abroad. His teaching is informed by his own research in somatic dance practices, his performance work, and by long term working relationships and collaborations with Steve Paxton, Lisa Nelson, Kirstie Simson, K.J.Holmes, Scott Smith, and many others. Charlie is part of Movement 12 in Brighton curating an international programme of professional development opportunities for dance artists.

Fees for this intensive should reach Summer Dancing by December 23rd…. please note there are only a handful of places remaining. (See payment information below).

Playful Physics: a contact improvisation workshop with Robert Anderson
11th-12th February 2011
Coventry University, Ellen Terry Building
10am-5pm
Price for 2 days £40 (no drop in)


Contact Improvisation is a dance of improvising and partnering based on the physics of touch, balance, weight, momentum, flow and resistance. In this workshop we’ll explore skills and strategies to tap our body-mind’s appetite for movement and connection. Awakening our senses and reflexes to be able to orientate through spherical space. Developing clear connections within our body, outwards into space and with other bodies. Channelling the required energy and tone in the body to glide, fly and fall with a partner. Expanding our ability to be both soft and strong, supported and supportive, receptive and responsive. The technical studies are designed to support and expand the range of possibilities in our dancing so that we can invite pleasure, play and poetry into our improvisation. The classes are open for those new to contact and for experienced dancers who want to become more attuned to the subtleties of touch, direction and intention.



Robert Anderson is an independent dance artist based in London. He teaches improvisation and contact improvisation at Rose Bruford College and in a variety of settings in the UK and abroad. Robert has been passionately involved with contact improvisation since 1996 studying with leading teachers from the US and Europe. He has studied with leading CI teachers including Nancy Stark Smith, Kirstie Simson, Martin Keogh, KJ Holmes, Andrew Harwood and Ray Chung. Robert has taught at international contact festivals in Germany, Israel, Poland, Russia, Spain and Italy and participated in co-teaching gatherings in Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Scotland, England and Austria. He was part of the organising team for CI36 in Pennsylvania (2008) and the European Contact Improvisation Teachers Exchange in Ormskirk, England (2009). He performs with Touchdown Dance and improvisation ensemble SoFt. In teaching dance improvisation Robert seeks to help students find a deeper connection with our senses, inviting pleasure, play and poetry for the dancing body.

To book a place or to find out more please email k.coe@coventry.ac.uk before 8th January 2011. Cheques (made payable to Summer Dancing for the full amount should be posted to decoda at Summer Dancing, Institute for Creative Enterprise, Parkside, Technology Park, Coventry CV1 2TT)

DanceXchange Placement Opportunity

DanceXchange Placement Opportunity – Programme & Marketing Assistant

DanceXchange is offering a unique placement opportunity for a bright and motivated recent arts graduate interested in embarking on a career in the arts.

Salary: £15,000 per annum
Fixed-term contract, 12 months full time, from January 2011

Based in the centre of Birmingham, DanceXchange (dx) is a power house of dance with excellence, innovation, education and inclusion at its heart – and, together with Birmingham Hippodrome and Birmingham Royal Ballet, is part of the largest dance partnership in Britain. dx is also Co-Producer of International Dance Festival Birmingham, one of the largest dance festivals in the world.

Part of the DCMS Jerwood Creative Bursaries Scheme, this new role will provide excellent practical hands-on experience of managing a theatre and marketing a varied programme of work in our venue’s tenth-anniversary year. Candidates must be reliable, responsible, conscientious and committed, with a high standard of literacy and numeracy, good IT skills, basic administration skills, and customer service experience – as well as an enthusiasm for the arts.

To apply: For full details and strict criteria for this placement, along with our application
form, please visit www.dancexchange.org.uk and select ‘jobs’, or call 0121 689
3170.

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by 5pm on Monday 13th December 2010.

Interview: If shortlisted you will be invited to attend an interview on Friday 7th January 2011.

Xmas Prezzie ideas for the Dance Artist in your life!

Foundation for Community Dance publishes four new handbooks for community dance artists.

This series of four inspirational handbooks, brimming with essential knowledge, creative guidance, practical advice and unique case studies are ideal for anyone leading in community dance settings.

For artists just starting out...

Passport to practice: An induction to professional practice by Diane Amans

For more experienced artists...

Dance and disabled people, by Isabel Jones

Dance, health and wellbeing, by Miranda Tufnell

Dance and age inclusive practice, by Ruth Pethybridge

Each book is priced at £15 for FCD members and £20 for non-members

For more information and to purchase a book visit http://www.communitydance.org.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=34158&isa=Category&op=show

The Great Train Dance!

Rosie Kay Dance Company

The Great Train Dance on the Severn Valley Railway

Stepping into the Severn Valley world of trains and journeys into the past, Rosie Kay Dance Company is getting into gear to lead the region in a dance to another time.

On 23 July 2011, The Great Train Dance performers; dancers and students from throughout the region, will transform the Severn Valley Railway into a magical experience with a puzzle to solve. In a Hitchcock style thriller designed for families, this fascinating performance will soon draw all ages on the train into the world of the absurd and seduce everyone into hunting for clues.

Local heritage mixing with the allure of steam will create a surreal backdrop for this mystery. As the landscape comes alive with dancers, the puzzle of The Great Train Dance will unfold. Equipped with a map and a keen eye for unexpected goings on, record your findings until all is revealed in the finale at Highley Engine House.

The Great Train Dance is a Dancing for the Games project, funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK. The project is inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands. The initiative will involve upwards of 500 participants in a variety of roles and over the next few months, 16 appointed dance leaders will be encouraging local people to join in both as dancers and in the fun activities surrounding and supporting the project.

Groups will be formed from February 2011 and the happening itself will be created throughout May, June and July until the performance on 23rd July during the Severn Valley Railway's 'In Bloom' season.

"Steam trains have always been a big part of my family life so it's very exciting for me to be creating a unique dance around the Severn Valley Railway. It is an ambitious but easily accessible project which everyone can get involved in in some way. The work is part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad and it's going to be fun as well as an opportunity to do something completely different. It's got national as well as regional appeal, from train enthusiasts to people who have maybe never visited the railway or seen a steam train up close before." Rosie Kay

If you are aged between 11 - 25 years and want to take part in the event, contact the Rosie Kay Dance Company on info@rosiekay.co.uk. If you are in the Severn Valley Region and want to get involved you could even set up your own satellite event or take part as a volunteer. Don't forget to tell Rosie Kay Dance Company what you are planning.

Performance tickets go on sale in early 2011.