Opportunities with Motionhouse for The Voyage and Quest

The Voyage: An Extraordinary Performance Event Celebrating London 2012


Motionhouse will be creating a major outdoor spectacle performance to open the London 2012 Festival in the West Midlands. The London 2012 Festival will span the entire country for 12 weeks, celebrating the Olympics from midsummer’s day 21 June, until 09 September 2012.

Motionhouse will be collaborating with world-renowned aerialists Legs On The Wall from Australia on The Voyage, a vivid, visual and extraordinary performance that will celebrate the courage and imagination that prompts us to embark on journeys in pursuit of our dreams. An enormous ship will sail into the centre of Victoria Square, Birmingham, docking itself beside the city’s Town Hall from 21 – 24 June 2012. High above the people who gather to look at this marvel, dancers and aerialists appear in the ship’s rigging – the voyage begins. Professional performers will join forces with a huge amateur choir, live musicians and over 140 community performers to transform the Square and tell our story.

In the run up to The Voyage Motionhouse will be running an extraordinary participatory project called Quest which could offer you the chance to be part of The Voyage. From March 2012 they’ll be creating material with 8 groups from across the West Midlands. The groups will then go on to perform in The Voyage. Quest performers include groups from Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA), Solihull Youth Dance Company, Stratford College, Nova, Coventry PAS Youth Dance, Playbox Theatre and an Adult Performance Group based in Motionhouse's Spencer Yard studio. If you’re interested and live in the West Midlands there are 3 ways you could get involved which you can read about below!

Quest Performance Group
Motionhouse will create an adult performance group to perform in The Voyage and are looking for enthusiastic and committed people to join. The group will meet weekly to devise material alongside Motionhouse dancers and will then go onto perform in The Voyage. If you have some dance experience this is for you! The group will include dance teachers and students (age 16+), local dancers and anyone who would like to have this amazing opportunity to perform. You will meet weekly for a two and a half hour session at the Motionhouse Studio in Leamington Spa, on Sundays, from March to May. There will then be additional weekend rehearsals in June plus dress rehearsals and the performances themselves, which are Thursday 21 June – Sunday 24 June 2012. If you’d like to register your interest in the Quest Performance Group email: info@motionhouse.co.uk

Dance Apprentices
If you’re in the early stages of your dance career, this is an extraordinary opportunity for you to work alongside and be mentored by Motionhouse dancers. You will create and perform material for The Voyage, assisting in delivering workshops and supporting the creation of community performance elements. Motionhouse are looking for 4 apprentices; this is a paid position for a period of 14weeks from March until the end of June. You can apply via the Motionhouse website by downloading our information pack here. Please note that the deadline for applications is Friday 27 January 2012 and auditions will be held in our studio in Leamington Spa on Saturday 04 and Sunday 05 February 2012.

Motionhouse Masterclasses
Motionhouse will also be holding two masterclasses for professional dancers/performers and dance students/graduates in our studio in Leamington Spa on Saturday 14 and Saturday 21 April 2012. The sessions will be led by our Artistic Director, Kevin Finnan and some of our company dancers; there will be a small charge. You may attend one or both sessions, which will explore the style, content and context of The Voyage. You must register in advance for our masterclasses as places are limited, do this by emailing info@motionhouse.co.uk

For more information about The Voyage or Quest contact Motionhouse on 01926 887 052 or visit www.motionhouse.co.uk

Get involved in Home as part of IDFB 2012

Welcome to Home

Home is a bold, inventive new dance production that will move through the streets of Birmingham city centre as part of IDFB 2012. We are looking for 1000 individuals to contribute towards the creation of, and be involved in, the performances that will take place between 23 April & 13 May 2012.

Click here to find out how you can get involved in Home!

Take Part
You can take part in this ambitious project in a number of ways. By contributing through dance, spoken word or written text, by taking part in a Home workshop and creating a performance to perform live in the city centre, or by attending an Open Day at DanceXchange.
Home can only happen with the help of individuals and communities from the West Midlands and beyond! Make a contribution on home, identity and belonging and be part of this flagship project.

Workshops
We have a team of Home tutors who are busy delivering workshops to community groups in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Workshops are happening now until 16 March 2012 – do you have a group (of any age or ability) who would like to have a workshop? Participants work with a tutor to create their own response to the project that will contribute directly to the final performances.
Click here to read a blog post by one of our workshop tutors, and to book a workshop or to find out more, please email us!

On the Home YouTube channel you can watch all of the contributions we’ve already received, as well as this performance from the IDFB 2012 launch, choreographed by Rosie Kay in just four hours – imagine what you could create!

Every contribution received will be incorporated into the final performances, so send us yours now to be part of Home!

Andy Brunskill - Director of Home
We are excited to announce that Theatre Director, Andy Brunskill, has joined the Home team to create the final performances from the 1000 contributions we aim to receive. Andy is the first of the creative team to come on board and we’re currently looking for an Assistant Director to join us.

In this video Andy explains how individual contributions will be incorporated into the final performance.

Home is part of Dancing for the Games, which is part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands, and is funded by Legacy Trust UK, Arts Council England and Advantage West Midlands. It has been granted the prestigious London 2012 Inspire Mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme, which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the 2012 Games.

Produced by DanceXchange and Birmingham Hippodrome, International Dance Festival Birmingham (IDFB) takes place in venues and outdoor spaces across Birmingham and the West Midlands from 23 April until 19 May 2012. Follow the Festival story at www.idfb.co.uk.

Free dance workshops as part of Dance Sansaar

Join Dance Sansaar on an amazing journey towards London 2012 through FREE Dance Workshops suitable for all

Dance Sansaar, through 'Dancing for the Games', is offering FREE 1hr discovery workshops of 'Lawk Naach' (Punjabi folk dance), which is a mixture of Bhangra and Giddha dance moves, between January and end of March 2012. Please see the e-flyer and video link below for more details about this exciting project which is inspired by London 2012*.

The dance workshops are adaptable for all ages and abilities and are educational, inspiring, team-building and really great fun! The ideal number of participants per workshop is around 25 (this can include staff, support workers, volunteers, friends/family of colleagues/group members/students also) - please still do enquire if you have less than this. If you have more than one group of 25ish members then more than 1 free workshop can be delivered. Half day bookings are available.

There is the option afterwards for participants to perform in an exciting 'once in a lifetime' large scale event in central Birmingham in June 2012 (date tbc) through FREE performance classes taking place April-June!

*The Lawk Naach Project is part of Dancing for the Games, which is part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands, and is funded by Legacy Trust UK, Arts Council England and Advantage West Midlands. It has been granted the prestigious London 2012 Inspire mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the 2012 Games.

Please get in touch via the contact details below if you need any more information or would like to book discovery workshops.

For Lawk Naach Discovery Workshops in Solihull contact:
Becky Pringle
Solihull Lead Dance Artist
Dance Sansaar Lawk Naach Project
Tel: 07717 203 246
Email: beckypringle.ds@gmail.com

For Lawk Naach Discovery Workshops in Birmingham, Coventry, Warwickshire and other parts of the West Midlands contact:
Dance Sansaar
Tel: 0121 359 1888
Email: info@dancesansaar.com

Elektro Kif at Warwick Arts Centre

The anarchic Parisian streetdance group Elektro Kif are popping and locking at Warwick Arts Centre this March as part of a national tour and is inviting dancers to compete in an exciting digital dance competition.

http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/events/dance/blanca-li-elektro-kif

If your group win you will be dancing in the opening act for Elektro Kif at the Southbank Centre on Fri 2nd March 2012. If there is enough interest from West Midlands dance groups we may also invite dancers to perform at Warwick Arts Centre. All you have to do is create a one-minute video in front of an iconic landmark in your city, film it and upload!

6th Feb Deadline.

http://www.facebook.com/southbankcentre?sk=app_121827307930964

Electro Kif, choreographed by Blanca Li, will be performed at Warwick Arts Centre on 6 & 7 March 2012

For more information visit:

http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/events/dance/blanca-li-elektro-kif

Fidelio Charitable Trust: Open to applications

Fidelio Charitable Trust: Open to applications
Application Deadline: 01 February 2012

The Trust provides grant funding to help individuals and organisations of exceptional ability in the UK who would not otherwise be able to carry out an artistic project or activity without financial support.

Maximum Value: £ 5,000

The Fidelio Charitable Trust is provided and administered by the Fidelio Charitable Trust and is for educational institutions and third sector organisations active in the UK. The Arts Grant is intended to support talented individuals or groups who are unable to reach their potential without financial support.

In particular, the programme wishes to fund work in the following areas:
Dramatic arts
Operatic arts
Music
Speech
Dance

Deadlines for receipt of applications: 1 February, 1 June and 1 October each year.

Key Criteria:
Applications are accepted on behalf of individuals and groups who are practitioners or performers in the Arts as well as institutions and colleges providing opportunities for those studying, practicing or performing.

Proposed grantees must be recommended by an appropriate person in an institution, college, arts festival or similar organisation that can vouch for the abilities of the applicant.

There is no upper age or nationality restriction and the work for which money is sought may be overseas but the proposed recipient(s) must be based in the UK.

Eligible Expenditure:
The Trust welcomes applications in support of the Arts, in particular the dramatic and operatic arts, music, speech and dance.

Grants may be awarded to enable individuals or groups of exceptional ability to:
receive special tuition or coaching, eg in the case of musicians, to attend Master Classes;
participate in external competitions;
be supported for a specially arranged performance; or
receive support for a special publication, musical composition or work of art.

Restrictions:
Applications from individuals or groups seeking support for themselves will not be accepted.

Application Procedure:
Applications can be made by submitting the application form and a covering letter. Applications must be posted and an email address must be listed for further correspondence. Successful applicants will be notified within 28 days.

Addresses and contacts
For further information on how to obtain this funding opportunity locally, please contact the following:

Contact details: Tony Wingate
Fidelio Charitable Trust
Fidelio Charitable Trust
2nd Floor
20-22 Stukeley Street
London WC2B 5LR

Performance and Disability - Open Space on Thursdays

Performance and Disability
OPEN SPACE ON THURSDAYS

Free open sessions held fortnightly
ICE Building , Coventry University

5-6.30pm Open Space Conversations
Film-based discussions

6.45- 8pm Open Space Practice
Studio-based exploration of themes from earlier discussion.

Next meeting:
Thursday 26.01.2012

Visual Description in Choreography,
Films: Work in progress Dance Transformations artists; Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company

For further information contact:
Gill Williams email: willi213@uni.coventry.ac.uk
Amy Voris email: aa4085@coventry.ac.uk

Dance Student Placements on the Outdoor Dance Programme

DanceXchange is offering 4 student placements working on a project as part of Dancing for the Games – Outdoor Dance Programme.

DanceXchange (dx), in partnership with Regional Dance Agencies DanceFest, Dancescape and Dudley Performing Arts, is leading on a substantial new Outdoor Dance Programme created for public spaces around the West Midlands from Summer 2011 to the end of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Autumn 2012. The project forms a major strand of the Dancing for the Games programme, connecting people with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games through dance.

PLAYGROUND (working title) is an exciting commission by renowned Australian Artist, Shaun Parker (of Shaun Parker Company) created specifically for parks, taking dance to the heart of the region’s communities. This imaginative new work will use existing children’s playground equipment as the set, creating a family-friendly performance piece that can be toured to playgrounds across the West Midlands. It will also attach to a variety of existing local/community events including fetes, fairs and festivals where possible.

Dance student requirements:
The Outdoor Dance Programme is offering placements to four male or female dance students. Students must be exclusively from or based in the West Midlands and must be undertaking or have recently undertaken a dance based course or dance training. This placement is aimed at students looking to develop their own performance and choreographic techniques and styles.

This two week placement will provide the opportunity to take part in morning class, partner one of the four professional dance artists and shadow the rehearsals whilst gaining an insight into the development and choreographic stages of this quirky site specific dance piece. The four dance students will be allocated specific time slots during the two weeks to work together to create a performance piece, based on what has been learnt, which will be performed in an outside location prior to the professional performance on Monday 7 May at Cannon Hill Park.

Students who are interested in taking part in this opportunity are invited to come and take part in an open day led by Shaun Parker on Saturday 29 October where you can learn more and be shortlisted to take part.

Candidates who are successfully selected for this placement must be available and consent to the details below.
Timeframe: Creation period: 16 – 27 April (2 weeks) Performance date: 7 May Bank Holiday
Payment: No travel, accommodation or fees.
To apply: Please send your CV with a completed Equal Opportunities form and a head shot by post or email. Please visit http://dancexchange.org.uk/about/jobs-at-dx for the Equal Opportunities form.
Successful applicants will be invited to take part in an audition in Birmingham
Deadline to apply: Wednesday 19 October 2011
Open day: Saturday 29 October 2011, Birmingham, 1100-1400 tbc

For further information or to register for this open day, please contact:
Natalie Smith, t: 0121 689 1094 e: nataliesmith@dancexchange.org.uk