Opportunities for Young People

The BCDH brings together 4 Black Country arts organisations working together to provide young people with innovative dance opportunities including :

The creation of 4 contemporary youth dance companies in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall & Wolverhampton.

Opportunities for Special Schools to create a dance & film project with Frontline Dance Company, film maker Matthew Beckett and musician Andrew Kristy.

A Schools Performance Project with Rosie Kay Dance Company & Dave McKenna Being Frank Dance Company & Luca Silvestrini Proteindance.

A Youth Centre Project with regional dance artists Mark Anderson & Chris Bradley.

Opportunities to work with and meet professional artists, get advice on dance routes, training and careers at a Black Country careers event @ Wolverhampton University.

What's happening?

Five Strands

1

Discover dance beyond the school day in 20 youth and community centres

Visiting regional artists will deliver a taste of dance from different styles and cultures for example Physical Theatre with Chris Bradley, Bhangra Dance with Dance Sansaar, Capoeira with Mark Anderson to provide young people with a new dance experience and signpost them to further opportunity.

2

Access regular dance beyond the school day

The establishment of 4 Contemporary Youth Dance Companies (11-19 years) one in each authority, led by experienced and professionally trained Dance Artists known as Dance Hub Contacts who will develop technique, choreography, performance and appreciation skills in weekly classes and provide opportunity to access regional and national initiatives e.g. Centre for Advanced Training.

Young dancers will also work with touring Guest Artists and view live professional performances and will develop a Dancers Forum to give young people a voice to reflect on and inform future dance development through this website.

3

Dance & Film in Special Schools

16 Special Schools will work with Frontline Dance Company and Matthew Beckett Film-Maker with original music by Andrew Kristy to create a suite of dance films reflecting the unique experiences of young people from each Black Country Authority.

A film Premier will celebrate the work with the dancers, friends and family at a central Black Country Venue in January 2014.

4

Careers in Dance Event

Based at Wolverhampton University in January 2014, young people from across the Black Country will have the opportunity to meet and work with professional regional and international artists including Rosie Kay.

Find out about working artists personal dance journey, how to access further opportunity training and careers in dance through an exciting day of participatory workshops, seminars and a marketplace providing information on dance courses and career routes, further training opportunities, and employment.

5

School Performance Creation

20 schools will have the opportunity to create 4 innovative dance performance pieces working with Rosie Kay Dance Company, Luca Silvistrini Protein Dance Company, Dave Mckenna Being Frank Dance Company over a series of dance residencies that will culminate in 4 public performance events at Stourbridge Town hall, The Public, The Performance Hub @ Wolverhampton University and The Arena Theatre.