Sadler’s Wells, one of the world’s leading dance venues, has announced the launch of a major choreographic and performance project for schools and youth groups across England.
Making Moves, supported by Barclays, is an initiative aimed at engaging young people in dance and inspiring them to create new dance works. The project will provide participants with digital toolkits created by four professional dance artists associated with Sadler’s Wells, including Alesandra Seutin, Dannielle “Rhimes” Lecointe, Jordan Douglas, and Oona Doherty.
The toolkits will include a theme, suggested music, sources of inspiration such as poetry or visual art, and creative ideas for generating movement. The project will run throughout the academic year starting in September 2023, and 48 school and youth dance groups will be selected to take part. Participants must be between the ages of 11 and 18, with up to 24 years for d/Deaf or disabled young dancers.
Making Moves will begin with a training weekend at Sadler’s Wells for group leaders, including masterclasses led by the choreographers. Group leaders will then work with their young dancers to create a new dance work, which will be performed at their school or youth group and at a regional venue local to them in spring 2024. Sadler’s Wells staff and a guest dance professional will attend the regional performances and provide verbal and written feedback to all participating groups.
The project will culminate in a national competition, with eight groups invited to perform on one of Sadler’s Wells’ stages on 24 July 2024. The performances will be judged by a panel of professionals from the dance sector, and one group will be given an award for Best New Choreography.
Teachers and youth group leaders can apply for Making Moves by visiting the Sadler’s Wells website. Applications are open from today until Friday 30 June.
Sir Alistair Spalding CBE, Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive, said that Making Moves is a “fantastic opportunity for young people across England to get involved in making dance and learning from some of the world’s leading choreographers”.
Joce Giles, Director of Learning and Engagement at Sadler’s Wells, added that the project is aimed at celebrating the creativity and talent of young people throughout England and giving them a platform to create and perform new dance works in a professional setting.
Tom Corbett, Group Head of Sponsorship and Media at Barclays, said that the company is “delighted to support Making Moves” and hopes to “help inspire the next generation of dancing talent in choreography and performance”. Barclays is the headline sponsor of the project’s new National Choreography Competition.
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