Dancefest Annual Report 2009-2010
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Transcript of Dancefest Annual Report 2009-2010
Dancefest Annual Report 2009 – 2010
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Chair’s Report 2009 - 2010
Over the last year Dancefest has continued to successfully develop and evolve its
relationship with both performers and audiences through creative dance projects such as
Whose Story and Summertime. In addition, our education work with students, schools and
teachers illustrates the many benefits that dance can bring to learning and developing and
demonstrates how young people can be inspired by dance through its values of team work
and collaboration. This work sits alongside Dancefest’s ongoing commitment to delivering its
weekly workshops, which have attracted nearly 12,000 attendances in the last twelve
months.
This year has also provided opportunity for reflection and consideration, ensuring that the
strategic direction of our work continues to inspire an interest in dance and create a wider
reach across the counties.
Dancefest has made some significant steps in creating opportunities for the future. The work
with Worcestershire Arts Partnership sees Dancefest play an important role in representing
the views of professional arts organisations, helping to shape future creative programming
and working with other agencies to develop strong relationships across as a wide range of
local authority departments and arts organisations.
The successful bid to People Dancing for the 12 Moves project demonstrates the legacy that
already exists for Dancefest to deliver creative and innovative work and I look forward to
working with the organisation as this major project develops over the next year.
I would like to give my thanks to all of the Dancefest staff who continue to invest their energy
in helping to move the organisation forward with such positive spirit and I am extremely
grateful for the commitment of Dancefest’s Board with its proven ability to guide and support
the organisation through both its challenges and opportunities.
Adele Cope
Chair
October 2010
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Manager’s Report
2009 – 2010 was a year of planning and consultation as well as delivery. This report
demonstrates a cross section of the work that took place during the year and the
collaborative planning and partnership development that took place to develop a bid for a
major project for the Cultural Olympiad.
Projects There were 12,959 attendances on projects and 1714 people saw performances
Jigsaw Worcestershire ‘Jigsaw’ is a dance project for children,
young people and adults with learning
and physical disabilities. Having
borrowed from the successful model that
has been taking place in Herefordshire
for many years, Dancefest brought it to
Worcestershire to provide the same
opportunity for participants.
The project lasted for 10 creation and rehearsal weeks culminating with the
sharing/performance to family, friends and invited guests at Number 8 Community Arts
Centre in Pershore.
Dancefest worked with 7 groups, Chadsgrove Specialist Sports College, Bromsgrove; Fort
Royal Primary School, Worcester; Jigsaw Performance Group (community group based in
Hereford); Regency High School, Worcester; Rigby Hall, Bromsgrove; Vale of Evesham and
Worcester College of Technology. Approximately 100 dancers took part.
‘It was lovely to see such a range of pupils enjoying dance at their level and brilliant for them
to have the opportunity to perform in a theatre’
Vale of Evesham School
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‘I just wanted to say that the project you have done at Chadsgrove with 4LS has been
absolutely wonderful. The bits I've seen of the sessions were just great - totally appropriate
and really enjoyable for the pupils involved. And I know that you saw some lovely reactions
and responses from the children too.’
Chadsgrove Sports Specialist School
‘Well planned. Appropriate. Excellent pace for our pupils. Really lovely sessions every week.
We saw some great responses.’
Chadsgrove School
Whose Story at Croome Court The National Trust invited Dancefest to create a site-specific project as part of their Whose
Story project at encouraging a more diverse audience attendance at selected NT properties
in the West Midlands. A year group from Stanley Road Primary School in Worcester worked
with dance artists Chitraleka Bolar and Marcia Edwards to create dances inspired by the
planting in the park. A journey was created for the audience from the school and invited
guests around the lake leading to its final destination at the Temple Greenhouse.
This was a short but fascinating project introducing children to a stately home where plants
from around the world had been brought to and grown and to explore the setting through
south Asian and Afro Caribbean dance.
Bewdley Museum Bewdley Museum reopened in May 2009 after a major refurbishment. Dancefest were invited
to create a dance piece with students from the local high school to be performed as part of
the opening day activities. Taking the themes of rope making and the river a dance was
constructed that led the audience through the open-air museum. A creative, surprising event
for everyone attending.
Summertime A performance at The Courtyard Centre for the Arts, that didn’t take place on the stage, or
even in the theatre. 120 performers of all ages from Dancefest’s Herefordshire community
classes led its audience throughout the building with performances taking place in the cafe,
foyer, gallery, stairs and garden.
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Education In both Herefordshire and
Worcestershire, Dancefest delivers
work for partnership development
managers who work with the
schools sports coordinators in
clusters of schools. The
Herefordshire Dance Worker works
with 4 clusters over the autumn and
spring terms. Working with
approximately 350 children per
week for 6 weeks this work has
taken place for a number of years; the feedback from both children and teachers is excellent
and has supported dance development in the county, giving children the opportunity to take
part in dance and to share performances. In Worcestershire, Dancefest works with the PDM
for Worcester leading after school projects in the city’s 5 clusters of schools including the
special needs primary and high. The children come together to share their work with each
other and to show their parents.
In both counties Dancefest aims to sign post children to where classes where they can carry
on dancing.
‘My favourite bit was the pirate ship – I liked it all’
William, Lugwardine Primary School, Herefordshire
‘Super lessons and all enjoyed the sessions’
Brockhampton Primary School, Herefordshire
‘Many thanks – Clare was spot on with each year group – all gained alot, especially staff!’
Great Malvern Primary School
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Youth Dance Contact Dancefest has been host to Clare Wood,
Youth Dance Contact who is employed by
Youth Dance England in partnership with
DanceXchange, 1 day per week. The post
commenced in June 2009 and will continue
until 2011; the role fulfils Youth Dance
England’s national aims whilst offering local
opportunity. The focus for development in
year 1 was on Worcestershire and year 2 is
Herefordshire.
During 2009-10 some of the projects set up as part of this role were, a choreographic
mentoring programme; ‘Herefordshire and Worcestershire Creates’ for 15-19 year olds; and
Elevator youth dance network. ‘Herefordshire and Worcestershire Creates’ is a
choreographic mentoring programme for 15-19 year olds that links with Youth Dance
England’s Young Creatives. The programme ran for the first time with five young
choreographers taking part. The project gave young choreographers the opportunity to create
a piece of work with input throughout the choreographic process from professional dance
mentors. The project culminated with the work that the young choreographers had created
being performed in May at The Swan Theatre, Worcester alongside local youth dance
companies.
Elevator is the youth dance network for 5-19 year olds that provides young people with
information, class, guest workshop and performance opportunities. In March 2010,
8 groups/106 dancers who are part of Elevator network travelled to Hagley High School to
share the work that they had created during the spring term. The performance was for groups
to meet and share their work as well as to see some of the work from youth dance
companies in the region. This was an opportunity to see the progression routes that are
available for enthusiastic and talented dancers.
The network allows dance leaders access to free CPD sessions. In November Vanessa Cook
led a session based around core stability and Mobius Dance Company led a session based
on their current performance.
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Links and connections Worcestershire Arts Partnership In 2009 Dancefest was part of a consultative group that has resulted in the formation of
Worcestershire Arts Partnership, a body of people representing a wide cross section of local
authority departments and organisations that are involved in the arts. Represented are arts,
tourism, education, voluntary sector, environment, children’s services, youth. Dancefest
currently represents professional arts organisations.
The existence of this group will provide greater strategic development, collaborative
opportunities, information sharing and improved marketing and networking.
12 Moves Through a process of wide consultation a successful bid was made to People Dancing for a
2-year project that encompasses both grass roots activity and a high profile large-scale,
site-specific dance film event. Worcestershire’s Health Improvement Fund has supported the
participatory element for young people and adults – one of the first grants to be given to an
arts organisation in the county. A successful G4A bid will support the artistic team, and all 6
Worcestershire districts plus the County Council are supporting the project, financially and
through the arts development posts. Dancefest, as the lead organisation, benefited from its
network of contacts, the reputation for its work and its ability to work with a range of partners.
Regional Dance Agency Network
Regular meetings now bring together Dancescape, Dudley Dance, DanceXchange and
Dancefest. The purpose is to share information, discuss developmental plans and be aware
of the potential to collaborate.
Worcestershire Dance Promoters and Worcestershire Dance Forum Dancefest is part of both consortia. WDP brings together all the venues that programme
contemporary dance and WDF has representatives from a range of organisations who work
with children and young people in a range of settings. Both platforms strengthen the
development of dance throughout the county – providing access and quality, in a strategic
and manageable way that ensures a positive legacy.
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This is a snapshot of the work that has taken place throughout the year; this is an addition to
the 40 weekly workshops, which attracted 11,905 attendances, that forms the community
programme.
As ever tribute must be paid to the very hardworking team who make it all happen and the
Dancefest Board whose expertise guides the organisation.
Rose Beeston
Manager