Dance United

Dance United is a non-profit organisation with outlets in Ethiopia, Central London, Wessex and Yorkshire. Youths marginalised in society participate in intensive contemporary dance training, which in turn offers them educational qualifications and useful life skills. Each Dance United location has a professional dance company made up of past academy members or local university dancers. The performance company has worked with choreographers such as Dam Van Huynh, Sara Dowling, Lizzie Kew Ross, Darren Ellis and John Ross. Performances are held in well-known venues throughout England including Sadler's Wells, Two-Temple Place, and The Bernie Grant. Over the years, Dance United has worked with a diverse range of beneficiaries, including Ethiopian street children, adult women prisoners and people from across the political divides in Berlin and Belfast.

History

Ethiopia

In 1995, TV producer, Andrew Coggins, had planned to make a filmed drama about the plight of Ethiopian street children. It was never to be made, for during the research for the film he was challeneged by a senior aid agency executive not to speak for the young people but to give them the tools to speak for themselves.

In unfamiliar territory, Andrew instinctively turned to the two worlds he knew, film and the performing arts. He created a partnership with an Addis Ababa NGO, the Ethiopian Gemini Trust and together they established Gem TV, a film-making company run by former street and working children which continues to this day. For the 'live' art form they chose dance and, after considerable research brought in choregrapher, Ryoston Maldoom.

Over six years, eighteen young Ethiopians were intensively trained to become professional dancers, teachers and choreographers. Together, they went on to form the Adugna Dance Theatre Company.

After watching this project unfold and in an attempt to expand the work, Andrew Coggins founded Dance United, as a registered UK charity in 2000.

Berlin

Sir Simon Rattle of the Berliner Philharmoniker, insisted that his work with the orchestra include outreach work within the community. Dance United was brought in to develop three major dance performance partnerships from 2003-2005. The final performance of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, formed the basis for an internationally sucessful documentary: Rhythm Is It!

Northern Ireland

Mags Byrne began the process of developing work in Northern Ireland. She designed a senstive programme of dance-led projects with disadvantaged young people. Her work grew steadily over the years and in early 2007 she was able to launch a completely independent organiation: Dance United Northern Ireland.

Criminal Justice

In 2001 Royston Maldoom and Susannah Broughton had delivered a seminal project in HM Prison Holloway and Susannah undertook a tracking initiative to gauge just what impact the work had, over time on the women who had taken part. Encouraged by what she discovered, Susannah invited Tara-Jane Herbert (who went on to become Dance United's Artistic Director from 2005-2011) to join her in creating a longer programme of activity specifically aimed at working with women in prison. Over the next four years the two artists created and led an impressive sequence of three-week intensive performance projects at a range of prisons across the country.

Academy

Young people living within the community commit to attending five days a week, six hours a day. While maintaining contemporary dance training of a professional standard, participants can earn qualifications at levels 1 and 2 thorugh a National Open College Network accredited curriculum. The programme culminates in public performances which demands cooperation and responsibility. This often leads to a sense of achievement, which, in return, encourages ambition. There are currently cohorts running throughout the year in London and Wessex.

Mentoring

London Academy members are offered a volunteer mentor who will provide a support system for the dancer throughout the year. This has included giving advice about joining a Dance United performance company, career routes, leisure activities or going to college/university.

Performance Companies

Dance United's performance companies are a progression route for Academy graduates who want to continue developing their interest in dance. The companies also welcome young dance students from local colleges. Each company works with renowned teachers and choreographers, thus providing an opportunity for its members to perform at high profile dance platforms and Academy events across the UK.

London Performance Company

Formed in January 2011.

Upcoming performances include...
2 Temple Place
2 Temple Place, Strand London WC2R 3BD
Thursday, 04th April 2013 7pm and 8pm
Friday 05th April 2013 7pm and 8pm
Choreography: Sarah Dowling
Name of the piece: If the walls could speak

Trinity Laban Theatre
Creekside, Deptford, SE8 3DZ as part of U-DANCE 2013
Sunday 14th April 2013, 7pm
Choreography: Lee Smikle
Name of the piece: Silver

Past Performances
A Holding Space, 20th & 22nd October 2012, The Place
Opening of Koestler Exhibition, 19 September 2012, Southbank Centre
London Academy Graduation, 18 August 2012, Unicorn Theatre
Arrival of Olympic Torch, 26 July 2012, Kings Cross St Pancras
Big Dance-Sadler’s Wells, 07 July 2012, Granary Square-Kings Cross
Festival of the World, 25 June 2012, Queen Elizabeth Hall
Celebrate the City, 23 June 2012, Cheapside Street EC2V
World Refugee Day, 20 June 2012, Matrix Chambers
London Academy Graduation 4th April 2012, Bernie Grant Arts Centre
ReFresh 2012 18th February 2012, The Place
Speak but one word to me 25th, 26th, 27th January 2012, Two Temple Place
FRESH 3rd December 2011, The Place
COMMA 40 18th November 2011, Bloomberg SPACE
Rite of Passage 1 6th & 7th September 2011, Sadler’s Wells Lilian Baylis Studio Theatre
London Academy Graduation 20th July 2011, The Cochrane Theatre
Flashmob 10th July 2011, Royal Opera House Front of House
Scoop Festival 9th July 2011, The Scoop at More London
London Academy 3 week performance 14th June 2011, RichMix
Project Earth 24th May 2011, Selfridges Ultralounge
London Academy Graduation 20th April 2011, Westminster Kingsway College
London Academy 3 week performance 8th March 2011, Bernie Grant Arts Centre

Wessex Boys

Made up of solely Wessex Academy graduates and each member is pursuing a professional dance course at university.

Yorkshire Performance Company

The Yorkshire performance company has danced for events such as, The Youth Justice Board Annual Convention, Bradford Young Citizens Awards and the West Yorkshire Magistrates Conference

Film

Destino: A Contemporary Dance Story traces a journey from the back streets of Addis Ababa to one of the most famous dance stages in the world. The film encapsulates the way in which the project brought the company’s work full circle as it features two of the original street child from Addis Ababa and now international dancers, at its heart. The documentary has gone on to be screened at film festivals across the world.

Future Projects

Investment in the area of mental health and an exciting academy/performance tour are in the works for the 2013-2014 season.

References

http://www.dance-united.com http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3b61b756-7071-11e0-bea7-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2MrgsOJpO http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/feb/24/dance-training-young-offenders-project http://www.onekx.org.uk

External links

• Official Website