Dancefest Annual Report 2009 – 2010

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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