2019 Highlights

In 2019 Leeds Dance Partnership continued to grow, working on our mission to establish Leeds as an international centre of dance excellence. With our core members and the wider dance community, we’re proud that this year we have continued our commitment to diversity, ambition, skill, talent, export and research.

Three dancers wearing yellow t-shirts hold their hands above their heads as they perform as part of the Leeds Dance Partnership Artist Sharing

Our highlights for 2019 included developing international connections and bringing high quality touring/commissioning to Leeds, putting Leeds dance on the map and supporting independent artistic development.

We supported 15 professional performances in Leeds from international organisations hailing from countries including the UK, Norway, Hungary, Morocco and Japan, as well as a dedicated workshop programme. We were also proud to have supported over 30 independent artists.

A dancer stands with their arms outstereched left and right. Thery are in half-profile to the camera. They are in a dance studio.

Highlights

Artist Fellowships

We delivered our first ever Artist Fellowships scheme, where four artists were selected to work with a host organisation to research and develop a proposed artistic inquiry. We hosted a successful sharing at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre in September where artists presented videos, talks and live performances.

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A panel discussion at the Aertist Fellowship sharing. Three dance artists are being interviewed by a host.

Accelerate

In September, Accelerate: A Skills Development Lab was launched by Yorkshire Dance and Northern School of Contemporary Dance. We’re proud to support this 9-month paid development programme for ten early-career dance artists. We’re looking forward to kickstarting the new year with Accelerate Lab 2 on 30 & 31 January.

Meet the ten Accelerate dance artists

Walking with Leeds

In March, we hosted a cultural walking tour event with producing partners Walking Talking Project. 13 independent artists performed at the event, giving international delegates the opportunity to experience the diverse dance and cultural offer in Leeds. The delegates, who were guests of the International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts Plenary Conference, joined us from as far afield as Australia and Canada. This event was held in association with Absolutely Cultured Hull and the British Council.

Choreographers and Composers Lab

In the summer, we supported Phoenix Dance Theatre’s international Choreographers and Composers Lab, where eight choreographers and composers worked collaboratively to research and develop dance and composition ideas.

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A group of dance artists and musicians participate in Phoenix Dance Theatre's Choreographic and Composer Labs 2019. A large group of participants sit on the floor of a dance studio as they listen to a gentleman in a pink shirt give them more information. There is a harpist, saxophonist, guitar player and clarinet player in the photograph.

Transform

We were also thrilled to support Transform Festival to present Luis Garay’s Daimón (Argentina/Colombia) and sell-out performances of nora chipaumire’s #PUNK (Zimbabwe/NYC) as part of their amazing 2019 programme.

BBC #DancePassion

In April, we led the northern element of BBC’s #DancePassion, a national streaming event. Leeds was the only site of dance streaming in the North and we were proud to support three independent artists to take part in the event.

Catch up on #DancePassion