Rachel Evans – Page 2 – leedsdancepartnership.com

Ballet Black Workshop

Posted on 10 December 201922 January 2020 by Rachel Evans

On Saturday 16 November, Leeds Dance Partnership supported a workshop at Northern Ballet’s headquarters led by Ballet Black.

A Ballet Black dancer leads a workshop with students in the background. They are in a dance studio, the Ballet Black dancer is standing with his legs apart, one arm in the air and the other on his chest.

The workshop brought together young local dancers from some of Leeds’ dance training schemes, including Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Youth Academy, Northern School of Contemporary Dance’s Centre for Advanced Training scheme and Further Education dance students from Leeds City College.

Dance students at the Ballet Black workshop stand by ballet barres. They are holding on to the barre with one hand, the other arm is in the air above their heads. Some are leaving back slightly

The students were able to learn more about Ballet Black’s Ignoma, a mix of pointe work, contemporary and African dance which was performed at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds.

A Ballet Black dancer leads a balelt technique class. She is watchign the students at the barre, her fingers outstretched at her sides.

The workshop was split into two parts including a ballet technique class led by Cira Robinson and a contemporary repertoire session led by choreographer of Ignoma Mthuthuzeli November.

A Ballet Black dancer is leading a workshop with students. The back of his hands are meeting at his chest, with his elbows pointed out either side. One of his feet is crossed in front of the other.

The students had a great time, with lots of brilliant feedback:

‘I learnt how to move my body in different ways’

‘Challenging, ground-breaking, strong’

‘an amazing piece of choreography’

‘I enjoyed learning part of the South African piece as it was different and I enjoyed learning about the background behind it.’

‘It challenged me’

‘(I learnt) a new drive to dance – passion and motive’

A group of dance students stand at the barre in the Ballet Black workshop. They have one hand on the barre, with the other arm in the air above thier heads.

Light Night Leeds 2019

Posted on 16 October 201922 January 2020 by Rachel Evans

Light Night Leeds 2019 was bigger than ever with over 60 events lighting up the city. This year we were proud to support the interactive installation and performances of Alexander Whitley Dance Company’s Strange Stranger as part of the event.

There was a great atmosphere with all of the performances fully sold out and great feedback from audiences.

‘The energy and control of the performers was amazing, thank you for letting us share it’

‘Utterly absorbing, innovative and interesting’

‘I found the performance extremely thought-provoking and very well done indeed. Thank you, it’s given me food for thought.’

Four dancers in Strange Stranger. They are in a square formation, with the light towers of the installation gleaming.

Nearby, partner organisation Leeds Playhouse presented light installation A Beacon of Happiness plus an epic game of simon says.

As ever we had a fantastic Light Night and we’re already counting down the days until next year!

Artist Fellowships Sharing

Posted on 15 October 201922 January 2020 by Rachel Evans

Last month we hosted our first ever Artist Fellowships Sharing, where our four artists Hannah Buckley, Vanessa Grasse, Lucy Suggate and Jamaal Burkmar presented the creative explorations they developed through the Leeds Dance Partnership Artist Fellowships scheme.

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

As part of the scheme, independent dance artists are paired with a host organisation to create a response to a creative brief that generates new learning and mutual benefit across the partnership and their audiences, students, participants and stakeholders. Artists receive a fee, a training budget for their development and a bespoke offer of support throughout their fellowship from their host organisation and other partners.

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

This packed sharing event saw an audience of people from across the dance industry come together and discover more about what each artist had been working on and the development they had undergone throughout the scheme.

A group of people sit ina circle with headphones on during Hannah Buckley's presentation at the Leeds Dance Partnership Artist Fellowships sharing.

Introduced by their host organisations – Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Leeds Beckett University, Yorkshire Dance and Phoenix Dance Theatre, the artists presented their work in a variety of different ways, including a presentation, the creation of short video, an interactive silent disco-esque presentation and a short dance piece.

Find out more about the Artist Fellowships scheme

Photos David Lindsay

Phoenix Dance Theatre Choreographers & Composers Lab 2019

Posted on 12 August 201922 January 2020 by Rachel Evans

This July Phoenix Dance Theatre delivered their second Choreographers & Composers Lab, funded by Jerwood Arts with match funding from Leeds Dance Partnership.

The 2019 Lab brought together four choreographers, four composers, 12 professional dancers and four musicians for a two-week intensive led by Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Sharon Watson and Musical Director Alexander Campkin.

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.

Week one saw the participants take part in workshops delivered by guest lecturers Kim Brandstrup, Peter Wiegold, Sandrine Monin and Nadine Benjamin, with the creative tasks focusing on experimentation and collaboration. In week two, each choreographer was paired with a composer and together the duos put the techniques explored in week one into practice, devising original choreography and composition. At the end of the two weeks, all involved in the process came together for a studio sharing to invited industry guests where the choreographers and composers shared their creative explorations.

A dancer performs in a dance studio in front of invited guests at Phoenix Dance Theatre's CC Labs 2019. Her back is to the camera and she spreads her arms out side to side. Her dark hair is tied up and she wears a dark green top with blue shorts.

Sharon Watson said:

I am absolutely delighted with the outcome of our second Choreographers & Composers Lab. To bring together 24 creative minds and see them experiment, challenge one another and create has been incredibly rewarding. Creative Labs have played a massive part in my professional development and to be able to offer a Lab that crosses disciplines is invaluable and wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of Jerwood Arts and Leeds Dance Partnership. I can’t wait to see what the 2019 CC Lab cohort do next.

At Leeds Dance Partnership, we are proud to have supported this exciting project and to attend the sharing itself to see the excellent work created. To find out about more artistic development opportunities like the CC Labs, visit our Projects & Opportunities page and join our newsletter.

Photos Zoe Martin & Jack Thorne

Springboard 2019

Posted on 9 August 201922 January 2020 by Rachel Evans

Last month Northern Ballet presented Springboard, a three-day course for early career dance artists and recent graduates. Leeds Dance Partnership were proud to have supported the course with bursaries to cover course fees for four participants.

The course covered the basic knowledge and skills freelance dancers need to set themselves up, ensure they understand their responsibilities, and manage themselves as a business. This included sessions on financial management, marketing and social media, how to fill in a tax return, legal considerations and a one-day First Aid for Dance course by Underwood Training.

Five early career dance artists sit around a big white sheet of paper with the outline of a person drawn on it in blue. One of the dance artists is holding a bright green pen and is about to make some notes on the paper. The dance artists are smiling and are sat around the paper on the floor of a dance studio. This is part of Northern Ballet's Springboard Course.

All of the participants said that the course helped them to feel more confident to set themselves up or deliver work as a self-employed artist, with lots of positive feedback: