Dance City is involved in two exciting new projects working with schools across the region to develop dance and movement skills, build confidence and offer exciting opportunities for children and young people to perform.

100 School Children Perform in Festival of Thrift
Dance City was invited by Festival of Thrift to work with schools in Darlington to create a piece to perform at the national festival which returned to Lingfield Point, Darlington on 26 & 27 September 2015. Its theme this year was the 190th anniversary of the creation of the Stockton to Darlington railway line.

Dance City worked in partnership with ‘Folk Dance Remixed’ – a ground-breaking company creating unique fusions between folk and hip hop styles with live music. Dance City has been delivering workshops in six Darlington schools to teach and practice material. The sessions bring a totally new and exciting dance style to the schools and include time with directors, a beatboxer and a fiddle player. Each has worked on a different section, which all joined together to form the final piece. 100 children performed as part of the Festival weekend in a piece combining dance with traditional live music, beatboxing and sample tracks and even a Thomas the Tank Engine theme mixed in!

Dance City & Tyne & Wear Sport
Dance City, a delivery partner for Tyne & Wear Sport Satellite clubs, has received funding to work with schools to create a unique dance programme. Funding has been secured for 30 sessions in 3 schools – Burnside Business and Enterprise College (Wallsend), Monkseaton Middle School, (Monkseaton) and Marden High (Whitley Bay).

The programme will see 60 children and young people take part in weekly sessions at their school led by a Dance City professional. The idea behind the Satellite Club is to undertake transformational change in the way young people are supported from school, college and other relevant settings into community sport – creating a sporting habit for life.

The vision of the Satellite Clubs is that by March 2017, every secondary school (in addition to clubs and other relevant settings) will be offered a satellite community sports club, with a direct link to one or more National Governing Bodies of Sport.

“It’s really important that we offer children and young people the chance to take part in dance and at Dance City we’re passionate about creating these opportunities.” said Dance City Artistic Director and Joint CEO, Anthony Baker.

He went on to say: “Dance can improve health and wellbeing for all ages and promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyles. We’re really pleased to be working in partnership with these fantastic organisations to be able to deliver these programmes which have a really positive impact on young people’s lives.”

If your school is interested in finding out about other programmes and opportunities Dance City can offer, or about funding for a regular programme of activity (within Tyne and Wear) please contact helen.kumar@dancecity.co.uk Dance Engagement Co-ordinator, Dance City.