2009 News
 
 

YDANCE SUPPORTS 2014 COMMUNITIES PROJECT

YDance have successfully supported Parklands Special Needs School and Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh with a joint bid for funding from the 2014 Communities fund. The proposal for an integrated dance project involving pupils from both schools was awarded £1000.

The aim of the project is to get all pupils active and creative through dance and to bring the two schools together to help foster a sense of community. By working in partnership the project will tackle physical and social barriers and give participants both a deeper sense of physical wellbeing and an understanding of each others needs.

The project which takes place early in 2010 will be led by a YDance specialist movement tutor who has a prior relationship with both Parklands School and Hermitage Academy and in keeping with the preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games the classes will explore the themes of different cultures and dances from around the world.

 
 

YDANCE AWARDED INSPIRING COMMUNITIES FUNDING

YDance is delighted to announce that they have been granted a portion of the £2.5million National Lottery funding set aside to inspire people in communities across Scotland to participate in the arts. The company have joined forces with Smallpetitklein Dance Company to create a project called Ignite which will inspire boys and young men to engage with dance through a series of workshops, leading to an all-male professional production which will tour the country. Read the Scottish Arts Council press release.
 
 
 

TAM O'SHANTER OPENS TO RAVE REVIEWS

Tam O'Shanter, the exciting new production created by the joint talents of Scottish Youth Theatre, YDance and the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland for Homecoming Scotland 2009, opened on Friday night at Stirling Castle to rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. The thirty strong cast put in an energetic performance that had the rafters of the Great Hall reverberating to the sounds of pipes, drums and dancers' feet.

'With nine actors and eights dancers writhing and spinning across the stage, and superb, state-of-the-art pipe music wailing up a frenzy, this is a Tam O'Shanter that moves effortlessly from disco night to a true and chilling witches' Sabbath…'

JOYCE MCMILLAN, THE SCOTSMAN

After two nights in Stirling the tour is now heading off to Eden Court in Inverness (Monday 26 October at 7.30pm) and to Haddo House in Aberdeenshire for two dates including an appropriately spooky Halloween performance (Friday 30 & Saturday 31 October at 8pm). Tickets, priced £10 and £6 for concessions (plus booking fee) are available by calling 01224 641122 or online at www.boxofficeaberdeen.com.

'the directorial, choreographical and musical team have taken his [Burns] tale and made it into something that speaks to, and for, another generation.'

KEITH BRUCE, THE HERALD

 
 
 
 
 

FREE TO DANCE SESSIONS START BACK

After a madly hectic summer programme the intrepid Free To Dance Team are back on the road delivering weekly dance sessions to over 800 teenage girls across Ayrshire, Glasgow and Orkney. The timetable has changed a bit from last year with some sessions added and some not continuing. So any teenage girls interested in coming along should check the Free To Dance sessions page.

As part of the Free To Dance programme YDance is also running an Award in Dance Leadership Course in partnership with Girls on the Move. The course is for girls aged 16+ and runs from 12 to 16 October at the Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre in Dennistoun, Glasgow. To find out more click here.

 
 
 
 
 

PROJECT Y 2009 NOW IN RESIDENCE AT RSAMD

Project Y 2009 kicks off at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow this week, when YDance brings together 26 of the best young dancers this country has to offer take up residence. Young dancers from as far afield as Orkney and Ayr are spending 4 weeks working to create an exciting new programme of dance pieces with choreographers Daniel Aing, Andy Howitt, Allan Irvine and Anna Kenrick before heading out on a short Scottish tour taking in Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen.

PROJECT Y – ELEMENTS
Due to the number and quality of applications for Project Y 2009 YDance has created a new branch of the project – Elements. This 2 week course is designed to allow participants to focus on their dance technique and explore a range of contemporary dance styles. It will also operate as a precursor to the full 4 week course and Andy Howitt (YDance Artistic Director) is hoping that this year’s Elements participants will be part of next year’s production company.

‘We saw a lot of exciting young talent in this years auditions which we were really keen to develop so a new branch of Project Y was born - Elements. In this 2 week course we’re giving 16 talented youngsters the opportunity to develop their technique learning both the Cunningham and Limon methods and to really explore what contemporary dance is all about. We’re also hoping to see them in auditions for the 2010 Production Course.’

 
 
 
 
 

YDANCE DOES SOMETHING FUNNY FOR COMIC RELIEF

12 March 2009
YDance is working in a number of schools across Scotland in support of in support of Comic Relief (registered charity SC039730) to get approximately 400 young people to Dance Their Noses Off. Between 11am and 12noon this Friday YDance Tutors and Freelancers are donating their time and skills for free to get these school pupils to do something funny for Red Nose Day 2009 and the participants are all making a donation or being sponsored to take part.

The schools taking part are Antonine Primary School (Glasgow), Auchinairn Primary School (Bishopbriggs), Corstorphine Primary School (Edinburgh), Craigie Primary School (Perth), Longniddry Primary School (Longniddry), Newton Primary School (Ayr), Papdale Primary School (Kirkwall), Rattray Primary School (Blairgowrie) and Seafield Primary (Elgin).

 
 
 
 
 

FUNDING AWARDED FOR TWO EXCITING NEW PROJECTS

9 February 2009

We are delighted to announce we have been awarded funding to progress 2 exciting new projects - Aim Higher and Dance for Boys.

Aim Higher - We have been given money from the LEARN Fund to allow us to help schools deliver Higher Dance and encourage more students in Scotland to take the subject at Higher Grade. Find out more

Dance for Boys - We also applied to the Inspiring Communities Fund and have been given development funds to look at ways to inspire boys and young men to engage with dance. Read the full story.

We will be releasing more information on both projects once the details have been confirmed.
 
 
 
 
     
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