Yorkshire Dance Annual Review 2013 2014

Yorkshire Dance Annual Review 2013 - 2014

yorkshiredance @YorkshireDance

www.yorkshiredance.com

Betsy Gregory Ex-Director, Dance Umbrella “Congratulations on a great [Juncture] festival. It strikes me as a very important addition to the dance programme in Leeds and, clearly, the dance community and public are eating it up.”

Wieke Eringa

Mission Yorkshire Dance champions the development of dance in Yorkshire. We do so by raising standards, increasing knowledge and understanding and fostering creativity and innovation.

Introduction

“

2013/2014 was a year of quality output and consolidation which enabled us to deliver a hugely successful new Juncture festival and commission two new works as part of respond_ alongside our thriving Youth and Community programme of weekly and regional activity. Through increased partnership working we enhanced our building as a creative hub where quality work is made and researched. Doing all this increased our significance as a regional and national driver for the development of contemporary dance.

Wieke Eringa CEO & Artistic Director

Margaret Coleman

Caroline Miller Director, Dance UK “Fresh was such an enjoyable experience. It brought everyone together and it was a great confidence booster and learning experience [...] it was a great privilege to be part of.”

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“

It is difficult to summarise the range and excellence of Yorkshire Dance’s achievements as they are so many, not least exemplified in the energy and commitment demonstrated by young people in Fresh and the Juncture festival giving us a glimpse of what Yorkshire Dance contributes, not only to the Leeds City of Dance, but to dance nationally.

Dancing With Your Neighbours captured wonderfully the power of dance as a means of expression across the generations and in different communities, whilst respond_ is extending the frontiers of audience interaction with dance digitally.

The creativity, commitment and energy of the staff team is supported by an enthusiastic and engaged board, who take great pride in their association with an organisation that is going from strength to strength.

Margaret Coleman Chair of the Board

Wieke Eringa photo © Sara Teresa; Margaret Coleman photo © Yorkshire Dance Cover photo Wendy Houstoun & Co, Stupid Women, Juncture 2014 © Andy Wood

Snap shot: our achievements During 2013 / 2014 we: • Delivered Juncture 2014, a festival of contemporary movement, theatre and film work curated by Wendy Houstoun, with ten performances, an installation, a film screening, eight workshop days and a youth dance fringe in five venues across Leeds.

Igor & Moreno, Idiot-Syncrasy Arrivals / Departures © Sara Teresa Launch of Juncture 2014 The Tetley © Sara Teresa

• Commissioned two new dance works by Robbie Synge and Hagit Yakira as part of the respond_ project and commenced new research into digital engagement with contemporary dance, supported by a NESTA / AHRC / Arts Council England Digital R&D Fund award.

• Presented Dance Insights, the region’s Youth Dance Conference, which brought together 74 delegates at CAST in Doncaster to share good practice, network and increase knowledge and skills.

• Delivered Lustrum, an intensive week of professional development for dancers and makers, led by Gary Clarke.

• Delivered Fresh 2014 – the regional youth dance showcase, with a record 282 young people performing and taking part in workshops across three buildings in three different showcases at Yorkshire Dance and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

• Grew the ambition of the Friday Firsts performance series by presenting more work by nationally established artists alongside local artists, providing opportunities for enhancing critical debate and networking. Eight new well-attended editions showcased artists such as Liz Aggiss and the premiere of Idiot-Syncrasy by Igor & Moreno.

Saturday Street Crew at Fresh 2014 The Tetley © Brian Slater Jordan Massarella Dance, Wannabe Arrivals / Departures © Sara Teresa

• Piloted a new collaborative mini-festival weekend, Arrivals / Departures, in collaboration with Northern School of Contemporary Dance, with a focus on connectivity with Europe.

• Actively supported 14 artists to develop new artistic project work and co-produced four new pieces of dance.

• Supported a group of young people from the Richmond Hill and Seacroft areas of Leeds and their families to engage with learning, making, performing and watching dance – some of whom are now going on to Higher Education.

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RJC Youth Dance at Fresh 2014 © Brian Slater

Leadership and regional development We worked in partnership with four sub-regional hubs to improve access, progression routes and performance opportunities for young people and professional development for their leaders.

A key development area this year was in the East Riding and Hull where a wide partnership group was assembled to form an ambitious new piece of step-change work for 2014 and beyond.

The regional dance development network (RDDN) hosted by Yorkshire Dance is thriving and became a driving force for the development of Fresh and Dance Insights, the second Regional Youth Dance Conference.

Fresh 2014 ReBuzz – Rotherham Boys Project workshop © James Dodd Youth Dance in Yorkshire Sub-regional hubs

Sub regional Hubs North Yorkshire and York Hub North Yorkshire County Council & Hambleton District Council South Bank Hub North Lincolnshire District Council & Lincs Inspire Hull and East Riding Hub East Riding of Yorkshire Council South Yorkshire Hub Doncaster MB Council & Wayne Sables Project West Yorkshire is served by two dance strategy groups

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Fresh 2014, the regional youth dance showcase, was hugely successful in bringing together the youth dance sector in a celebratory event that raises aspirations. 282 young people participated in workshops and performances at Yorkshire Dance and in the foyer of West Yorkshire Playhouse before the main showcase in WYP’s 750-seat Quarry Theatre.

“

Fresh opened new styles of dance to me in the workshop that I have found a love for! It’s truly such a pleasure to perform in the WYP! Participant feedback.

“ “

It was the biggest show we’ve ever done. I feel so much more confident.

Me2Inclusive Dance Company participant Fresh was an amazing experience where we could enjoy being able to dance all day, perform on WYP’s main stage and watch incredible dancers sharing the same passion in our region!

Group leader feedback

Rotherham Boys Project This project came into its own with the recruitment of a new team of local artists delivering an outreach project across four districts of Rotherham. The work was celebrated alongside visiting youth dance companies in the all-male Making Men platform in March. Approximately 200 boys were engaged in classes and taster workshops, and the flagship youth company ReBuzz performed at various events across Yorkshire.

Dance Insights © Brian Slater

Dance Insights – the Regional Youth Dance Conference For this second conference we were supported by the beautiful new theatre in Doncaster, CAST, where we were able to welcome many regional and national guests, such as Linda Jasper (Youth Dance England), Caroline Miller (Dance UK) and Mark Baldwin (Rambert Dance Company).

This conference focused on advocacy and cross-sector working. It brought together 74 practitioners, commissioners of dance, teachers, young people, volunteers, those in health, sport and education working with dance from across the region for stimulating and informative workshops, discussions, presentations and dissemination.

“

I just wanted to say a massive well done for yesterday’s conference – I really loved it and my team’s feedback was wonderful, they were all buzzing from the workshops. Really enjoyed the session with Caroline Miller... she was really inspirational. I gained a lot from the whole day and your team was fantastic.

Looking forward to the next one.

Ian Rodley, DAZL

“

Inspiring and focusing me back into the world of dance. Giving me a little more excitement and drive for dance again.

Delegate feedback

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Knowledgeable speakers, great advocacy tool kit, useful updates on research, strategies and also structuring of the Public Health Sector.

Delegate feedback

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I found the workshop on inclusive dance very passionate, practical and insightful. Funding permitting, I would love to book Rachel in future to work with our own dance artists to train them around good inclusive practice.

Delegate feedback

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I thought it gave a good overview of where the Youth Dance Sector is and what the challenges are. I think there were some very clear messages coming through: we need to mobilise, keep informed and abreast of the changes. We need to work together to find creative solutions in these difficult and challenging times.

Sarah Westaway, working group member

Dance Insights © Brian Slater

Dance Insights © Brian Slater

Dance Insights © Brian Slater

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Saturday Street Crew Fresh 2014 © Brian Slater

Developing Talent: Youth and Community Youth and Community programme in Leeds The Yorkshire Dance community and youth dance programme was attended weekly by 225 people in 2013/14.

Yorkshire Dance Youth at Fresh 2014 © Brian Slater

The Saturday Superstars programme (0 - 14 years) continues to be highly popular with a diverse group of families who enjoy access to affordable, pupil-centred dance provision, which is creative as well as challenging and fun.

Our ongoing partnership with Leeds Adult Social Care resulted in a plethora of work with adults with learning disabilities as part of the Leaps and Bounds programme.

Yorkshire Dance Youth Dancing With Your Neighbours © Space2

The two popular Yorkshire Dance Youth groups drawn from the Seacroft and Richmond Hill areas in Leeds benefited from a rich range of performance and creative opportunities, which this year included the National U.Dance Festival and the Juncture 2014 youth dance fringe project Dancing With Your Neighbours.

This project saw the young people knock on the doors of their unknown neighbours to propose a ‘dance exchange’, inspired by Louise Wallinger’s Annoying the Neighbours. Dancing With Your Neighbours opened a door to a new way of creating and performing dance and was captured beautifully on film by Space2. The project placed a new emphasis on the way Yorkshire Dance works with local communities and opens up a range of creative possibilities for future working.

Leaps and Bounds Rothwell Session © Yorkshire Dance

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Yorkshire Dance was one of the lead organisations supporting and hosting the National U.Dance Festival, which took place in Leeds during July. The festival brought together youth dance companies from across the UK to perform, take part in workshops and share ideas and practice.

“

Fantastic event – brilliantly organised. My group thoroughly enjoyed it – I love it that they get to see what is happening all over the UK. U.Dance group leader

“

Overall a fantastic weekend! Loved being part of it.

Huge shout out to all the organisers, volunteers, and rehearsal directors. You made the process and experience easy and enjoyable.

U.Dance participant

Developing, retaining and attracting talent: independent artists

Jordan Massarella Dance #Visitors at The Place

In focus: New Associate programme During its second and final year, this programme supported Jordan Massarella, Nathan Geering and Sophie Unwin (as part of 70/30 Split) with advocacy, strategic planning, fundraising and project management support. Jordan Massarella was supported to tour #Visitors to five places and create a new short solo work, Wannabe. 70/30 Split created and performed Two Do: a performance, and Nathan Geering was supported to research and develop Addiction.

70/30 Split at Works Ahead © Javier Camañas

Professional development for the wider sector This year, open workshops for artists and practitioners included those with Gunilla Heilborn, Liz Aggiss, Igor & Moreno, Stopgap Dance Company and Yael Flexer.

We worked closely with our Leeds partners to support 65 recent graduates and emerging dancers/makers to attend Dance UK’s Launch event.

Gary Clarke choreographing Lustrum Showcase © Sara Teresa

Lustrum We supported 15 national and regional artists in a week of intensive choreographic development called Lustrum, led by Gary Clarke. The unique approach to Lustrum meant artists were involved in a constant rapid, instinctive process of creation and group decision-making leading to immediate performance. A high calibre of dancers/makers applied to take part, and the evaluation evidenced their learning and the resulting performances were very well received.

“

Lustrum Showcase © Sara Teresa

It has liberated my outlook on choreography – both in practice and in approach.

Lustrum participant

The Collective Yorkshire Dance Membership The Collective, Yorkshire Dance artist membership (on average 60 artists), was supported through the provision of 112 days of residency space for 18 artists, and 1,040 hours of (free) stand-by space for 31 members. Six small bursaries were distributed to support skills development. In addition, 14 artists / companies amongst these received specific project support.

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Juncture 2014 Curated by Wendy Houstoun

Wendy Houstoun’s Stupid Women rehearsal, Juncture 2014 © Andy Wood Riitta Ikonen & Karoline Hjorth’s Eyes as Big as Plates, Juncture 2014 © Sara Teresa

This second edition of Juncture, curated by Wendy Houstoun, demonstrated a growth in ambition through the scope of the work and artists it presented, including three works by international artists. The two-week programme featured work by twenty mature theatre, live-art, film and dance makers, alongside photographers and visual artists of international significance, and brought together a community of regional and national producers, artists, programmers and audiences to explore contemporary practice.

The Juncture 2014 curation presented a strong overall concept that was centred on a highly personal approach, which resulted in the gathering of a temporary community.

The experience was described by many as very connective on a deep level, as well as supportive, inspirational and empowering. There was a sense of honesty and ‘humanity’ at the heart of all the work, which gave meaning to the festival overall and inspired deep connectivity between participants.

Jordi Cortes Integrated Dance workshop Juncture 2014 © Andy Wood

The Juncture Fellows represented a new development – supporting emerging artists to research new work in response to the festival. Another key development was a greater connectivity with young people as part of the Juncture youth dance fringe, both through the Dancing With Your Neighbours and Young Bloggers initiatives.

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In all honesty, I think I’m still reeling from what I’ve witnessed. My brain can’t quite harness the sheer power and raw emotion that’s hit me like a speeding truck. Thinking back, I can’t remember the last time I felt so utterly blown away by a performance, if ever at all.

Marion Smith, Juncture Young Blogger

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[Juncture Fellows commission] meant flexibility and freedom to start an idea without the pressure of an end product as such [...] which I am able to bring forward after this project.

Sophie Unwin

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It has, and will have a massive impact on my development as an artist. It has turned my whole existence on its head.

Hannah Buckley

“ “

It matters. Top quality guest curator.

World class, contemporary and intelligent.

Workshop participant

Candoco Dance Company at Juncture 2014 Launch © Sara Teresa

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Bringing new dance to Leeds in a constructed way to give the public a taste of what dance can be.

Great to have female curators!

Juncture pass holder

Liz Aggiss Is The English Channel © Joe Murray

Developing talent: presenting work Friday Firsts Building on the success of last year, eight Friday Firsts evenings provided a platform for independent dance artists working on the small scale, whilst introducing audiences to contemporary dance.

The ambition of the programme grew, presenting more work by nationally established artists alongside local artists, providing opportunities to enhance critical debate and networking.

The programme included Liz Aggiss Is The English Channel; Show Real, including the Dad Dancing project; Bish Bash Bosh open scratch night; Live Bites, the best of new independent work across the North; and the premiere of Igor and Moreno’s Idiot-Syncrasy. In collaboration with Leeds Metropolitan University, Double Act presented new student work by Lone Twin and New Art Club.

“ “

It was a real pleasure to be involved in Burst. It was a great performing and networking opportunity for the graduate company and the atmosphere was so supportive and welcoming that it made it all very enjoyable.

Giorgio de Carolis Rehearsal Director, 12 Degrees North Thankfully, Yorkshire Dance’s Friday Firsts provides just such an opportunity for choreographers and audiences alike – the chance to experience new and experimental choreography up close and personal. We need to create more spaces like Friday Firsts for experimental work to be seen so that artists can create and receive critical feedback without feeling ‘lashed to the boards’ if it bombs. Failure, after all, is the only way to succeed.

Zoe Parker Blogger, dance artist & practitioner

Jamaal Burkmar’s Ocean at Friday Firsts #19: Bish Bash Bosh © Jason Ingelson

Audience at Riitta Ikonen & Karoline Hjorth’s Eyes as Big as Plates Juncture 2014 © Sara Teresa

Dad Dancing at Friday Firsts #18: Show Real © Tim Smith

Northern Platforms As part of this initiative with partners Dance Base, Dance City and Merseyside Dance Initiative across the North, we supported Nathan Geering to perform at the Capstone Theatre in Liverpool, whilst inviting Tamsyn Russell (Scotland) and Joelene English (North East) to Leeds.

Post-show discussion and facilitated dinners and breakfasts provided artists with a critical chance to enter into dialogue with different audiences and promoters.

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Bryony Mylroie-Smith

In the spotlight Bryony Mylroie-Smith, dance practitioner Bryony first encountered Yorkshire Dance as a Phoenix Dance Academy student at the age of 16, and she now teaches dance in a variety of settings.

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“I really enjoy working at Yorkshire Dance because it is always busy and every class is full of energy.”

Sophie Unwin

I have been teaching dance in both community and educational settings for the last seven years, the last three years of which I’ve been working at Yorkshire Dance as part of the Saturday Superstars team. I began at Yorkshire Dance as an assistant to the Street Styles classes. I enjoyed the role because I could spend lots of time working with individuals on developing their skills and reaching their goals. I really enjoy working at Yorkshire Dance because it is always busy and every class is full of energy. It’s also great to work with other dance artists in such a supportive way as it can be quite isolating working on your own as a freelancer all the time. Over the past three years I’ve had the opportunity to assist in all of the Saturday classes and now assist Parents & Tots and Street Jazz, and teach the Street Styles classes collaboratively with Bobak Walker. It’s a really nice way to deliver because Bobak and I bring different qualities to the sessions, so the children get a broad range of skills throughout the term.

Sophie Unwin, New Associate artist Sophie is a performance artist, choreographer, collaborator and performer based in the region, who graduated from York St John University in 2011.

“This opportunity [Juncture Fellows] has positively launched my solo career, enabling me to make an idea tangible.”

ReBuzz – Rotherham Boys Project © James Dodd

“

This year has seen my first solo endeavour, a solo performance called The Chronicles of Joy, supported by the Juncture Fellows commission from Yorkshire Dance and hosted by artist Wendy Houstoun. This opportunity has positively launched my solo career enabling me to make an idea tangible. The work has been scratched in Leeds and London and will enter another phase of development ready for 2015.

This year has also seen a collaboration of a different kind with Yorkshire Dance: SLAP (Salacious Live Alternative Performance) is a performance, live art, film, spoken word and music platform based in York, founded by myself and three other York-based artists. Yorkshire Dance has become one of SLAP’s partners and has recently offered a platform, space and support as a prize package for emerging artists SLAP have showcased and supported.

ReBuzz – Rotherham Boys Project Twelve boys are currently regularly participating in ReBuzz, an allmale youth group established as part of the Rotherham Boys Project.

“If I wasn’t coming to ReBuzz, I’d be in the house on a Saturday, watching telly with a cup of tea and biscuits.”

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“

The good thing about being involved in ReBuzz is you meet new people, but at the same time you get to take up a new hobby and get away from just hanging about on the streets.

Jordan Dunstan, 15

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The best thing about dancing is that you get to express what you’re doing. It makes you feel happy.

Callum Jones, 13

Financial Overview 2013-2014 Income £ Core income Core: Arts Council England Core: Leeds City Council Other public funding Arts Council England Leeds City Council Earned income Artistic and educational activities Tenants and hires Trading and other income Trusts and Foundations Donations Corporate Donations Total income

324,477 60,000 12,000 31,024 56,319 181,626 13,950 53,500 1,048 22,500 756,444

Expenditure Artist development & professional programme Youth and community Regional dance development Marketing Building and admin overheads Salaries and staff costs Total expenditure

£ 90,239 51,013 22,721 21,827 285,138 277,053 747,991

The information above is derived from the Detailed Statement of Financial Activities contained in the audited annual accounts for the year ended 31st March 2014.

Full audited accounts and Trustees’ report can be obtained from Yorkshire Dance.

Digital Reach Yorkshire Dance’s website attracted over 61,000 visits from nearly 40,000 unique visitors during the year.

websites and Facebook pages, with further traffic generated via Twitter and e-bulletins.

Two online-only editions of the Dance in Leeds & Yorkshire brochure reached 25,000 individuals – boosted by embedding them in our own (and other)

Yorkshire Dance continued to develop its social media activity; by the year-end, we had attracted 4500 followers on Twitter and over 1400 Facebook ‘Likes’.

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Board of Directors

Yorkshire Dance staff

Margaret Coleman (Chair) Alison Andrews Helen Bowdur Ric Green Rachel Krische Graham Mallinson Ruth Moran Cllr Adam Ogilvie Andrew Walker

Wieke Eringa Edwina Simpson / Andrea Smart Gail Ferrin / Hannah Robertshaw Antony Dunn Kirsty Redhead Katrina Ward Kate Ferris-Neely / Sarah Lyon Hollie Harkness-Gowers Fuzzy Jones Judy Rose Katherine Tate / Lauren Clarke Lisa Clayton Laura Griffiths Sam Hobrough Danielle Byars Katie Roberts

Artist Advisory Group Andrea Buckley Beth Cassani Rachel Krische Balbir Singh Sarah Spanton Associate Artist Gary Clarke Artist practitioners (regular) Katie Aynsley Anthony Bayou Jemma Broomhead Charlie Buchanan Cassandra Butler Danielle Byars Sharon Cameron Alison Grace Clissold Rachel Dean Laura Liddon Louise McDowell Laura Murphy Bryony Mylroie-Smith Zoe Parker Sheridan Sherratt Craig Turner Bobak Walker Laura Withers Artists receiving project support Liz Aggiss Hannah Buckley Gary Clarke Dance United Yorkshire Nathan Geering Gracefool Collective

CEO and Artistic Director Administrative Director Youth & Community Dance Director (job share) Marketing & Communications Manager Creative Producer Studio Operations Manager Youth & Community Dance Manager / Co-ordinator Programmes Manager Administrative Assistant Finance Administrator Assistant Studio Operations Manager Artistic Intern - Juncture respond_ Project Manager Fundraising Manager Youth & Community Dance Intern Marketing & Development Intern

Front of House

Jemma Broomhead, Ailis Ferris-Neely, Jayne Fullerton, Aimee Hitchen, Ashlee Hitchen, Maria Jardardottir, Jessica Mahy, Karina Nielsen, Rachael O’Neill, Nina Ojuroye, Matthew Peters, Rebekah Roman, Katherine Tate

Theatre Technicians

Mark Baker, Sarah Buckmaster, Elb Hall, Leanne Hobbins, Adam Steed, Huw Williams

IT Support

Computify Ltd / Mansys

Igor & Moreno Rita Marcalo Keira Martin Jordan Massarella Carlos Pons Guerra Devika Rao Sophie Unwin & Lydia Cottrell Artists in receipt of bursaries Sharon Cameron Carlos Pons Guerra Rosemary Spencer Benjamin Skinner Zoe Parker Riccardo Meneghini Tenants Balbir Singh Dance Company Dance Education Fitness DEP Arts DJ School UK Elephant Marketing Imove Kendells Bistro John Newton Red Ladder Theatre Company Split Design UK Talking Lens Therapy Heaven Type Agency Yew Tree Therapies With thanks to all our funders and partners for 2013 – 2014 Arts Council England Breakfast Creatives Leeds City Council & Leeds Inspired

Leeds Adult Social Care Creative Employment Programme Embassy of Finland The Fenton Arts Trust Foundation for Community Dance The Foyle Foundation Hyde Park Picture House Jimbo’s Fund Land Securities Leeds Community Foundation Leeds Metropolitan University The National Lottery Nesta Northern Ballet / Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre Northern School of Contemporary Dance Opera North Phoenix Dance Theatre Provident Financial plc Space 2 The Tetley Unity Theatre Trust University of Leeds West Yorkshire Playhouse West Yorkshire Sport Youth Dance England Volunteers Lauren Abel Katie Aynsley Rachel Clarke Charlotte Emptage Jayne Fullerton Mertyna Kozanecka Rebekah Roman Bethany Veness

Yorkshire Dance, 3 St Peter’s Buildings, St Peter’s Square, Leeds LS9 8AH 0113 243 9867, admin@yorkshiredance.com Yorkshire Dance Centre Trust Ltd Registered 2319572 England Registered Charity No. 701624 VAT No. 418 0193 70

Mia Ashe Laura Cassells Lisa Clayton Rachel Fullegar Hayley Graham Maria Popova Edwina Simpson