Dance United

5th Primary Dance Festival

On Wednesday 22 May the Belvoir Studio Theatre hosted the 5th Primary Dance Festival organised by DU Dance to celebrate the exciting dance happening in schools today.

The festival this year included seven primary schools from across Belfast with performances from over 100 children aged 4 to 11 years.

This fun and lively festival enables children to take to the stage and share their dance work with other schools in a performing arts venue, in front of an audience of pupils and teachers. The event is not competitive but a showcase, incorporating all styles of dance and at all levels – each school has something different to perform.

DU Dance artistic director Mags Byrne explains the value of the project to the young dancers:
“This festival is designed to give children a chance to come together to perform and share their love of dance. It is also a chance for the children to see professional dance in a theatre space, to meet the dancers involved and be inspired, along with their teachers”.

Compere, Arthur Webb, was particularly impressed by the standard of performances this year which included the first rendition of “Bollywood” style dance.

DU Dance performed a new piece of work – The Winner at the festival.

Rostulla School – One Big Week

DU Dance was delighted to be invited to Rostulla School in Newtownabbey to work on a dance performance for their One Big Week which focused on environmental and global issues. Working with 15 students, aged 12 to 14 years over two weeks Dance Facilitator, Sheena Kelly, used the theme of renewable energy to create an inspiring performance which was showcased to an audience of other pupils, their family and teachers on 14th June.

The students performed exceptionally well and this lively and interesting show also involved a Samba Band, Choir, and talks from each class. A great way to end the school term. Rosstulla is a co-educational controlled school catering for young people with a moderate learning disability and all pupils hold a statement of Special Educational Need.

Sutemos Youth Group

The group continues to grow in size and strength with performances at Ranfurly House Arts & Visitor Centre showcasing dance in Dungannon, a Volunteer Recognition Event, the Unanimous event in Belfast and some challenging outreach performances in health and social care settings in the Dungannon area for the Arts Care – Arts & Older People’s Arts Festival.

If you are from the Dungannon and South Tyrone area and are interested in joining the group, please get in contact with DU Dance.

Staff Development Training

In late September, DU Dance delivered a second workshop on staff development training to the human resource team of Allen & Overy in Belfast. The training was possible through the support of Arts and Business Northern Ireland

Irish Youth Dance Festival 29th & 30th June

DU Dance is delighted to have two youth dancers involved in this international youth dance collective that was formed as part of a project run by Dublin Youth Dance Theatre. The dancers will perform at the Irish Youth Dance Festival in June, alongside 10 others youth dancers from Sweden, France and Ireland. This is a fantastic opportunity for the young people that will enable them to make connections which could open up doors for them in the future.

DU Dance will also send eight young dancers, four from Sutemos and four from Merge Cru to perform at the festival. The group will come together for a week long summer school from 22 June at the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast to develop a piece for the Festival at the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin on 29th & 30th June. This is the first time in the eleven year history of the festival that dancers from the north have been involved.

Unanimous

Unanimous is a new inspiring and exciting platform event for youth dance showcasing new work from youth dance groups in Northern Ireland. Thanks to all the performers at our first event in March including Merge Cru, Skill2Style, Speicius- Lithuanian Folk Dancers and Sutemos and special guests the Bad Taste Cru.

Our next platform event will take place in December 2013.

DU Dance would like to acknowledge the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council Development and Outreach programme and the Community Relations Council for the Merge Cru with thanks also to the Crescent Arts Centre for their continuing support.

Merge Cru

Merge Cru have been working together for about 18 months at the Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast focusing on developing young people’s breakdance/hip-hop and contemporary dance skills exploring many styles and techniques within both genres creating unique dance theatre performances. The group presented a new piece of work “Common Ground” choreographed by Paul Allen and the group for the Unanimous event – representing divides on many different levels, moving from cohesion with the group lost in music and the freedom of dance to one person breaking away from the group, battle, resolution and reaching out to each other.

The group is open to young people over 13 years who have an interest in dance and performance.

Formation of DU Dance Youth Advisory Committee

Young people are at the heart of the DU Dance’s work and to ensure the company benefits regularly from the direct input of young people, DU Dance’s first Youth Advisory Committee was recently formed. The group will advise the company on all matters related to young people, and report to the DU Dance board. The 8 members are drawn from three different DU Dance projects, Sutemos, Merge and Alternative Energies.

DU DANCE (NI)

35 Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2FG
T/F: 028 9033 0956 M: 07790 236130
E: info@dudanceni.com

DU Dance (NI) is a company limited by guarantee.

Registration No. NI063813. Charity No. XT1102

Statement of Intent / Child Protection