5th October 2021

We are thrilled to see the lovely new dance floor, kindly donated earlier this year by Harlequin, is getting lots of use by young dancers from the local kebale (township) at the Meseret Yirga Dance Centre in Addis Ababa. Meseret’s extremely talented youth dance group are loving the new floor and the developments in technique classes which are now possible to work on. As part of our on-going work with community dance in Ethiopia, we now plan to help the centre with studio mirrors. Watch this space!

Elsewhere in Ethiopia, our colleague Shiferaw Tariku is just about to launch his book – The Unfortunate Art – which talks about what the art form of dance has “…inside, beside the movement”. It has been a long haul to raise the funds for this but thankfully we are in the final stages and the book will be launched on 23rd October 2021 at the Ethiopian National Theatre.

The 11th September was Ethiopian New Year (2014 rather than 2021) and to celebrate another colleague who we support, Andualem Amare, took his students to Mount Entoto Park to dance. He reported that two great days were had by one and all.

For more information on this important area of our work check out this page.

20th September 2021

We are excited to welcome back our Suteminis and Sutemos classes in Dungannon during Good Relations Week 2021. Involving young people from many different countries and cultural backgrounds in intercultural dance work, this programme of work has successfully used dance to provide a safe environment to build connections and celebrate differences for the past six years. New members are always welcome. Visit this page for more information on the classes or to book a place.

#GRW2021

7th September 2021

We are delighted to launch a new Belfast Boys group for younger boys aged 7 – 11 years, in addition to our current group aged 12 – 16 years.   Building on the success and popularity of our programme, no experience is necessary and everyone is welcome! It has been great to meet lots of new faces.

• 10 sessions from 18th Sept – 4th Dec 2021 (incl. 2 week Halloween break)
• 2pm – 3pm on Saturdays
• ONLY £5 membership fee; £1 subs per session
• The group is led by dance artist Sean O’Neill
• Meet at Crescent Arts Centre, 2-4 University Road, Belfast BT7 1NH

Please spread the word!

If you would like to find out more about Belfast Boys and how to join, please call us or email info@dudanceni.com

3rd September 2021

We are thrilled to set sail this Saturday 4th September and dip our toes in the water at the Belfast Maritime Weekender. It’s been a while!

Young people from our youth engagement projects, Sutemos in Dungannon and Belfast Boys, will be entertaining the crowds with their short devised performance pieces at 11:30, 12:00 and 12:30. Watch out for the drunken sailors!

You can find us at the Buoys on the Maritime Mile so come along and say hello! We will also be sharing exciting news about our new sessions starting this month in Ballymoney, Ballycastle, Dungannon and Belfast.

1st September 2021

The premiere of this inspiring short film, developed over the summer, was screened at the EastSide Arts Festival on the 14th August 2021. In partnership with Tinderbox Theatre Company and Powerstone Productions, 15 young dancers from Sutemos and Suteminis took part in two weekends of rehearsals and filming to create a short film around the impact of migration on child refugees. The event also involved an interesting panel discussion after the film screening.

25th June 2021

We’re delighted to welcome to the team Morag Stuart as Marketing Co-ordinator. Morag has over twenty years marketing experience across a broad spectrum of organisations and since 2007 within the arts in Northern Ireland. This includes Wheelworks, Young at Art Events, National Museums Northern Ireland and as a volunteer with the Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts & Film Festival. She has worked collaboratively with a number of artists, events and partners such as Belfast City Council, Cathedral Quarter Trust, Island Arts Centre, Barnardo’s and QFT.

Morag will bring a wealth of professional knowledge and experience to this new role with a genuine passion for the arts in Northern Ireland.

Developments are afoot in Bethlehem for a full-time university accredited dance course. With partner organisations Dar Al-Kalima University and Diyar Arts Theatre, and colleagues Royston Maldoom and Tamara McLorg, a one year full time community dance training programme is being designed. The course is due to start in January 2022, though the COVID situation in Bethlehem might see it being delayed until September.

We are delighted to announce six choreographic commissions thanks to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland- Stability and Renewal funds. This opportunity was offered to young people aged 16 and over taking part in the company’s Youth Engagement Programme. With the help of the group leaders fiver young people were chosen. The sixth commission will facilitate six of the older members of Belfast Boys to develop their skills at a choreographic weekend. The work will conclude on the 13th August in Dungannon with an informal showing of the dance pieces created.

We’re gearing up for two summer weeks in Dungannon and Belfast.

Suteminis & Sutemos Summer Sessions will take place at the Events Space at the Hill of the O’Neill & Ranfurly Arts Centre in Dungannon from the 9th-13th August 2021. The summer week in partnership with Mid Ulster District Council will run for Primary School age 7-11 years from 10am-12pm and for Secondary school age 12-18 years from 1pm-3pm . The week will include learning different dance styles, creating your very own dances, a special circus workshop with Belfast Circus School and a sharing for parents at the end of the week. Click here to see this group in action: Video link

To book your space click here

Belfast Boys Summer Sessions will kick off from the 18th-22nd August 2021 in Belfast with Primary School Age from 7-11 years from 10am-12pm and Secondary school 12-16 years from 1pm-3pm.

Click here to see this group in action: Video link

To book your space: Belfast Boys 7-11 years or Belfast Boys 12-16 years

Both summer schemes are open to newcomers and no experience is necessary.

To find out more and how to book your space email us at info@dudanceni.com.

As part of our ongoing support of community artists in Ethiopia, we spoke with Harlequin, the specialised dance floor company, and they donated a dance floor for the Meseret Yirga Dance Centre. We then had to transport the floor to Addis Ababa….easier said than done. Well, it arrived and it is a much-needed addition to Ethiopia’s first purpose-built contemporary dance studio.

For more information: Meseret Yirga Studio