A big thank you!To all of artsNK Dance team's partners, sponsors, friends, parents, participants, associate artists and the like- this year has been even better as we continue to grow and develop dance in Lincolnshire!
An end note from the team....
Alice
This has been Alice's first full year with the artsNK dance team and it
has been one of new experiences and achievements. The InspireDance education
programme has been successfully delivered in twelve schools, with highlights
including pupils using dance to explore mathematical concepts and then being
given the opportunity to perform their pieces at the Guildhall Arts Centre in Grantham.
Alice has been proud to be a part of the high number of performance
opportunities the dance team have provided for young people this year including
projects such as Dance Factor and True Motion, and was recognised as a U.Dance
Champion by Youth Dance England for the number of events she
registered on behalf of the team. As the only non dancer in the team Alice has
also enjoyed being able to develop her own dance skills by performing in two
fitness based flash mobs the team performed in Lincoln high street and Sleaford
town centre, as well as beginning to train on the team's aerial dance rig - the
rest of the team better watch their backs! :)
Amy O
Amy has not only been teaching as part of the dance team but has been in the office working on all things social media from the facebook, twittter, blog and video promotions. Amy has thoroughly enjoyed teaching and working on the variety of projects over the year. Highlights including winning 2nd place with "Respect your Elders" in Dance Factor 2014 and working with a variety of Primary Schools from around the county to take part in the Spring and Summer Primary Dance Festivals. Amy is looking forward to developing her skills on the aerial silks, furthering her dance training with Vitality over 60's, and starting up various youth dance companies around local schools to perform and compete at Unite the Scene and True Motion. Another busy year is ahead and she can't wait to get stuck in!
Check out our team promo video here:-
Holly
This year Holly has taken on her new role as lead practitioner for the
educational programme, InspireDance. Within in this role Holly has
travelled the county to deliver dance sessions on a variety of topics/themes
and also delivered the ‘On with the Dance’ teacher training to
many Primary School teachers. Although she has been spending a lot of time away
from the rest of the team Holly has thoroughly enjoyed working in new schools,
meeting new young people and building new relationships in schools.
Holly’s most highlighted moment
of working within the InspireDance Programme was challenging herself to begin
to work with children with disabilities. Holly went to St Francis Specialist
School, where she immediately fell in love with the children. Holly is hoping
to continue to develop her relationship with St Francis and help to deliver
more dance in their school. Holly is also aiming to deliver dance in more
specialist schools starting in September.
This year for Lincolnshire's U.Dance County Platform, True Motion, Holly felt very proud of her group kNacKer’d Youth Dance Company, feeling that this was their best piece yet. Holly worked closely with a multimedia team, Blue Print to create a piece using projection called Gosuto. All of the dancers stepped up to the mark on the performance day and left Holly an emotional wreck side stage! Holly is now looking for inspiration for the next piece, which the group will start to work on in September.
This year for Lincolnshire's U.Dance County Platform, True Motion, Holly felt very proud of her group kNacKer’d Youth Dance Company, feeling that this was their best piece yet. Holly worked closely with a multimedia team, Blue Print to create a piece using projection called Gosuto. All of the dancers stepped up to the mark on the performance day and left Holly an emotional wreck side stage! Holly is now looking for inspiration for the next piece, which the group will start to work on in September.
Also, this year Holly has been
excited by the development of the Aerial Dance Programme, which is
now in full swing. Being able to train on the rig and teach has been a
challenge, however a highlight for her. In June, Holly found herself flying to
Ireland again to undergo an intensive weekend at the Irish Aerial Dance
Festival, training in Trapeze, Harness/Wall Running and Cocoons. Holly’s keeping
her fingers crossed for hoping to go for longer next year!
Holly continues to love working
for artsNK and is looking forward to what her fourth year has to hold!
Emma
It has been another busy and exciting year for the dance team with lots
of new developments to projects and programmes. Emma has enjoyed stepping
into the new role of overseeing the Youth Dance Programme, and is
really pleased with the amount of new people we have had starting in the
classes.
James
Having only started in January and reaching July for many can be viewed
as a short amount of time however, James have had the pleasure of working at
many fantastic events, attending truly inspirational performances and teaching
an array of creative young and dynamic children ranging from Nursery,
Reception, Primary and Secondary. Managing the Summer Primary Dance
Festival meant adopting to new styles of working - liaising with staff
and teachers, creating a programme and coordinating/structuring two live
performances. Overall it was very challenging but he thoroughly enjoyed
stepping into unfamiliar territory and finding ways to try and resolve any
problems he had. " It has been such a pleasure working together with
the Jumpstart boys to create new material and even watching
them perform at live events. I can't help but feel proud of how they really
work as a team and look out for each other's best interests. I've challenged
them and pushed them into becoming not only better as a unit but as
individuals. I hope they continue to work hard and inspire young men around
them who wish to dance.
Working for artsNK has proved to be very rewarding, it
is an organisation that really promotes the idea of putting the people first
and giving young children/adults and people of all walks of life an opportunity
to engage and simply try something new. Coming to work and being part of such a
fantastic team that strive to work together with relentless energy and
enthusiasm has been such a joy, I'm glad to have become a part of it. Bring on
the next academic year!"
Amy D
This academic year has been as busy as ever, keeping the team and I well and truly on our toes! We continue to build our programme and reputation for delivering high quality dance opportunities to everyone in Lincolnshire and, this year has seen some very exciting developments. Back in October, we held our bi-annual arts festival in Sleaford; namely Zygote, which featured our newly purchased aerial rig! Since then, we have built a programme of aerial dance featuring classes for children, young people and adults as well as specialist masterclasses and workshops. The rig is temporarily based at North Kesteven Centre until December 2014, where after we will find a permanent home for it. I am delighted that it has grown into part of the dance programme and has significant interest- and so it should- it’s spectacular!
In January, the team welcomed James as a new full-time member of staff in order for help us to deliver our new education offer to all schools in the county; InspireDance. James has proven to be a real asset, working to empower boys in dance as well as inspiring many, many youngsters in his short time with us. Holly has since become lead practitioner on the InspireDance programme; initiating partnerships and relationships with many, many schools in the county. Later in the year we lost Michaela our social media assistant and this saw Amy O take over and have much more input into the team’s daily social media activities. Amy O continues to teach for us and will be leading on some exciting new schools youth dance company developments from September onwards. Emma continues to lead on the Youth Dance Programme and has exciting things planned for 2015, watch this space! And finally, without Alice, the team would fall apart, she is the central core of keeping things ticking over.
The dance team make me very proud as Holly, Emma, Alice, James and Amy’s
continual hard work, dedication, enthusiasm, professionalism and commitment to
changing people’s lives through dance is second to none. As the only dance
development team left in probably the rest of England (which is managed by a
local authority), we are honoured to be continuing our work, developing new
projects, programmes, classes and inspiring so many young people.
Thank you for your support and bring on 2014-2015!
