Integrated Dance – with Louise Katerega

Monday 7^th April 2014 

“In the studio, over time, more and more I have lost that sense of division – disabled versus non-disabled – though I couldn’t run my company, FOOT IN HAND, if I did not acknowledge it in the world beyond. When I am teaching or making now though, 16 years into this stuff, for me, there are now only “a variety of people, their ranges of movement and their different ways of understanding the world” And , for me, they are all valid and all potentially beautiful. I see my job as to listen, to engage, actively make space to discover, to draw out; to connect one dancer with another in a way that compliments both.” – Louise Katerega

This evening Amy D, Amy O, Holly, Emma and James all took part in some Inclusive Dance training with Louise Katerega. Our Inspire Dance Programme is ever expanding and we are hoping to incorporate new journeys regarding inclusive dance.

Louise spoke about the terminology regarding integrated dance (inclusive dance; dance by, for and with disabled people) and the correct terms of impairments, physical, learning or sensory. She stated how every body is able it is just the way in which we incorporate dance into our sessions is what can dis-able that person into struggling with movement, co-ordination and understanding.

We began simple warm-up tasks that incorporated, chair-users, leg-users/standing dancers, acknowledging how small simple instructions using one body part and gradually building up to a phrase can be shown and demonstrated to anyone, no matter their impairment.

We discussed about creating a neutral language between tutor and participants and questioning

• ·         What is the basic essence or CORE PRINCIPLE of the movement/task you are giving / watching?
• ·         What body parts do we have in common? What kind of energy or feeling should the movement have?

For instance, STAND UP “everyone upright; find a place where you are balanced; prepare to move”

WALK/RUN AROUND THE ROOM “travel around the room”

JUMP  “send the energy up; elevated”

TURN  “rotate, change direction”

Louise has worked in the inclusive dance field for over 16 years and through her many years of experience teaching a variety of dancers and their impairments, had created herself a concise set of principles from which to work by when working / planning for integrated dance sessions. 

Teaching / Creative Principles

1. Remember to give yourself time in your sessions and take everything into consideration, whether that be changing, eating, or taking in information
2.  Preparation (giving yourself time to visit the class you are taking before, so you are aware of the participants who will be taking part)
3.   Aim for neutral language
4.   Understand and acknowledge the difference between movement which looks similar (aethsetic similarity) and instigates the same thing for the dancer (functional similarity)
5.    Connect energetically, through dynamics as well as shape
6.     For wheelchair users to offer a clear choice between using the spatial directions OR using the movement vocabulary
7.   Sometimes begin with directionality, for instance letting chair-users lead
8.   Connect through space, time and music
9.   Offer time and find ways for each individual to find increased degree if challenge for him/herself after setting an exercise
10.  Differentiate according to the body parts that are emphasised. Incorporate the skills needed and amount of previous experience, for instance the intensity of the movement or length of a taught phrase
11. Understand and acknowledge who leads/initiates movement. It is a case of process and a change of principle. For instance allowing those who have minimal physical choices to start / lead a phrase and gradually build up to who has the most status in choreographic work.

Fun and creative games were implemented into the training in order for us to try out simple and inventive tasks to assist with specific issues that may occur during a session. For example, contact, timing, choreography, energy building and improvisation

As a group we were over-whelmed by how simple creative tasks, using the correct terms and actively supporting, observing and participating can incorporate such a wide range of disabled and non-disabled dancers. We were very grateful to have such a talented and highly respected integrated dance artist, such as Louise, visit us and broaden our knowledge of inclusive dance which we can now integrate into our Inspire Dance Programme and over a wider range of dance sessions.

Amy O'Sullivan - Community and Youth Dance Worker

Easter Aerial Dance Jams

Amy, Holly, Emma and James ran a taster session for people wanting to take part in aerial dance classes this Easter break. There was a two hour taster jam for people with no experience of aerial work, followed by a two hour jam for people with some experience. artsNK have specialist aerial equipment offering people a rare chance to try these exciting and new techniques. The dance team have been training in this art in order to offer these new classes and jams to people at different levels of experience.

The aerial rig consists of two silks, each one splits into two poles to use. Both silks are different; the orange silk is thicker and offers more stretch. The black silk allows for more grip and less material, making it easier to negotiate. The hoop can be attached to the rig or its own apparatus, for the purpose of the taster session it was fixed into its own apparatus allowing for two silks to be used. When the hoop is elevated higher, more positions are accessible and the technique of hoisting yourself onto the hoop can also be taught.

The dance team started the jam with a warm up followed by teaching techniques of how to use the specialised equipment. Participants learnt how to climb the silks and each had a go climbing as high as they felt comfortable to. Two types of climbing techniques were shown to give a variation. The next technique is the single foot lock; this allows you to create positions in the air with the ropes such as the cocoon and the swan. The swan technique is a beautiful position to hold and is created by locking one foot, placing your hands at the front of the ropes and sliding down them and then pointing your foot to your knee. Amy is in this position on the left using the black silk in the photo below.

Later the dance team taught the group how to tie a double foot lock, this position allows for more complex poses like the straddle back. The team taught various more positions using the single and double foot lock for the group to try out. The team then moved on to the hoop and started with the correct seated position and then the man on the moon position where you sit inside the hoop. The beginners jam tried out the mermaid position on the hoop when you hold on with one hand and tilt your pelvis over the hoop locking your ankles together. During the jam for people with some experience, the participants dared to go to the next level and use the hoop to create the stag position. The two photos of the hoops below show daring leg splits. Some of the group also had a go at the wine position and other advanced positions.

As soon as the team had finished teaching the techniques, the groups were invited to have a play on the equipment and practice the new techniques they had just learnt. During the jam for people with some experience, this was a chance for them to try new and complex positions and also practice any they had just been recapped on or taught. The jam sessions ended with a relaxing cool down to stretch out the muscles that had been used. Aerial work takes strength and uses many different muscles. The jam sessions ran successfully and the groups enjoyed their experience of using the aerial rig and hoop.

Today the artsNK dance team are taking part in a full day master class workshop with Viva aerial dance from London! This opportunity will help the team further develop their aerial skills and take them to the next level! Pictured is James with one of Viva’s team members developing aerial skills on the silks. 

Aerial workshops for young people aged 11-18 years old are due to start 22nd April! Why not come along and learn something new! £5 each class and you will have a chance to learn the basic skills of silks and hoops. Don’t miss your chance to dance through the air; classes will be in the squash courts based at North Kesteven Sports Centre in North Hykeham. Classes for adults and master classes are coming soon!

Leonie Harris, artsNK Dance Student Placement.

Early Years Inset Dance Training

Early Years Training – with Oksana Tyminska

Thursday 27^th March 2014

Today Amy, Holly, Emma and James had a visit from Oksana Tyminska from “Turned on its head” Dance company. Oksana specialises in Early Years dance and developed resource packs aimed at teachers, practitioners and community group leaders to support teaching and delivery of creative dance practice.

Small Steps Big Moves, Giant Leaps, Early Years Resource Pack

Is an early years resource pack giving early years practitioners, teachers, artists and parents the skills and confidence to deliver dance.  Over 1000 copies of the resource has been sold, regionally and nationally, and delivered many workshops on the subject, which supported those wanting to use the pack.The ideas in the pack aim to engage the child’s natural curiosity allowing them to explore, express themselves and reflect on their world and experiences.

Along with the pack Oksana brought many props and crafts with her to help create fun and inventive structures for a dance workshop for young children. We all discovered how dance can be incorporated within youngsters learning and how dance sessions can incorporate small and simple props to help encourage creativity within sessions.

 As a group we looked at the development of children, and how child play can encourage creativity, movement, and an understanding of the body from head to toe.

‘Play is the work of children’

'Children's play should be 50% on the floor, 50% in loving arms' - Jasmine Pasch, Jabadao

Sponges, feathers, ribbons, music, stories, books, lycra, elastic, cardboard boxes were just some of the simple, yet effective, items that the dance team explored , who knew dance training could be so much fun? J

Oksana introduced more fun and exciting ways to bring participants into the space, setting them off on fun and creative journeys and using the manipulation of props as a way that can help move the participants.

Example Structure

·         Bringing the children into the space

·         Warming up and physical exploration

·         Introducing a task or idea for the children to discover and develop

·         Sharing and showing experience – performance

·         Cool down and finishing the session 

Floor play, crawling, spinning, push and pull and rolling onto stomachs were just some of the exercises we explored in order to enhance our knowledge of a child’s body awareness, strength building, co-ordination, eye focus and risk assessment of self.

Fun and creative mess was created throughout the day but through this we found a correlation between play and movement development. As result, we gained a broader knowledge of early years dance and the integration of props into our lessons. 

Holly, Alice and James go to out of space!

Monday 10^th March 2014

Holly, Alice and James from the dance team went along to The Mighty Creative’s event in Leicester, Embedding creativity in the Primary Curriculum. We were very excited to find that the venue for the conference was in fact the National Space Centre itself! Amazed as we walked in we were ushered into a theatre where we felt like astronauts straight away, gazing up to the sky in recycling chairs. 

Starting the morning off with keynote speakers such as Emma Trounson – Professional Choral conductor, who taught us to sing and sing in a round as a group. Also, we heard from Jason Wilsher Mills – Bluejayway Digital Arts, Gary Halliday – UK Film School and Liz Macfarlane.

We were then split off into the workshops we had selected for the day. Holly and Alice went along to the new Primary Curriculum. Holly and Alice learnt about the overall changes in the primary curriculum and how there is now more freedom within the framework as to how to deliver it. There is more intention on finding new and interesting ways of delivering it but contacting specialists in different areas to help with this. James went to a workshop based on delivering dance through the PE and Sport Premium funding, where he found more information about the fund and it’s potential. 

After a networking lunch Holly, Alice and James went together to their next workshop Dance in the Curriculum. Alice was shocked to find that the session was actually in fact a practical one. However, she got her moves out and represented the artsNK Dance team very well! Within the workshop we learnt about different ways you can teach the curriculum through the use of dance. We looked into the 3 main core subjects of Maths, English and Science. It gave Holly and James lots of new ideas to try when working in Primary Schools.

For the last workshop of the day Holly, Alice and James explored the space centre! Acting like very excited children the 3 went off to explore. Did you know that if you put the planets into water the only one that would float would be Saturn? Fun fact of the day! Also, they would recommend a ride on the simulator! 

All in all the day was a very productive and successful one, taking away a greater insight into the Primary Curriculum and how we as artists can have our own creative input within the educational setting.

Ockhams Razor presents: The Mill

Wednesday 26^th February 2014 at The Lincoln Drill Hall

Ockhams Razor presents The Mill: Review

Taken from the Ockhams Razor website; We are an aerial theatre company who combine circus and visual theatre to make work that is arresting and entertaining. This is the company’s first full length piece of work and it didn’t disappoint. The artsNK dance team are currently looking to develop and extend their line of aerial work and so this was a perfect performance for us to watch and gain insight and inspiration. 

As we entered the performance space the audience were greeted by the sight of a spectacular scene of a 7 meter high rig aerial rig which included a giant wheel, ropes and wires. The piece featured five performers/aerialists who contributed equally throughout the whole piece. In terms of a narrative, as the title suggests The Mill; the performers present themselves as industrial style workers, feared by failure they must conform and work to the orders of the factory, however things start to fall apart and they must quickly adapt, solve and unite to find a solution. Throughout the piece the performers worked on and around most of the equipment including the massive steel and wooden wheel, ropes and actual rig itself.

It was such a delight to see an aerial company show imagination and creativity by not using standard aerial equipment such as trapeze, silk or hoop for example. I believe that this made the piece highly original and unique as the equipment, costumes, performers, space and rig became a collective and all worked successfully off each other. They offered moments of comedy provided suspense whilst still staying true to their company name and narrative of the piece. Overall I found it to be mesmerizing, playful and gripping. Those wishing to see something new and exciting I would highly recommend you buy a ticket. Please support Ockhams Razor by visiting their website or alternatively visiting social networking sites.

Be sure to keep an eye out for artNK’s aerial development with some exciting prospects coming your way!

James Kitney, Community Dance Artist – artsNK

Southpaw Dance Company

Tuesday 25^th February 2014 at the Terry O’ Toole Theatre

Riots & Men on a Mission review

Taken from their Facebook page Southpaw Dance Company create relevant, thought-provoking, and affective hip hop dance theatre. As an audience member we were invited to witness their latest work Riots & Men on a Mission presented as a double bill. The group lead under the artistic direction of Robby Graham (also a dancer for Bad Taste Cru) performed alongside three other male artists and one female. The first performance Men on a Mission featured all four male artists dressed in smart/casual wear – trousers, smart shirt and socks. Before the piece I had no idea as to what either of the performances would entail and so my imagination was left to run wild. In relation to the style of the piece, I was told to expect Hip Hop fused with contemporary based elements. As a developing artist I was very keen to see what they would produce. 

The movement was wonderfully executed and juxtaposed, in some ways, the way conventional Hip Hop (in particular B Boying) is often expressed with pace and sharpness. Southpaw however managed to delve deep into was is clearly a broad understanding of release-based form and free flowing movement. We were able to really capture each performer’s intent and emotion. The stage opened with all four performers present of stage facing the audience – we were introduced immediately and so a clear connection was made. 

As the piece developed I, as I’m sure many other audience members did, were able to identify exactly what the piece was specifically about. One moment which made this quite noticeable was when the female performer stepped onto stage, pulled the belt from a male performer’s trousers and began to use the belt as a tightening aid often associated with a method to take drugs. It could also be claimed that the movement itself at times, often very loose and appeared as if uncontrollable, could also been a relation to drugs and alcohol misuse. Although many may ponder over the controversial narrative behind this performance I still feel it was brave and important for the company to address such current and problematic issues very common within our society. Overall I found the movement to be beautifully theatrical, crisply executed, dynamic and very innovative.

The second performance of the double bill named Riots still encapsulated the overall style of the company but expressed a very different narrative. Throughout this performance in particular the company used small LED lights to provide a very powerful lighting display which nicely complimented the performer’s intent. Having such little light meant the audience had to really focus and stay attached to a certain point for longer. 

The company cleverly allowed us as audience members to make snapshots of specific moments within the piece – very powerful! The piece featured several unison sections often initiated by use of cannon or certain motifs. The individuality of each performer was delightful to witness and this was often expressed with the form of B Boying; exciting turns, careful weight distribution as well as catching/falling stunningly into the floor or other performer’s bodies. 

In terms of a theme I believe it to have been centered around the current evolution of technology and how society is becoming ever more reliant on it. At one point the performers used the LED lights as a demonstration of a mobile phone, the audience could partially see the faces of the performers but the focus was very much on their hands and twiddling of thumbs to suggest that of a mobile device. The mood throughout was soft and gentle compared to that of the first one, it was much more intimate. Overall Riots was choreographed with detail and raw emotion which could be argued that they sought out to target and speak out about political and conformed social trends. We hope those who have witnessed their worked enjoyed it as much as we did. Please join us in supporting Southpaw by visiting their website, Facebook page and/or Twitter account.

James Kitney Community Dance Artist – artsNK

Spring Primary Dance Festival 2014

The spring edition of our Primary Dance Festival, delivered in collaboration with North Kesteven School, saw 160 young people from local primary schools participate – a clear indication of the success of the day!
 

 

A mixture of Year 5 and 6 pupils from Bassingham Primary School, Swinderby All Saints Primary School, Fosse Way Academy, Ling Moor Academy, South Hykeham Primary School and All Saints Waddington Primary School participated in the final showcase on the 13^th February at the Terry O’Toole Theatre, following six weeks of hard work.
 

Working alongside artsNK dance artists, pupils had developed creative dance pieces surrounding the idea of transition from primary to secondary school. Each school drew on elements such as friendship, isolation, discoveries, achievement, team work, support and their journeys to school within their pieces.
 

Throughout the day of the festival young people were able to rehearse their piece within the Terry O’Toole Theatre, providing an opportunity to witness and appreciate the work of other schools. The young people were also able to watch rehearsals from Year 7 and AS Level groups from North Kesteven School, giving them an insight into other dance styles and choreography.

 

 

All schools performed twice in the evening at two sell out shows, with feedback from the young people saying how they thoroughly enjoyed being given the opportunity to perform in a theatre environment!

 

 

This spring project was supported by third year Sport Development and Coaching students from the University of Lincoln. The group helped with all stages of the project, from planning through to hosting the show, as part of one of their modules. The group were mentored by Alice from the artsNK Dance Team, who herself was once student on the Sport Development and Coaching course. Alice worked on the 2013 Spring Primary Dance project in her final year at university so it was an enjoyable experience for her to support the students with this year’s festival.
 

                                 

The Primary Dance Festival is back again in Summer so watch this space for updates and reviews!