News
West Midlands Youth Dance Forum gain Silver Arts Awards!
29th June 2012
We’re pleased as punch to announce that three of our youth forum has successfully gained their Silver Arts Award!
The group have been working towards them since February, and as well as developing their own individual skills and experiences have been working as a group alongside International Dance Festival Birmingham to create workshops and deliver them to other young people across the region. The group worked on Home, IDFB's bold, inventive dance production that moved through the streets of Birmingham city centre. The youth forum worked with Home tutor Kate DeRight to experience a Home workshop and then create their own. The group delivered their workshops across the West Midlands including Woodrush Youth and Community Centre, Bromsgrove and Cannock Youth Centre in Staffordshire.
Olivia Davie-Hickman said “I enjoyed taking part in the Silver Arts award as it has enabled me to meet new people and has taught me the skill to be able to run my own projects in the future. I have learnt various skills which I can take through the rest of life, especially how to plan ahead and set time scales for myself to stick to, and also preparing for large projects. My favourite part was running my own workshop and working with people who I’d never met before. I also enjoyed watching the different shows as they have inspired me to wanting to perform and tour nationally with professional dance companies.”
Emma Tilley said “Taking part in the Silver Arts Award was incredibly enriching and rewarding as it involved a strong commitment and detailed planning to achieve great results. I have learnt so much from the experience and I am so grateful for the opportunity. I feel that I have developed my leadership, organisational and project management skills to name a few! Also I have made numerous contacts in the industry which I believe will be very important for my future networking. I have also learnt how to use criticism and feedback in order to present a positive outcome and have made great relationships with the fellow Arts Awards participants and my leader, Rosie Gunn. My favourite part of the Arts Award was interviewing dance graduates from my University who had progressed to gain fantastic careers in the industry. My interviews were published in the University's student magazine for an audience of over 8,000 readers.”
Emily Nicklin:
Taking part in the Arts Award has been:
- Enjoyable
- Worthwhile
- We got loads of support
- We were able to access loads of useful resources
I’ve have learnt heaps from doing the Arts Award:
- Teamwork
- I feel more independent!
- I’ve gained more confidence
- Load more about other arts organisations
- All about the project International Dance Festival Birmingham and the 'Home' project
My favourite part of doing my Arts Award Silver has been:
- Being a leader
- Working independently on my own project
- Working with children
At DanceXchange our aim is to bring dance to more people in Birmingham and the West Midlands region, through performances, productions, classes and community outreach.
As we look to our long term future, we want to continue this work and we want to keep dance alive in the region. As a registered charity, we receive core funding from Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council, along with a range of trusts and foundations.
But we also need support from individuals and businesses to make this happen. By supporting DanceXchange, you will help us fulfil our core objectives: to produce exceptional work; to bring outstanding performances to Birmingham; and to enable people of all walks of life to engage in dance either as a participant, performer or audience member.
