Dance South West

Young Creatives
Information

You must be between 15 & 19 years old to apply and your application must be supported by a group leader, teacher, parent or carer if under 18 yrs.

After this year’s successful launch of the Young Creative strand we are once again looking for new dance work created by young choreographers to present at a performance in London in July 2009.

We want to see work that is fresh and communicates with an audience. It could be based on anything that inspires you…. Your life view, dance itself, what is happening in the world, relationships, interpreting a piece of music, a film, an image or a novel.

We are open to presenting a range of work… Whatever truly inspires you will probably inspire us!

The works must have been made by you and can use any dance form – e.g. ballet, breaking, contemporary, jazz, kathak, street, tap or a combination!

New for 2009! - Young Creatives who are selected to perform at the July event will be assigned a mentor who will attend a rehearsal of the work and provide feedback following the initial Informal Sharing (discussed below) so that the piece can be perfectly polished for the main Young Creatives Performance(s) in a London theatre in July 2009!

The details

You need to be 15 – 19 years when the application is submitted (30.11.08).

The pieces will need to be performed by between 1 – 5 people. The Young Creative can be one of the performers but the total number must not exceed 5 people (minimum age 11 years).

The maximum length of the piece submitted should be 7 minutes (You don’t have to work to the maximum length. 2 minutes can be great - remember short and concise is often better than long and over extended).
You can make the work with sound or without sound – recorded or live (If you do use recorded sound you should request permission from the music distributor e.g. EMI Records to use the music in your piece. See ‘Use of Music in Youth Dance Pieces Info Sheet on www.yde.org.uk).

Lighting facilities will be provided for theatre presentation In July 2009 and we can help you if you want to create a lighting design for your piece.

If you and/or your performers are under 18 years old you will need to be accompanied by two adults who will take responsibility for your welfare during the residential element of the event (more information can be obtained from YDE).

The role of the adult nominator (teacher, group leader, parent, carer) is to take an active interest in the Young Creative’s work and their rehearsals. They should be ensuring that the Young Creative gets all required information and fees to YDE on time and that they can arrange insurance for the group should they be selected to perform at the July event. The nominator should ensure that they can chaperone the Young Creative and their group at the Informal Sharing and the July event (if the group is selected) and should therefore make sure they have an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Check by February 2009.

Costs

Young Creatives is supported through funding raised by YDE. All costs associated with providing the theatres and studios will be covered by YDE, so there is no fee for selected Young Creatives, or their performers, to take part in the event.

Travel to performances and mentoring session(s) and accommodation will need to be met by the Young Creatives, their accompanying adults and their dancers. These costs will be relatively low as YDE has sourced modestly priced accommodation. Each person will need to pay £97.50 (young people & group leaders or adults accompanying you) for accommodation and food. Payment in full would need to be made by 20th June 2009.

For Young Creatives who may have difficulty in finding funds for this event, advice is available from YDE on the web site and also from your Regional Co-ordinator who we can direct you to.

Event Timetable (provisional)

30th November 2008 - Deadline for applications

Week beginning 15th December 2008 - Young Creatives notified as to whether they have been shortlisted for the informal sharing

February/March 2009 – Informal sharing in London (date to be confirmed)

31st March 2009 – Deadline by which Young Creatives will have received notification from YDE as to whether they are selected for the July Performance.

April to June 2009 – Meeting(s) and communication between the Young Creative and their mentor.

Early July 2009 – Performance(s) to a public audience in London (date and venue to be confirmed).

The Selection Criteria:

YDE is committed to finding groups who can contribute to a well-balanced performance of high quality dance pieces. The performance will be seen as an opportunity to profile some of the best youth dance created in the country and therefore standards are expected to be high. The main criteria for selection will be:

• excellence in both choreographic and performance standards
• ability and openness to practice new dance techniques and choreographic approaches
• evidence of thorough exploration of your choreographic idea(s)
• enthusiasm for the choreographic process and its realisation in performance

It is essential that these criteria are demonstrated initially through the application form and the submitted video footage. The video may either be of the proposed completed work or work in progress. If the footage is of work in progress, a written explanation of how the work is to be developed must be enclosed. (See application form)

The next step:

To apply to take part in Young Creatives you will need to do the following:

 Provide a DVD or VHS of the work you wish to perform, or the work in progress (Mini DV tapes will not be accepted).
 Applicants will also need to complete the enclosed application form and remember to include your statement.
 The deadline for applications is 4pm on 30th November 2008.
(Applications received after this date will not be considered.)
 Young Creatives that meet the criteria will be short-listed and successful groups will be invited to attend and present their piece at an informal sharing in London. This will take place in February or March 2009 and all the groups that perform at this sharing will receive feedback from YDE. The Young Creatives will also be interviewed at this event.
 Final pieces will be selected based on performance at the informal sharing.

For more information and/or an application form, please contact:

Louise Forster
Regional Youth Dance Coordinator
Dance South West
07796 293328
louise.forster@dancesouthwest.org.uk