Dance South West

The TRI scheme offers mentoring which is specifically tailored to meet the particular needs of each dance artist.

“It made me think about paying attention to creative instincts. Realising that I do have certain methodologies- which might be quite unconscious, this emphasises to me the need for developing my processes and spending time with/trusting in them. “ - Dance artist on TRI

TRI focuses on 5 key areas of development:

• Artistic development - Choreographic support/creative studio time/developing own creative vision

• Creative producing - Developing artistic and business partners/creating business plans/fundraising strategies and the development of funding bids

• Personal professional development - Looking at work/life balance/personal training/identifying priorities

• Education and outreach program development - Working with clients to enrich and develop the integrity/ relevance and potential of their education and outreach programme

• Becoming a creative leader - Support with: negotiation skills inside and outside the studio/ employing or engaging creative collaborators/running an audition/planning creative process

We have now taken the second round of dancers on to the TRI scheme. The diversity indicates that there is a very dedicated and hardworking community of practitioners. They want to hold on to their artistic practice whilst continuing to develop it, but are also seeking to find how it works financially and practically.  They are striving to find honesty within their work, staying true to their art and creative practice whilst taking responsibility for the need to be effective and self supporting.

We are delighted to bring the following dancers on to the scheme:

TRI

Seeta Patel  - Bristol  

Rachelle Green  - Somerset

Triangle

Rebecca Seymour  - Wiltshire

Grace Sellwood - Cornwall

Isabelle Cressy - Bristol 

Gemma Kempthorne  - Cornwall

These dancers and those currently on the scheme are building their relationships with individual mentors.  The way each dancer engages with the scheme is different according to their need and in response to their initial application.

The following people are either mentors now or available as mentors, but artists can request to work with anyone of their own choosing:

Helen Tiplady

Adam Benjamin

Cath James

Chris Fogg

Deborah Baddoo

Louise Barrett

Mark Wallace           

Alicia Grace

June Gamble

Lois Taylor 

“The session helped me to get a good sense of the whole picture with the current work I am doing and future projects and aspirations, also 3-year plan leading into a more formal work arrangement.  This was incredibly useful.” - Dance artist on TRI

Sessions have taken place across the region.  The contact and communication between artists and mentors does not stop at the end of the session but continues via email and phone, deepening the knowledge and trust between them.

“I found our meeting very interesting - you always ask properly thought provoking questions” - Dance artist on TRI

As creative advisors we have also been learning and developing our skills and understanding through these relationships 

“I am delighted to work with dancers who can engage with a critical approach to their practice and are willing to ask questions around what they are doing.  I am realising the importance of the mentor as listener and the simplicity of this. I am being mindful that whilst I am working with an artist to reveal their own working methodologies, I am also revealing/developing my own methodologies of mentor/dramaturg” - Creative Mentor on TRI

 

Dancers currently on the scheme are:

TRI

Emily Dobson - Cornwall

Viv Gordon - Somerset

Stella Azzura Squadroni - Cornwall

Ally Ling - Plymouth

Saffy Setohy - Cornwall

Batel Magen - Bristol

TRIangle

Lisa May Thomas - Bristol

Suzzie West - Devon

Laura Street - Bristol

Jessie Percival - Bristol

Natasha Fewings – Bristol