Dance South West

The South West Youth Dance Network

SWYDN is co-ordinated by a motivated and enthusiastic core group of young people aged 16-19, representing each county and city in the South West. These young people act as ambassadors for youth dance in the South West region, helping to inspire, motivate and communicate information to other young people in their area.

To find out more click here!

   

Sports Leaders UK – Leaders for Life    

Dance South West is working with Sports Leaders UK to increase the number of young people accessing the Award in Dance Leadership. Dance South West attended the Leaders for Life Convention in Bristol last week where more than 100 Sports Leaders came together to showcase their skills, meet with other young leaders and access information on how to get involved in volunteering and community sport and dance projects. 

   

Dance South West ran a competition for delegates asking them what they thought was so good about dance. Many of them were not dancers by trade so their efforts to ‘strike a pose’ to illustrate their musings won two lucky teams a set of YDE goodies. Their responses and photos can be seen here..

 

                    

So what did the young Sports Leaders think 'was so good about dance?'...It's "unique","magical","cool","fun", "expressive" "creative","enjoyable" and "versitile". It get's me "active", "fit", "showing my emotions", "to come out of my comfort zone", "to build my confidence", "committed", "to show my personality", and "amazed".

For more information on the Dance Leadership Award, please contact kate.barsby@dancesouthwest.org.uk or see the Sports Leaders website: http://www.sportsleaders.org/ 

To see a brief case study on delivery of the Dance Leadership Award please click here

Stride! in the South West - a resounding success

Twelve exceptional young people from the South West attended a week-long residential at Dartington Hall over Easter as part of the YDE Stride! programme.  The young dancers from Dorset, Devon, Swindon, Cornwall, and South Gloucestershire had an incredible week of workshops and presentations, practical dance activity, theatre visits, personal and professional leadership development sessions, sunshine and fun!

Over the summer they have gone on to gain work experience with a range of dance agencies, venues, arts centres and professional dance and theatre companies, and receive mentoring from dance professionals with a wealth of expertise – experiences which have helped the Striders! get clearer on what it is they want to do, and how they can get there.

Click here for more of the story!

YDE Stride! is an annual leadership and development programme aimed at young people wishing to explore the many career opportunities available within the dance sector.

YDE Stride! offers a rare opportunity to participate in an action-packed residential, devise projects with skilled and professional guidance, and develop experience and knowledge of the dance sector through a work placement and support of a mentor, all of which aim to help participants get a head start with their career in dance.

YDE Stride! is a national programme and in 2010 it was delivered at a regional level by YDE Stride! 'hosts' who had all planned various exciting activities, workshops and training sessions for the young participants.
The three hosts for YDE Stride! 2010 were: Dance4, Dance South West, and East London Dance with Sadler's Wells.

YDE Stride! is for young people aged between 14 and 19 years old, with an entrepreneurial spirit and creative problem-solving skills.

Applicants may or may not have already participated in a YDE performance programme, but should be seeking to extend their understanding and experiences of the dance profession and be curious to find out what options they have for a future career in dance.