Previously, i had been focusing on creating a dance syllabus within my own community dance company and many of the questions i asked reflected this.
Questions such as;
- Are dance exams important?
- Is formalizing a dance form important?
- What are the alternatives?
- How do i connect with people?
- How do i get a support system?
- What is the role of an Artistic Director?
I was trying to understand my role within community dance without really looking at the foundations of it.
What IS community dance and how does it connect to Youth dance?
Over the last few months i have been focusing on running my own dance classes, i wouldn't call A3 Dance a full fledged company yet....but it's getting there. Since opening I've had to face my own challenges. The business and management side of things have been a little testing but i'm managing. It did have me thinking though. How will i ensure my students don't face the same tests as me if they ever want to pursue a career in dance management. Right now my classes focus on building confidence, learning dance routines and most importantly fun, but do i need more? In order to sustain a successful company do i need to offer more than just dance?
Already, i'm finding it hard to hold my older students so many reasons they have not to attend classes!! College work, other engagements or appointments or simply no motivation and can't be bothered. Does that reflect my teaching or is it something more than that. My A3 juniorz are booming, with more new students almost every week. So is it the age group?
Just when i thought my older class (A3 Starz) was at the point of possibly no return i was offered a lifeline. An amazing opportunity to be project leader of a new Youth Dance programme created by Irie! Dance Theater called 'Steps Together.' http://www.iriedancetheatre.org/
The programe offers young people aged 14-18 the opportunity to be part of a creative dance programme which will allow them to experience choreography, events management, industry links, administrative skills, performances and much more.
This also meant that a new partnership could be formed between A3 Dance Company and Irie!dance theater and as i have recently learnt partnerships are vital for longevity and provide a far bigger network.
- Why are partnerships important?
- How will it help my company?
- How will it affect my company?
- Will it be successful?
This weekend myself and project assistant Stevie Brown were invited, on behalf of Irie! dance theater to attend the ACE (African Cultural Exchange) http://www.acedanceandmusic.com/ Symposium focusing on Youth dance both in England and internationally. There is such a large network of Youth dance companies throughout England and we have to start utilizing these networks. It was here that i started to realize perhaps i had been jumping ahead of myself. Before i could consider those questions previously asked, i would have to consider how i got to that point. What route did i take in order to reach those questions.
I have now begun to propose new questions and thoughts of inquiry.
Questions such as;
- How will i attract people/youths to my dance classes?
- What do i want them to get out of the dance programme?
- Can the youth lead the programme?
- How do i plan on keeping them?
- How will i sustain the programme?
- What else should i offer in addition to dance?......Arts award??
Questions such as;
- What does dance do for young people? were followed by
- What can young people bring to dance?......Honesty, Directness, their all.
Young people are not afraid to take risks and they are the ones who will pave the way for dance in the future.
Soon, it may be so that dance companies will no longer be able to continue, having to "tick boxes" in order to keep obtaining funding. It does make me wonder where my place is within the Youth dance network in England and what challenges i'll face trying to make A3 dance Company and Steps Together a successful Youth dance company that offers opportunities as well as dance.
