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.
I think tackling 'what is' Community Dance is difficult. It is, like all grand questions like this, too dependant on the perspective you bring.
ReplyDelete‘What does Community Dance mean to young people in London’ has more focus, ‘What does Community Dance mean to young people within the Greek community of London’ is even better. The broader the scope, the more likely it is to risk missing a meaningful insight because the question lacks focus. No focus, no depth!
OMG, it's like Christmas come early...you're back in blog land...:)
ReplyDeleteOK well you say that you don't want your students to have to make the same mistakes you made. BUT what about you not making the same mistakes someone else has made. case in point all that work to get the older youth group going and then Irie can just put something together. I think the coffee is saying you need to stop asking question about how to do this or how to do that AND ASK HOW OTHER INSPIRING PEOPLE BEFORE YOU DID IT. youth dance, black dance, community dance its not new... People have been working hard at it for years and years (Irie and ACE for instance). Find out your own heritage, your genealogy- who were your teachers, who were their teachers. What is the history of Youth dance in UK. Get yourself some roots, ground yourself.
Oh and welcome back :)
Adesola
Wow reading both your comments has put a smile on my face and has made me really think about the focus of my inquiry. I love reading points of views that i hadn't thought of, that open so many other doors and like you said Adesola, "allow me to get in touch with my roots."
ReplyDeleteAlan, i completely understand your point. The need for focus and depth is important and perhaps i really am being to broad.
I cant wait to explore these avenues.
It's good be back :)!
We can touch upon the points brought up on your blog at the next Campus Session for Module 2 on the 28th Feb.
ReplyDelete