Press Release: National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) announce that Alesandra Seutin will continue for a second year as Guest Artistic Director of the company for 2021/22

[Jan McNulty]

National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) announce that Alesandra Seutin will continue for a second year as Guest Artistic Director of the company for 2021/22    Alesandra Seutin will continue as the Guest Artistic Director of National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) for a second year, leading the 2021/22 cohort NYDC to host workshops online and in person across England in October 2021 to find the next cohort of dancers  National Youth Dance Company (NYDC), the country’s flagship company for young dancers run by Sadler’s Wells, appoints its next Guest Artistic Director. Current Guest Artistic Director Alesandra Seutin will continue in the role for 2021/22 leading the company’s 10th cohort.  Alesandra Seutin led the 2020/21 cohort, who responded with great strength and innovation to the challenges posted by the coronavirus pandemic, embarking on virtual workshops and digital sessions to complete their residencies. Seutin and her team of artists from Vocab Dance worked together with the cohort to present Speak Volumes, which premiered at DanceEast in Ipswich on Tuesday 20 July before its London premiere at Sadler’s Wells on Saturday 24 July. The work received much acclaim, and NYDC continued on a UK Tour to Amata, Falmouth on Sunday 22 August and Bold Tendencies, London on Saturday 28 August. International performer, choreographer and teacher Alesandra Seutin grew up in Brussels and lives in London. She studied dance internationally and continued her training at the École des Sables (Senegal) where she became a student of Germaine Acogny, training directly under Acogny. Seutin is an Artistic Director for École des Sables. Working in a variety of fields, Seutin is also a movement director, dramaturge, teacher and performer, performing for several noted artists including Jonathan Burrows, Tanusree Shankar, Germaine Acogny and Rafael Bonachela. Seutin founded Vocab Dance in 2007 and has progressively built an international reputation for creating thought provoking and visually striking performances. Her creativity is inspired by social and political circumstances, and with movement, voice and music, she shares stories to encourage further conversation. Seutin presented Boy Breaking Glass as part of Sadler’s Wells’ 20th anniversary commission, Reckonings, in October 2018 alongside works from Sadler’s Wells New Wave Associate Julie Cunningham and Botis Seva. Seutin has also created work for Sadler’s Wells’ resident over-60s performance company, Company of Elders. Seutin’s latest work Dear Winnie for JR.CE.SA.R supported by KVS & NNT will resume its tour in Belgium and will tour internationally in 2022.  Alesandra Seutin, NYDC Guest Artistic Director 2021/22, said: “The future is bright, and I look forward creating a new work with this new cohort. It is going to be an exciting year and my team and I are ready for the "weather".”    NYDC has begun its search for the next intake of young dancers to join the company and work with Alesandra Seutin, to begin creating the new commission in autumn 2021. NYDC’s free workshops will take place online and in person across England during October 2021 to find the next cohort.  For more information on the free workshops please visit; www.nydc.org.uk/how-to-join-nydc-2   NYDC has, since its inception, established a reputation for producing high-quality, critically acclaimed productions by leading choreographers: Russell Maliphant (2019 – 2020) Botis Seva (2018 – 2017), Sharon Eyal (2017-18), Damien Jalet (2016-17), Michael Keegan-Dolan (2015-16), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (2014-15), Akram Khan (2013-14) and Jasmin Vardimon (2012-13).     Demonstrating their commitment to the next generation of young dancers, these internationally acclaimed artists highlight the power of young dancers to shape the future of dance. NYDC has a track record of putting young people on paths to successful dance careers, with over 80% of all former NYDC dancers now either in further dance studies, in vocational training or working professionally. Graduates from NYDC have since danced in Michael Keegan-Dolan’s Teaċ Daṁsa, Hofesh Shechter Company, BalletBoyz, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Cullberg Ballet, Ultima Vez, Russell Maliphant Company, Rambert2 and the Jasmin Vardimon Company. National Youth Dance Company is supported using public funding by Department for Education and Arts Council England.    Barclays is the Associate Partner of the National Youth Dance Company.  Notes to Editors Workshop information National Youth Dance Company holds free workshops every year to meet hundreds of young dancers and give a taste of what life is like as part of the company, and to recruit our new company members. The workshops are a great opportunity to try new dance styles, learn about dance training and career pathways, and meet other people who are passionate about dance. NYDC celebrates diversity. The workshops welcome disabled and non-disabled dancers from all backgrounds, dance styles and levels of experience. Workshops will take place across the country and NYDC will continue to monitor current Government Coronavirus safety guidelines to plan workshops both in person and online via Zoom. For further information and how to apply visit www.nydc.org.uk   Workshop dates: Saturday 16 October Falmouth AMATA 10.30am – 1.30pm Sunday 17 October Birmingham ACE Dance & Music 12pm - 3pm Tuesday 19 October Online Via Zoom 5-7pm Sunday 24 October London Sadler’s Wells 10.30am – 1.30pm & 2.30pm - 5.30pm  Monday 25 October Newcastle Dance City 1-4pm Tuesday 26 October Ipswich DanceEast 11am – 2pm Thursday 28 October Leeds Yorkshire Dance 11.30am – 2.30pm  Friday 29 October Nottingham iC4C 11am – 2pm Friday 29 October Manchester Details to be Announced Soon Details to Be Announced Soon Sat 30 October Brighton BHASVIC 11am – 2pm Sunday 31 October Swindon Swindon Dance 11am - 2pm   Facebook: @nationalyouthdancecompany Twitter: @NYDCompany Instagram: @nydcompany   National Youth Dance Company  Founded in 2012, and run by Sadler’s Wells, NYDC is an exciting young company that creates and performs innovative and influential dance, drawing together some of the brightest young talent from across the country. The company has a track record of putting young people on paths to successful dance careers, with over 80% of NYDC dancers going onto further dance studies, in vocational training or working professionally.    NYDC is jointly funded by Arts Council England and the Department for Education. Since NYDC’s inception in 2012:    261 dancers have joined the company, working intensively with renowned dance artists including Guest Artistic Directors: Jasmin Vardimon (2012-13), Akram Khan (2013-14), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (2014-15), Michael Keegan Dolan (2015-16), Damien Jalet (2016-17), Sharon Eyal (2017-18)  Botis Seva (2018-19) and Russell Maliphant (2019-20). These 261 dancers come from over 80 different towns and cities in England   Over 3,700 young people have worked with the company    NYDC has reached an audience of over 45,000 people   NYDC has featured in 83 performances, visiting 26 different venues across the UK, including some leading theatres in the country