Press Release: Nine groups selected for national showcase of major choreographic initiative, Making Moves

[Jan McNulty]

For immediate release: Monday 20 May 2024 Nine groups selected for national showcase of major choreographic initiative, Making Moves Making Moves 2024, image credit Jack Thomson Since September 2023, Sadler’s Wells’ Making Moves programme has engaged nearly 800 young people from 48 youth and school groups across the country, inspiring them to develop their own choreographic works. The programme provides participating groups with digital toolkits produced by professional dance artists connected with Sadler’s Wells. For its inaugural year these dance artists were Alesandra Seutin, Dannielle “Rhimes” Lecointe, Jordan Douglas and Oona Doherty.  Sadler’s Wells has, over the last year, hosted regional platforms for participating groups to share their new choreographic creations at venues across the country including DanceEast in Ipswich, De Montford University, the Lilian Baylis Studio in London, The Lowry in Salford, Pavilion Dance South West in Bournemouth, and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. Now, nine youth and school groups have been selected to share their work at the National Platform on Sadler’s Wells Theatre stage on Tuesday 9 July. The groups selected for this year’s showcase are: 28 Dance Company (Welwyn Garden City), Obsidian(Dereham, Norfolk), Curve Young Dance Company (Leicester), Langley Park School for Boys(Beckenham), Hampshire Youth Dance Company (Hampshire), Ceyda Tanc Dance Company(Brighton), Stockport Grammar School (Stockport), Stacked Wonky (Porlock, Somerset), and Barbara Priestman Academy (Sunderland). The nine groups selected for the National Platform reflect the breadth and ambition of the Making Moves programme, with young dancers represented from ages 11 to 18 and from across the country. The presentation on Tuesday 9 July champions the diversity of groups that participated in the augural programme, from school groups, youth groups and youth dance companies. The National Platform will showcase all four toolkits created by the choreographers, with two or three groups representing each toolkit. Joce Giles, Director of Learning and Engagement at Sadler’s Wells, said: “The Making Moves National Platform is an exciting opportunity to celebrate the inaugural year of the project and celebrate the creativity, talent and passion for dance that young people have demonstrated throughout the year. This is the first time that Sadler’s Wells will showcase work created and performed by schools and youth groups from across England on such a large-scale. We are thrilled to welcome these young dancers to our theatre and can’t wait for them to take the stage.” Elaine Foley, Project Manager for Making Moves, said: “To directly link young dancers, their group leaders and world-renowned choreographers in such a bespoke and personal way has been an incredible privilege for the Making Moves team. Each choreographer has generously shared their artistic practice through their toolkits, and the outcomes of this are evident in the pieces developed by all 48 groups this year. It’s been a joy to celebrate the diversity of the groups and their richness in creativity, and the National Platform will be a moving representation of everyone’s hard work.” Sadler’s Wells can today announce that the digital toolkits for the second year will be created by choreographers Kloe Dean, Ben Duke and newly appointed Sadler’s Wells Associate Artists Jules Cunningham and Seeta Patel. The toolkits include a theme, suggested music, sources of inspiration such as poetry or visual art, and creative ideas for generating movement. Applications are now open for the second year of the Making Moves programme, and more information can be found here. Making Moves is supported by Barclays Listings information Making Moves National Platform Tuesday 9 July Sadler’s Wells Theatre 7.30pm Tickets: £12 plus booking fee NOTES TO EDITORS About Making Moves Making Moves is a choreography and performance project for schools and youth groups across England, run by Sadler’s Wells and supported by Barclays. Each year 48 school and youth dance groups will be selected to take part in the project, for participants aged 11 – 18 (up to 24 years for d/Deaf or disabled young dancers). About Sadler’s Wells      Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance organisation. We strive to make and share dance that inspires us all. Our acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap.      We commission, produce and present more dance than any other organisation in the world. Since 2005, we have helped to bring more than 200 new dance works to the stage, embracing both the popular and the unknown. Our acclaimed productions tour the world. Since 2005 we’ve produced 64 new full-length works and performed to audiences of more than two million, touring to 51 countries.      Each year, over half a million people visit our three London theatres - Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio and Peacock Theatre. Millions more attend our touring productions nationally and internationally or explore our digital platforms, including Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage.     Sadler’s Wells East   In 2024 we’re opening a fourth London venue in Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Sadler’s Wells East will house a 550-seat mid-scale theatre, as well as facilities for the new Rose Choreographic School and the hip hop theatre training centre, Academy Breakin’ Convention.    Sadler’s Wells East joins the rich cultural heritage of Stratford, opening in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the East Bank development alongside the BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion, UCL and the V&A. Sadler’s Wells East will support artist development and training, and the creation of new work. It will build the infrastructure for dance and make it accessible to more people. Sadler’s Wells East will house a flexible theatre presenting a wide variety of dance performances. Community will be at the heart of Sadler’s Wells East with a large open foyer that can be used by everyone as a meeting or performance space. There will also be dance studios and world-class dance facilities for dancemakers to train, create and rehearse productions.    Supporting artists Supporting artists is at the heart of our work. We have associate artists and companies, which nurture some of the most exciting talent working in dance today. We host the National Youth Dance Company, which draws together some of the brightest young dancers from across the country. Sadler’s Wells Breakin' Convention runs professional development programmes to champion and develop the world’s best hip hop artists, as well as producing, programming and touring groundbreaking hip hop performances.      Learning and community links Around 30,000 people take part in our learning and engagement programmes every year. We support schools local to our theatres in Islington and Stratford, designing experiences for children and young people to watch, explore and critically engage with the arts. We also run Company of Elders, a resident performance company of dancers aged over 60 who rehearse with renowned artists to make new work for public performances locally, nationally and internationally.      Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.      www.sadlerswells.com    Stay up to date with everything Sadler’s Wells on social media     Facebook: @SadlersWells     Twitter: @Sadlers_Wells     Instagram: @sadlers_wells     YouTube: Sadler’s Wells Theatre