mailout art changing lives 20
FEATURE
The arts works with people
mailout has started a quest. To celebrate the success of participatory arts. We’ve started an ongoing project to ask the people who’ve participated to write to their hosts telling their stories. We plan that this will become a regular feature of mailout and we want to continue to publish these stories. These letters are invaluable evidence that what we do works; how we change peoples lives for the better and why the work we do is vital to a vibrant society. Let us know your experiences, tell us who you think could write you a letter. Dear Stride,
STRIDEwas piloted in Greater Manchester in 2009, with the aim to engage young men aged 11-19 in dance. It was developed by Dance Initiative Greater Manchester and delivered under the artistic direction of professional dance company, Company Chameleon. Outreach workshops gave young men a chance to ‘try’ dance and then a cross district performance group was formed with participation across Oldham, Stockport and Wigan. Sessions based on the repertoire of Company Chameleon exposed young men from the outset to physically challenging contemporary dance technique which was described by one participant as ‘hard core’!
For more information on Stride W:
www.digm.org
James Rosental © Brian Slater
W:
www.companychameleon.com
I’m a boy who has a strong passion for dance and performing and I would like to pursue this as my career. I came across Stride through my dance teacher and the weekly sessions I attended with my school which then led to auditions where I received a place in Stride. We would meet up weekly at Hindley Performing Arts Centre to learn and create choreography in order to combine this together to later perform the piece at the Lowry in July.
At the time Stride meant a lot to me as it gave me the opportunity to pursue my passion of dance and performing, also Stride being an outlet for an all male dance group was different as there is the stereotypical saying “that only girls should dance” which I strongly disagree with and to have Stride supporting boys doing dance was really good. Stride also gave us a chance to feel what it would be like in a professional company preparing for a performance and enabled us to perform at a well known theatre. From this I was able to widen my dancing ability and become a better dancer.
From this I was encouraged by Stride and my dance teacher to audition for CAT (Centre of Advanced Training in dance). As a result of this audition I gained my self a place at CAT which is a dance academy based at the Lowry where I am undertaking advanced training in ballet, contemporary technique, creative sessions and contextual studies where we are learning about the correct diet and nutrition, health and safety, the body and fitness.
As a part of CAT we take part in intensive weeks and weekends with various professional dancers and companies. We also watch a range of different dance shows in the Lowry that enables us to widen our knowledge of dance. In addition to this we do various performances throughout the year. I will stay at the CAT until I’m eighteen when I will move onto a full time professional dance school/repertoire. I am learning so much at CAT and loving every minute of it, I have loved dancing and performing since I can remember, my parents have even got videos of me dancing from the age of two and I am very determined to get somewhere as dancing is my life.
Yours sincerely, James Rosental
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