DPA encourages people of all ages and abilities to participate in community arts activities.
All Community Arts groups have regular performance opportunities at the many festivals and events organised by Dudley Performing Arts. Rehearsals are term-time and participation in regular groups is not subject to audition.
Some groups may require members to pay a subscription fee to enable the group to hire costumes, make sets etc.
***DPA's Dance co-ordinator, Laura Simmons is also the
Youth Dance England contact for the Black Country***
nac Theatre Company
nac Theatre Company was formed in the Spring of 2004. The group made their debut performance in the grounds of Dudley Castle in June 2004 with an open-air production of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and have since gone on to perform professionally directed productions of:
'As You Like It' by Shakespeare in July 2005 at Himley Hall and Park
'Romeo and Juliet' by Shakespeare in June 2006 at Himley Hall and Park.
'Weird Sisters' by Terry Pratchett in March 2007 at Earls High School.
'Gabriel's Hounds' by David Calcutt in June 2007 at Himley Hall and Park.
'Guards Guards' by Terry Pratchett in April 2008 at Earls High School.
The group work in close collaboration with professional Director Ian Cullen (Z Cars and Family Affairs).
Rehearsal: Earls High School, Wednesdays, 7 - 9pm
Cost: £3 per session
Contact: Sheila Chamberlain-Hyett
Buzz Youth Theatre Company
Buzz Youth Theatre Company is a young, dynamic drama group that creates original performance pieces through improvisation and exploration of contemporary practitioners, reflecting topical issues in our modern world. All rehearsals take place at Earls High School, Furnace Lane, Haleswoen, B63 3SL.
Buzz Junior Youth Theatre Company 7 - 11 year olds, Thursdays 4.30 - 6pm
Buzz Senior Youth Theatre Company 11 - 15 year olds, Thursdays 4.30 - 6pm
Buzz Theatre Company 15 years+, Thursdays 6 - 9pm
Cost: £3 per session
Contact: Sheila Chamberlain-Hyett
The Company
The Company is a contemporary Dance Company supported by Dudley Performing Arts and is made up of professional Dance Artists. Each Dance Artist has at least 2 years professional dance practice experience and works within the Dudley Borough and surrounding region. Specialist dance teachers or community dance artists wishing to access regular performance opportunities and regular classes are welcome to join.
Rehearsal: Windsor High School. Mondays, 6 - 8pm
Cost: £3 per session
Contact: Maggie Lewis
DPA Breakers
DPA Breakers is a fun, creative, break dance group for young children aged 7and over. Popularity for the genre means we have 2 groups for different ages. The classes develop basic break dance skills and push the participants in this modern dance form.
Rehearsal: Northfield Road Primary School, Netherton, DY2 9ES. Tuesdays.
6 - 7pm Group 1 ages 7+
7 - 8pm Group 2 ages 10+
Cost: £1.50 per session
Contact: Jovan Rumble
Dance Theatre Group
This class is aimed at dancers aged 18 and over, predominantly those studying dance at University and beyond. The class is a fast paced, contemporary and physical theatre mix, including technique and creative work. The group perform regularly throughout the region and are always looking for new members.
Rehearsal: Hillcrest School. Thursdays, 6.30 - 9pm
Cost: £3 per session
Contact: Laura Simmons
Sweet Inspirations
An all inclusive physical theatre group for young people with disabilities. Ages 11+
Rehearsal: Slemere School. Saturdays, 10am - 12noon
Cost: £1.50 per session
Contact: Stacey Lunn
DPA Central
For those committed to dance and wishing to learn technique, this class is for you. Ages 14 - 19 this class supports GCSE and A Level Dance participants.
Rehearsal: Hillcrest School, DY2 Thursdays, 7 - 8.30pm.
Cost: £3 per session
Contact: Jodie Roberts
Outdoor Dance Programme
Spill, A playground of dance
Highly playful and physical, and at times teasingly comical – this is a cheeky dance celebration of the child within.
Combining quirky, dynamic dance with high energy street gymnastics, the dancers in this performance blaze a colourful trail across the structures and landscapes of the playground. Each performance will be unique, as the show scrambles around, over, under and through swings, slides and roundabouts. Kids will love it, grown-ups will love it too!
Spill is a brand new outdoor production choreographed by celebrated Australian Artist Shaun Parker, of Shaun Parker Company. Using the existing children’s playground equipment as the set, Spill has been created specifically for parks in the West Midlands, aiming to take dance to the heart of communities.
Directed by Australian Choreographer Shaun Parker
Original music score composed by Nick Wales
Rehearsal Director // Corey Baker
Dancers // Wren Ball, Lewis Major, Kynam Moore, Sabrina Ribes-Bonet
Workshops and residences will are available across the West Midlands for primary schools and community groups.
For more information about the performances, tour, or workshops and residences please contact Natalie Smith - Project Manager or call 0121 689 1094.
This project is part of the Outdoor Dance Programme, led by DanceXchange, in partnership with Dancefest, Dancescape and Dudley Performing Arts. It is part of the Dancing for the Games programme, which is part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
More information can be found on Dance Exchange
'Breathe the Beat' Dance Project information:
Breathe the Beat features five video tutorials from renowned international hip hop artist Salah, which will guide people to find new inspirations for their own dancing. People can then upload videos of their routines to the website to enter a competition. The eventual winner will get the chance to meet Salah himself, and watch him perform. Dancers from the West Midlands who upload videos will also be entered into a competition for the chance to perform at next year's Breathe the Beat roadshows.
Part of the Outdoor Dance Programme, Breathe the Beat is a unique opportunity for dancers to be inspired by one of hip-hop’s leading talents, and showcase their skills online for the world to see.
Led by DanceXchange, in partnership with Regional Dance Agencies Dancefest, Dancescape and Dudley Performing Arts, the Outdoor Dance Programme is a substantial new project for the West Midlands. It forms a major strand of the Dancing for the Games programme, connecting people with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games through dance.
Workshops
Breathe the Beat is a new workshop for anyone who wants to be inventive with hip-hop. Following a fast-paced fun warm up you will have the chance to open your mind within your own dance style. No prior experience is necessary, just enthusiasm and a group of approx 20 students.
Based on the principles of renowned hip-hop artist Salah, and his unique PABE style (popping, animation, boogaloo and effects), this workshop shows you how to take inspiration from your everyday surroundings. Visit breathethebeat.com to watch Salah’s tutorials and get a taste for the workshop. An educational resource pack will also be released soon.
Workshops last between 1-1.5 hours and there are a limited number available at just £15 & £30 per hour
If you are interested in booking a workshop for your youth group or school please contact Maggie Lewis to discuss
01384 813904 / 01384 813903
By creating a one-minute video of a routine inspired by Breathe the Beat, and submitting it to the competition, there is a chance to win some amazing prizes, including the opportunity to meet Salah and see him perform live!
The routine can be any style of dance, but it must show that the dancer has learned from Salah’s tutorials, and incorporated elements from Breathe the Beat.
As part of the application form there is space to explain what has inspired the moves (i.e. mime and sound like in Tutorial #1: Music of Life.) Any genre of dance is welcome; watch Tutorial #2: Snake in the Water) and see how Roxy incorporated elements of waving into her more usual breaking style.
The competition is open until February 29 2012, so it's ok to wait until all the tutorials have been released, but it's also fine to enter now too. Taking elements from all five tutorials in a minute might be difficult, so concentrating on a single element is encouraged.
The competition is open to everybody, regardless of age or ability. The entries will be judged on a range of factors, including popularity and quality, but, importantly, they will also be judged on how well the routine uses elements from the tutorials. A complete beginner who can show they’ve taken inspiration from Salah’s tutorials will beat a professional who hasn’t watched the videos and just records some great moves! So it is important to remember to include an explanation of the performance in the description of the video.
Video Submission
To enter the competition, videos must be uploaded to YouTube, before the entry form can be completed on the website. Videos need to be of good quality, to ensure that the routine can be fully appreciated! We are aware that some people may lack the confidence or skills to film and upload a routine, so we are more than happy to help. If you have any questions about the submission process, please contact Mike Hyde. In certain circumstances, we may be able to offer some technical assistance.
West Midlands Roadshows
Breathe the Beat will be holding roadshows throughout the West Midlands region between April and September 2012. These roadshows will showcase local talent, professional dance companies and appearances by the Breathe the Beat artists Brooke and Roxy.
Also, all competition entrants from the West Midlands will be considered for the chance to perform at a roadshow.
Black Country Roadshows
