Keep Up to Date
For all the latest news and updates from Lincolnshire Dance why not subscribe to our rss feed...
Click to SubscribeAbout Lincolnshire
Dance
Since 2000, Lincolnshire Dance has changed the face of dance, created a new energy and proved that dancers can earn a living creating, performing and teaching dance in the county.
Testimonials
“We are the same and it doesn't matter if you are in a wheelchair.”
Posted on December 21, 2011 | 0 Comments
Lincolnshire Dance would like to invite participants of all ages to take part in a unique dance experience. On Tuesday 14 , Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 February 2012 ‘Mind the (Generation) Gap’ will take place at Marshall’s Yard shopping centre in Gainsborough. Participants will be invited to share their thoughts and experiences, be active, assist with the choreography and have roles in the final performance which will be based on the various stereotypes in society.
This is an inclusive 3 day dance workshop for those of all ages and abilities. In partnership with CfBT (the schools improvement service) Lincolnshire Dance offer you the chance to get involved and have fun work alongside some of the county’s leading dance practitioners to devise a piece inspired by age-related stereotypes and the challenges we all face.
Whether you are a school pupil, a student, a mother or a grandfather, we want you to bring your experiences of life and take part in developing your ideas to create the piece. Why not come as a family and share this unique experience. For just £25 per person (£15 for those under 16 and over 65), you can play your part in interpreting various aspects of the theme.
If you would like to take part or chat further about ‘Mind the (Generation) Gap’ please email info@lincolnshiredance.com or call 01522 811811 and we will be happy to send you an application form. Please note that payment will be required before the event begins and can be paid by cheque, cash or via our website shop!
We hope you can join us!
Posted on December 12, 2011 | 0 Comments
Lincolnshire Dance and the Dance4Life programme welcomed everyone to celebrate Christmas in Holbeach with a little ceilidh dancing! Last week, 30 local people joined the traditional folk band, ‘The Waggonload of Monkeys’ at the WI for a Christmas celebration with a twist!
Gary Cicinskas, the coordinator for Dance4Life said: “I think it was a fantastic way for the community to start celebrating Christmas. It brings everyone together for great music and dance. I had a brilliant evening and I am really looking forward to the next dance in February.”
Ceilidhs have proven very successful over the summer after it was found that were very few dance opportunities for adults in Holbeach and the surrounding villages. The dances now take place once a month as part of the LD’S Dance4Life programme and have continued to attract the general public who want a taster of something new or to try and improve their fitness.
The Dance4Life programme aims to improve the health and wellbeing of adults through quality dance opportunities regardless of age or level of ability TheDance4Life programme, is funded by the ‘Health and Wellbeing Fund’, is in partnership between Lincolnshire County Council and Lincolnshire NHS and gives local focus to the government’s Change4Life initiative.
The dances take place on the first Monday of every month at the WI Hall on Park Street. The celidih begins at 7pm and finishes at 9.30pm. Refreshments are also included in the admission price. (Tickets cost £3.50 per adult and £2.50 for concessions. Under 16’s are welcome for free when they attend with an adult.)
For more information, call Lincolnshire Dance on 01522 811811, email dance4life@lincolnshiredance.com or check the ‘What’s on’ page!
Posted on November 28, 2011 | 0 Comments
Last week, Dance4Life worked alongside the Prince's Trust in Spalding as part of the NEETs 12 week team challenge.
For a week, a group of young people between the ages of 16 - 24 who are categorised as NEETs (not in employment, education or training) worked with the Dance4Life team to help devise an original dance piece and teach it to a class of year 5 children at Whaplode C of E Primary School.
The week was just part of the 12 week challenge which helps the local team to build their confidence, develop their skills and work with each other and other groups from all walks of life.
The team fused their ideas and skills, created the choreography to Olly Murs 'Heart Skips a Beat' and taught it to the children. They class focused on the chorus and the team on the introduction and verse which they then brought together. The children then performed to the rest of the school on the Friday.
The Dance4Life apprentice Alex Law said: "We were very privileged to work with young people who have such a strong passion for developing themselves and helping others. We had a fantastic and rewarding week and everybody was really happy with the end product. Both the team and the children should feel incredibly proud of themselves.
The team concludes their 12 week challenge this Friday after a final presentation which will celebrate their achievements throughout.
Congratulations to all involved!
Posted on November 21, 2011 | 0 Comments
In conjunction with Lincolnshire Dance, ‘Made by Katie Green’ dance company welcomed two dance graduates to take part in a four week apprenticeship throughout the summer. In order to continue to develop their professional development and dance experiences, Lucy Rowland and Phelix Cullen, graduates from the University of Lincoln, worked closely within the multi award winning company and alongside Katie herself, a highly experienced choreographer and performer.
Both applied for the positions in order to learn from an established artist who had made a great success within the arts and placed great emphasis upon the importance of developing the dance experiences of young practitioners. Lincolnshire Dance worked in partnership with Katie to allow the graduates to build their creative and professional pathways to the best of their ability, in the hope that they would achieve a successful career in dance in the future.
Within the apprenticeship, Lucy and Phelix assisted in two projects, including the intensive rehearsal period for Katie's newest piece Matters of Life and Death – a devised piece which ‘re-examines a key scene from Graham Smith’s novel Waterland in which a body is found floating in a Fenland sluice.’ Throughout this part of the apprenticeship, Phelix and Lucy spent time with Made By Katie Green at Choreodrome (a choreographic residency programme for invited artists) at The Place in London, one of the UK's leading centres for dance. Matters of Life and Death continues to be toured across the UK and was selected for UKYA01, the first UK showcase for work by exceptional young artists in 2010.
Lucy also took part in Katie's Moving Colour commission project for the SO Festival 2011 in Skegness, a vibrant choreography inspired by Olympic values and the Cultural Olympiad.
On completion of the 4 weeks, Lucy evaluated: “Overall, I feel I have a greater understanding about what it means to be a dance artist within the realms of performing, choreographing, setting up business and being self-employed.” Phelix added: “I am certain that this apprenticeship has equipped me for my future career in all aspects, and I definitely feel confident enough to run my own company in the future.”
Both Lucy and Phelix would like to extend their thanks and gratitude to everybody at Made at Katie Green and Lincolnshire Dance for their support throughout the course of the apprenticeship. We are very pleased to say that they have both already taken up valuable roles within the arts; Lucy within Step Out Arts in Bedfordshire and Phelix at Lincoln Performing Arts Centre at the University of Lincoln.
Posted on November 10, 2011 | 0 Comments
Hello from Lincolnshire Dance’s brand new website!
We have worked hard to make sure that this will be a one-stop-shop for the people of Lincolnshire and beyond. The website can point you in the right direction if you want to improve your health, add a new hobby to your life or want our support to help your dance career.
Whether you are a parent looking for a class for your child, an adult looking for a local class in a particular style or a student or practitioner looking to continue your professional development, we have included all the information you will need to get started!
You can take a look at the what’s on calendar to keep track of class times and dates, subscribe to this blog to keep on top of dance and arts opportunities in the county, or take a look at our gallery to spot yourself at one of our events! We are also introducing a new line of special LD dance wear in our new online shop!
We hope you like our new and improved website and it will be great to hear what you think of it. Please call the team at the office on 01522 811811 with any queries you may have.
Thanks for visiting!
The LD Team
Posted on November 8, 2011 | 0 Comments
A new member of the Lincolnshire Dance team has now arrived to head of the Dance4Life programme. Gary Cicinskas began work on the programme in early November and is looking forward to the challenge of building it up so that dance reaches as many adults as possible.
Having moved from Leeds, Gary is just getting used to the vast county which is our lovely Lincolnshire. He has already visited a couple of classes in our focus areas of Holbeach St Marks, Wragby and Bardney and has even taken part in a little Celildh dancing at the monthly Ceilidhs at Holbeach WI Hall!
Gary launched his own arts based enterprise in 2006 having gained Start Up Business Funding from the Prince's Trust. Gary continued to pursue his love of the arts by studying for a degree in Performing Arts at Southampton University. He has worked as a theatre technician and youth theatre leader at the, sadly now closed, Tower Arts Centre in Hampshire.
He said: "I am very much looking forward to running Dance4Life, in what I know will be a rewarding experience for me. I have heard great things about the people of Lincolnshire already and I hope that we engage with as many of them as possible so that they consider dance as a part of their lifestyle." Gary will be assisted by the Dance4Life apprentice Alex Law, a University of Lincoln graduate.
Next on the agenda for Gary and Alex, as they continue to support pilot dance sessions in Wragby and Bardney, will be the consideration about where there next focus area will be. Dance4Life is about establishing quality dance opportunities for adults in Lincolnshire regardless of their age, ability and location. With support from the Health and Wellbeing Fund and by Lincolnshire County Council, Dance4Life has already impacted on many adults who now attend regular classes. If you have any suggestions about where Dance4Life should go next, please contact them by email on dance4life@lincolnshiredance.com or call them on 01522 811811.
Posted on November 4, 2011 | 0 Comments
On Friday evening, Lincoln's LPAC theatre welcomed the fantastic Champloo Dance Company to the stage to perform their truly unique and inspirational - 'White Caps.'
Told through live dance and projected short film sequences, 'White Caps' tells the story of two brothers as they pursue a shared dream and embark on a thrilling voyage. Having had a successful run at Sadlers Wells in London, Champloo Dance Company continues to tour the country inspiring audiences of all ages with their intriguing creation. The dancers, Joel Daniel and Wilkie Branson, who also wrote the piece, discussed it at length in an informative post performance discussion. Both accepted the conclusions were up for interpretation.
The live and explosive choreography was complimented perfectly by the epic film sequences which showed various natural landscapes in perfect definition. One thrilling scene showed the dancers climbing a flight of stone steps whilst they collided with water on its descent. It was interesting to learn that this sequence was filmed within a city centre and digitally edited to seem like the dance was performed within a sparse natural environment, similar to moorland.
I would urge anyone who gets the opportunity and to experience this energetic and moving creation, to do so while you still can. The website for Champloo Dance Company is http://www.champloo.co.uk
Posted on October 25, 2011 | 0 Comments
The Dance4Life team have successfully set up 5 brand new classes for adults in the villages of Wragby and Bardney.
Following our weekend of free taster sessions earlier this month, locals in both villages were able to give us a feel for the styles which would go down well in their local venues. It seems that they have chosen well as the classes have had a brilliant start!
For just £3.50, adults at every level of dance ability can come along and try their hand at the style of dance. Light refreshments are also included in the price, so you will have the chance to have a catch with friends old and new! You don't need to book a place so just call in to your nearest venue and give it a try, you never know you might actually love it!
Posted on October 7, 2011 | 0 Comments
As part of the countywide Dance4Life programme, a local focus is being given to the villages of Wragby and Bardney this Autumn!
Work in these areas are just one part of the programme which exists to give a local focus to the national Change4Life scheme, that aims to increase physical activity levels and encourage healthy eating. The aim is to encourage adults who have not yet chosen to dance for any number of reasons including geographic location, health or financial, to choose dance as a social and fun way to enjoy an active, healthy life style and improve their sense of well-being.
Taster sessions have taken place in both villages, in which locals were given the opportunity to try out styles such as Bollywood, Belly dancing, sword and medieval dancing which were led by instructors in 20 minute sessions.
Dance4Life encourages people in these villages to tell us what dance classes they want on their doorstep! The programme is funded by the Health and Wellbeing fund and is supported by Lincolnshire County Council, so it is crucial that people speak up out about what they would like to see!
What the team at Lincolnshire Dance would like to see is a repeat of the success of an existing focus area – the South Holland village of Holbeach St Marks. Following taster sessions back in May, classes in a variation of styles including Dance4Life branded Zumba and line dancing have continued to meet the needs of the village locals with the full support of Dance4Life!
If you live in either of these villages and attended either of taster days – we would love to hear your feedback and find out what you would like to see in your village!
Contact us on dance4life@lincolnshiredance.com or call 01522 811811.
Posted on October 7, 2011 | 0 Comments
Lincolnshire Dance is looking forward to hosting a new group of Freedom in Dance students this November. FID is a course which qualifies dance instructors to lead older people to dance and move effectively, to both embrace the joy of dance and improve their sense of wellbeing.
Students will be trained to teach creative dance techniques; a proven method of healthy exercise. Crucially, it will also diffuse the danger of isolation faced by many older people in today’s society. Our communities need dedicated dance teachers to allow vitality and creativity to thrive in the later years of life.
Graduates of the course have gone on to set up and lead their own classes across Lincolnshire and beyond, as well as coordinate performance projects of their own in residential environments.
The course begins this November in Wellingore, a village at the heart of Lincolnshire’s tranquil countryside. Teaching days will be on a Thursday and Friday once a month for 7 months and will also involve a placement in a residential care home or community setting.
To discuss any aspect of the course, including bursaries and how to set up a payment plan, please contact Lisa Hurst at Lincolnshire Dance on 01522 811811 or email freedom@lincolnshiredance.com.
Posted on September 20, 2011 | 0 Comments
The dance performance “Inside” was an atmospheric and haunting depiction of life behind bars. The dramatic lighting combined with the undercurrent of contemporary music drew you into an entrancing and sometimes disturbing insight into the effects of imprisonment.
This piece gradually revealed the story of a brutal regime and explored how individuals reacted in these extreme circumstances. Each dancer moved with extraordinary skill, showing the physicality of the mental turmoil they were each suffering with. As the dancers moved effortlessly across the space, writhing and stretching through the shadows, each character began to fall into similar sequences whilst still communicating their internal frustrations.
Human emotions such as anger, loneliness, and despair ripped through the structured lighting, set design and music to portray a depiction of humanity stripped down to its most basic and raw feelings. This performance forced the audience, through the laboured and tortured characters, to really consider the brutality of imprisonment, and revealed the stark truth as to what losing freedom can do to the soul.
Throughout the piece, the dancers moved with a continuous energy, communicating to the audience the arduous and monotonous reality of the characters lives. One of the most intriguing elements of this piece was that rather than culminating in a specific ending, the audience was left in no doubt that the characters would continue in this disturbing collection of routine and mental torture long after the curtain had fallen. The choreography showed both the activity and strength of life’s force alongside the fluidity and darkness of the creeping shadows. Dancers performed alone, in pairs and together, revealing a range that showed the characters lives in a real and sometimes dystopian light. These elements made the piece a thought provoking one, engaging successfully with the audience to evoke a gritty and emotive drama through the medium of dance.
Words by Suzanne Thorbinson