Lincolnshire Dance

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.