Centre for Advanced Training in Dance

TRINITY LABAN CONSERVATOIRE OF MUSIC & DANCE TRINITY LABAN CONSERVATOIRE OF MUSIC & DANCE CENTRE FOR ADVANCED TRAININ G IN DANCE CENTRE FOR ADVANCED TRAINING IN DANCE

Magazine no 3 | Summer 2015

Celebrating excellence What makes the Trinity Laban Dance CAT unique? CREATIVE MISSION Developing choreographic potential Centre for Advanced Training in Dance Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Faculty of Dance, Creekside, London SE8 3DZ THE BIGGER PICTURE 020 8305 9400 | [email protected] trinitylaban.ac.uk/cat CASE Circle of Excellence Bronze Winner 2014 Engaging with the wider world of dance

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elcome to the 2015 issue of the Trinty Laban Centre best possible platform for our remarkable students to prepare for Advanced Training in Dance Magazine, which for their future careers. W shines a spotlight on the work we do in our Centre for Advanced Training in Dance (Dance CAT) and on the The location of the Dance CAT is significant: being within a many talented young people who are or have been involved conservatoire of music and dance enables the programme in the programme. to explore the rich links between the two art forms, while the curriculum is informed by the ground-breaking movement The Dance CAT is a distinctive strand within Trinity Laban’s theories of Rudolf Laban. Learning and Participation (Dance) programme. It is a vital part of our work as a Higher Education Institution to advance The Dance CAT based at Trinity Laban is one of the largest the dance art form and train professional artists to take their in the national scheme with around 120 students. We work place within the competitive dance sector. At Trinity Laban we hard through our outreach programmes and bursary schemes view dance education and training as a continuum and our to ensure that the Dance CAT is accessible to young people activities range from providing children with their first encounter from diverse backgrounds, creating a unique community of with dance to providing world class professional dance artist young dancers. training, and supporting choreographers and researchers to push boundaries and transform our understanding of the art The majority of Dance CAT graduates go on to train form. Through the support of the Department for Education professionally and work within dance. But even those who Music and Dance Scheme, our Dance CAT provides high don’t pursue a career in the performing arts are able to apply quality training in contemporary dance to young dancers with the skills and discipline they have acquired with us to their exceptional potential. As such it complements our work with chosen area of study or work. talented young musicians through Junior Trinity, also supported by the Scheme. We explore some of these features in the following pages. While it is impossible to do justice to the amazing work There are a number of key features that characterise the Trinity and people within the Trinity Laban Dance CAT within a Laban Dance CAT. We aim to balance the training required to single magazine, we hope you enjoy reading this issue and achieve the technical rigour needed to be an accomplished discovering more about the programme and the wonderful dancer with enabling students to develop their creativity and young people with whom we work. their own unique artistic voices. We ensure that all the students are able to work with professional dance artists and experience Professor Anthony Bowne their creative processes, to prepare them for the current dance Principal industry. All our work is underpinned by research into education Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and dance health to ensure that our programme provides the

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 4 24/06/2015 16:19 Professional choreographers learn from our students as CONTENTS they learn from them

6 PERPETUAL MOTION 14 A brief history of the Trinity Laban Centre for Advanced Training in Dance IDENTITY Providing the time and space 12 home and away to nurture Projects in London and Copenhagen creativity and build choreographic 14 this year’s artists skills Bawren Tavaziva, Lee Smikle, Wayne McGregor|Random Dance, Renaud Wiser, Double Vision

22 the space to create Reflections on Choreomission studt ent pa hways 26 audition diary 22 One young person’s journey to the Trinity Laban Dance CAT 30 telling it like it is Current students talk about their experiences

32 out & about CAT students in the wider dance world

34a p st students, future successes 34 Celebrating the achievements of our alumni Our impact grows as our making it work former students influence how dance develops 38 community, challenge and commitment Recruiting and retaining talented young dancers

40 health and injury management Enhancing student performance

42a t ke your partners... Creating opportunities through collaboration

44 Have you met vic?

Welcome to the ‘Vertically Integrated Conservatoire’

We can achieve so 46 outWARd bound much more by working The value of outreach 42 with others

Editor Nuala McGreevy [email protected] Editoral Consultant Ian Bramley [email protected] Design Adam Hypki [email protected] Publisher Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Cover Photo James Keates Photography Rachel Cherry, Belinda Lawley, Benedict Johnson, James Keates, David Slate Print Newton Print www.newtonprint.co.uk

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 5 24/06/2015 16:19 P erpETUAL motion Veronica Jobbins Head of Learning and Participation (Dance), Trinity Laban

he development of the Centre for Advanced Training ‘help identify, and assist, children with in Dance (Dance CAT) at Trinity Laban Conservatoire exceptional potential, regardless of their personal T of Music and Dance has been a major enterprise, circumstances, to benefit from world-class providing an extraordinary opportunity to set up a new and specialist training as part of a broad and balanced innovative training programme for young people that aims to education, which will enable them, if they choose, have a significant impact on the professional dance sector. to proceed towards self-sustaining careers in music and dance’ Trinity Laban’s Dance CAT is part of a national scheme of Dance CATs, with centres based in Ipswich, Leeds, Swindon, This year the Dance CATs celebrated 10 years of the scheme Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and north London which is already making a significant impact on the dance delivering specialist strands in contemporary dance, sector. In the BBC Young Dancer 2015 – a new national ballet, South Asian dance, circus arts and urban dance dance award run by the BBC – Connor Scott, a student at to their regions. the Newcastle Dance CAT, became the first ever winner. Other Dance CAT alumni did well in the competition: In 2005, following a review of the Department for Education’s Kasichana Okene-Jameson (Trinity Laban) and Jodelle Douglas Music and Dance Scheme, Centres for Advanced Training in (Swindon) reached the semi-finals in contemporary and hip both Music and Dance were established to enable talented hop respectively, while Vidya Patel (Birmingham) and Jacob young people to have broader opportunities in terms of dance O’Connell (Swindon) competed in the grand final in South and music genres, to develop their skills without having to Asian and contemporary dance. attend a boarding school (such as the Royal Ballet School and Yehudi Menuhin School) and, crucially, to widen access to For Trinity Laban, the foundation of the Dance CAT gave us more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The new an amazing opportunity to develop our existing education scheme aimed to: and community programmes. Until then, we had focused on

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 6 24/06/2015 16:20 a brief history of the Trinity Laban Centre for Advanced Training in Dance

increasing access to dance for children and young people In response to our questions, the Trinity Laban dance science in our local boroughs through outreach projects and regular team undertook research which focused on identifying talent classes in the Laban Building. There was a clear gap in and talent development, physiological considerations (such provision for those young people with potential in dance to be as safe practice, growth spurt, nutrition, physical fitness supported to progress on to further and higher education and and physiological gender differences) and psychological training, and ultimately pursue a career in dance. considerations (such as adolescence and dance, motivation and learning environments, perfectionism and psychological Research and development gender differences). We were also very influenced by a previous three-year At the outset, we decided to take a year to research and programme of dance for boys and young men, Pick up the find out more about how to train young dancers. We wanted Pace, which aimed to challenge stereotypes about boys to avoid replicating existing training models within full-time and dance, and resulted in Trinity Laban setting up a number vocational schools and instead develop an evidence-based of boys only dance classes and projects. Given the low approach driven by the needs of young people. percentage of male dance students in higher education how could we ensure that the Dance CAT had a good We had a vision of a programme that nurtured young dance representation of boys? artists for a lifetime career in dance, that had strong links with the professional dance industry and that was open to young people from diverse backgrounds. We wanted to provide An evolving curriculum a rigorous and challenging contemporary dance technical training alongside a creative curriculum that inspired and The curriculum and programme we developed, which started provided the skills needed to be imaginative performers and in January 2007 with 35 students, has evolved over time but future choreographers. retained some fundamental elements. The programme runs every Saturday during term time, offers supplementary classes As a first step, Trinity Laban’s dance science team joined forces with education and community programme staff to research existing models and educational approaches. By placing research and experimentation at the heart of developing the Dance CAT and being open to change, we started a process that has continued ever since.

Key questions were: What should the content of the training be like? For instance, what was the place of ballet in contemporary dance training? How could we devise a programme that nurtured young creative artists who also had strong technical dance skills? What sort of teaching would motivate young people, enable them to be in control of their own learning and understand their abilities as young dancers? How could we identify young people with potential in dance, when we wanted to recruit both young people who had already developed through private dance classes and those who had had no formal dance training but showed incredible aptitude and motivation?

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 8 24/06/2015 16:20 during the week after school hours, and additional activities and projects during school holidays. Challenges and successes

Each Saturday, the students take part in contemporary and We are very proud of our Dance CAT programme and the ballet technique classes, and a creative dance workshop. The 345 students who have been part of the scheme since 2007. technical classes are taught in levelled, single sex groups, to Approximately 95 per cent of graduating CAT students go take account of the range of student’s backgrounds in dance on to further training in dance at vocational dance schools, and the particular physical, psychological and learning needs conservatoires or universities in the UK and Europe, and many of boys and girls that emerged during our research. are pursuing professional dance careers.

As the programme grew – we now have about 120 students – Our work with the Trinity Laban dance science team has been we realised the importance of pastoral support and introduced vital in the development of our programme but also supports a group session each week with a personal tutor who can get the Dance CAT programmes nationally. We led on Passion, to know each individual student well and provide an important Pathways and Potential in Dance, a study into dance talent point of contact with parents. The personal tutor also works development looking at psychology, physiology, anthropometry, with students on their Individual Training Plan, which is devised injury, adherence and creativity across all nine Dance CAT in consultation with parents/carers and tutors to monitor centres. and support students’ learning and to ensure a balance is maintained between the demands of school work, dance A key aspect of the scheme, but also a challenge, is training and other areas of their life. successfully recruiting and retaining young people from diverse backgrounds. Our outreach initiatives and talent development Underpinning all our learning and teaching is research programmes remain at the heart of what we do. Recently we initiated from the Trinity Laban dance science team and we have commissioned Dr Angela Pickard from Canterbury Christ have a performance enhancement practitioner attached to Church University to investigate our effectiveness in this area. the programme who provides support for both technical Her initial findings have endorsed our approach to widening and creative training through physical conditioning, injury participation citing important elements such as the creation prevention, body awareness and nutrition. of an ‘enabling’ environment, the way in which the programme develops the motivation and sense of identity for young Our creative curriculum has also developed over time and dancers, and the balance of creativity with skills development. now includes a strong emphasis on personal exploration and improvisation. This is underpinned by an understanding of In the future we want to investigate further the ways in fundamental movement concepts based on Rudolf Laban’s which we balance and integrate the technical aspects of the work and of formal choreographic structures and skills. programme with the creative, and also how best in our pre- Choreomission, an essential part of our choreographic CAT programme we can support the transition into the Trinity curriculum, supports CAT students as young creative artists Laban Dance CAT. We remain committed to providing the best and choreographers. We also provide opportunities to see possible opportunities for the young people on our programme professional dance work and to experience other art forms to develop their full potential as dance artists of the future, through collaborations with music, theatre, film or visual arts. and we continue to be inspired and motivated by their Every year, we have undertaken a dance and music project energy and commitment. with Junior Trinity in the Trinity Laban Music Faculty, enabling young dance and music students to explore the synergies and creative potential in each other’s art forms.

Essential to the curriculum is a close connection to the dance industry through contact with the professional dance artists who are part of our regular teaching staff and through annual performance projects led by professional choreographers. The latter have included artists from companies such as Random Dance, Hofesh Shechter, Pina Bausch Company, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, and choreographers including Lea Anderson, Arthur Pita, James Wilton, Lee Smikle, Freddie Opoku-Addaie and Sarah Linstra. We offer our students a range of performance experiences in high profile theatres such as Sadler’s Wells, the Royal Festival Hall and our own Laban Theatre, as well as less formal, sometimes site- specific contexts.

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 11 24/06/2015 16:20 Home and Away LONDON AND COPENHAGEN Nuala McGreevy Programme Manager, Trinity Laban Dance CAT

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 12 24/06/2015 16:20 Each year the Trinity Laban Dance CAT welcomes new students, new choreographers and new opportunities. This year has been Copenhagen particularly exciting as alongside preparing for our annual Summer Show at the Laban Theatre we have been working in collaboration The Trinity Laban Dance CAT was selected to perform as part with Greenwich Dance and Lila Dance on an immersive dance of the young people’s performance platform at the 13th World experience, The Deluge, and for the first time ever we are taking Congress, Dance and the Child International (daCi) running a group of students abroad to the 13th Dance and the Child from 5 to 11 July 2015 in Copenhagen. International Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Congress, which explores the theme of identity in dance as it is experienced in formal and informal education settings, London is a unique opportunity for everyone interested in dance and young people to meet, dance, share, present and discuss Lila Dance approached us through our partners Greenwich issues related to the theme across age levels and professions. Dance to recruit a cast of 20 young dancers to perform in a The Trinity Laban Dance CAT is represented by a group of 20 new intergenerational piece of dance theatre inspired by recent students presenting a piece commissioned from Lee Smikle, UK events of flooding and torrential storms. Each performance which takes a personal look at what makes us us. Layering of The Deluge transforms a venue into a fictional world with material created using their own unique fingerprints as four professional performers supported by a cast from the stimuli, the dancers explore and share their identities local community. through movement.

An open call to all 120 of our CAT students resulted in 20 young The Congress also includes a Professional Forum where dancers from across the spectrum of age and experience experts in the field of youth dance present research, workshops signing up to the project. The Lila dancers, supported by our and lecture demonstrations. Veronica Jobbins, Head of teaching assistants Isabel and Leanne, worked intensively over Learning and Participation (Dance), and Dr Emma Redding, four weeks to create a swirling and dynamic chorus for the Head of Dance Science, will be presenting papers on behalf of performance at Greenwich Dance on the 29 and 30 May 2015. Trinity Laban.

‘The CAT students have been incredible Both of these projects provide a rich experience for throughout the project, their level of technical skill the students, professional development and mentoring and performance energy was outstanding. From opportunities for the CAT team, and the chance to engage with the very first session to the last show they have local and international partners in meaningful collaboration. We been tuned in, switched on and fully committed in are already eager to see what next year will bring. their creativity.’ Lila Dance

It has been lovely for us here at the Dance CAT to have the chance to work with Trinity Laban partners in this way and extend the range of performance opportunities available to our students.

‘It was so exciting to make material with professional dancers and then get to dance with them on stage. The Lila team treated us like full members of their company and it was great to work in a professional context in an amazing venue.’ Dance CAT student

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 13 24/06/2015 16:20 Each year the Dance CAT at Trinity Laban commissions a number of professional artists to work with the young people on the programme. The students experience the creative working practices of professional choreographers while developing dance works that are produced to the highest production standards and performed at high profile venues throughout the UK.

Bawren Tavaziva Lee Smikle Wayne McGregor | Random Dance Renaud Wiser Double Vision

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this year’s artists

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 15 24/06/2015 16:20 Bawren TAVAZIVA

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 16 24/06/2015 16:20 Zimbabwe born dance artist Bawren Tavaziva, moved to the UK in 1998 where he performed with Phoenix Dance Theatre, Union Dance Company, Jazzxchange, Carol Brown and Sakoba Dance Theatre. He choreographed his first piece in 1994 and founded his company, Tavaziva Dance, in 2004. Tavaziva Dance fuses diverse dance forms from Africa with contemporary dance, resulting in a unique dance style that is both contemporary and rooted in African cultures. Inspired by his own experience growing up in Zimbabwe, Bawren is passionate about providing opportunities for young people and nurturing talent.

You do a lot of work with young people in this and other language that speaks to the audience; to speak without talking. This countries. What draws you to this kind of work? work with the CAT students has the sense of people coming together and dancing in a village. It’s always a pleasure to pass back what I learnt when I was young. My training when I was younger was very technical and challenging and it is important to keep this old school training alive. What was it like working with the students? How did it differ from other youth projects you have been What characterises your work with young people? involved with? I always treat students and young people as professionals, not It was amazing working with the students. They were all so as children. I give them work that is both mentally and physically professional, which is what I expected of the CAT students. challenging. I think this approach helps them develop more quickly I always have enjoyed working with them. and helps them become stronger and more confident on stage. Did you accomplish what you set out to achieve? Can you describe the piece for the CAT students? I have more than accomplished what I set out to achieve, because This is a very happy and light-hearted work; there is an upbeat quality. it’s not just me, it is myself and the students accomplishing and We are fusing contemporary and African dance techniques. We achieving great work together. Together we have found an honesty are working with music that is South African, percussive and highly within the work, through the movement and its relationship to the energetic, complementing the movement. There is a sense of the music. Together we have achieved a life onstage. performers dancing together, in a village; a sense of community. www.tavazivadance.com How does the piece fit with your other creative work? My work always has a strong theme or story. There is always a reason for its creation; something that has inspired me, a story I want to tell, something I want to speak about. I see my movement vocabulary as a

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 17 24/06/2015 16:20 LE K MI S LEE

Lee Smikle is a teacher, mentor, choreographer, artistic director and creative producer with a passion for youth dance. Lee has worked professionally in the dance sector since 1997. He was a core member of Matthew Bourne’s Adventures in Motion Pictures and New Adventures companies and helped to set up the educational arm of the company, Re:Bourne. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Shoreditch Youth Dance which he set up in January 2010. All Lee’s creative work supports and nurtures the development of other artists, especially his work with young people and dancers in training.

‘The Trinity Laban Dance CAT has been one of the most important and valuable parts of my career, to date. Not only does this unique and professional training environment support the creative learning of young people, it also provides valuable developmental opportunities for transitioning dance artists like myself. From 2007 to 2013, I was the Lead Teacher; supported by a brilliant team and professional framework I was able to develop my skills as a teacher, dance- maker, project manager and creative leader. I was therefore thrilled to be asked back to choreograph on the current CAT students this year.

‘In the creative process for Fingerprints I got the dancers to print out their own fingerprints (which got very messy) to determine and select which movement choices they would then develop and structure.

‘Fingerprints are formed by ridges in the skin, which form patterns: loops, arches, whorls. The simple, visual description, combined with the individual and factual information around fingerprints, allowed me and the dancers a multi-layered and interesting way in to connect and be inspired by the idea on many different levels.’ Lee Smikle

www.smikleproject.com

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 18 24/06/2015 16:20 WAYNE MCGREGOR | RANDOM DANCE

Wayne McGregor|Random Dance’s work with the Dance CAT in 2015 is being led by Jessica Wright and Alvaro Dule, who joined the company in 2008 and 2013 respectively. Jessica has worked with theensemblegroup and Mobius Dance, and in 2005 she was selected to join D.A.N.C.E., an interdisciplinary programme based in Brussels, Aix-en-Provence and Dresden directed by Wayne McGregor, William Forsythe, Angelin Preljocaj and Frédéric Flamand. Alvaro was born in Albania and has danced with Zurich Ballet and the National Ballet of Portugal, the Italian choreographer Matteo Levaggi and Aterballetto. Together they have introduced the CAT students to the working processes of the Wayne McGregor|Random Dance company and enabled them to experience the fast and articulate choreographic style that it its trademark.

‘We tried to give the CAT students as authentic an experience as possible, using creative methods and tasks similar to those we have ourselves used with Wayne McGregor, as well as developing an original structure through the language we generated together throughout this process. The students were extremely responsive and offered many different solutions to the questions asked of them, taking our journey together in a direction that was new and unexpected for all of us.

‘Taking as a starting point everyday life, its pathways, actions and the people we meet who change our direction, we explored the idea of taking everyday gestures and amplifying and distorting them to the point at which their meaning is changed completely. We looked at ways in which movement can communicate and how it can retain the essence of meaning even after having been subjected to many levels of abstraction.’ Alvaro Dule and Jessica Wright

www.randomdance.org

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 19 24/06/2015 16:20 RENAUD WISER

London-based choreographer Renaud Wiser was born and trained in dance in Switzerland. He then pursued an international career as a dancer with companies such as the Geneva Ballet, Rambert and Bonachela Dance Company. In 2013, Renaud launched Renaud Wiser Dance Company.

His work is known for its crafted physicality and intricate movement vocabulary. He has a particular interest in collaborative work strongly rooted in contemporary issues. He is also a regular tutor at the Architecture Association Interprofessional Studio, Rambert School and London Studio Centre.

‘Stomping Grounds is a piece about a community, the idea of belonging and going through life together. The group dynamic changes as time passes, with new connections and different interactions, but the sense of kinship remains, even when one is left alone.

‘I have now made a few pieces for various Centres for Advanced Training in Dance in the UK and I always witness this formidable energy that binds groups of young dancers together.

‘Movement and choreography unify a group within a shared enthusiasm for dance and it has been great to see the dancers from the Trinity Laban Dance CAT get together and achieve so much in a very short amount of time.’ Renaud Wiser

www.renaudwiser.com

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Amanda Gough and Sonia Rafferty are choreographers, performers and directors in their own right but came together to form Double Vision in 1997. Their joint choreography for the company is characterised through carefully crafted pieces with a trademark sculpted, three-dimensional style that emphasises weight and flow. They use imagery and imaginative tasks within their devising process to inspire their dancers to create their own movement material and therefore work with dancers who are curious and enjoy deeply investigating, manipulating and refining their material.

‘Spheres of Influence was inspired by the anonymous quotation, “What orbit of the planets has put you and me in this place, at this moment? Where time takes a breath, and we dance on the edge of our dreams?” We considered the effect we have on each other – a gravitational pull. Working collaboratively with the students we explored ideas such as elliptical orbits, trajectories, potential energy, and twin or companion “stars” that can influence each other’s direction and speed.

‘Our group of CAT dancers is mixed in terms of age and it has been wonderful to see the older, more experienced students working with the younger ones to develop material together. We use imagery a lot to generate ideas, form relationships and enhance particular qualities – the dancers really responded well to this approach and engaged deeply with the tasks they were given. All the dancers have an inherent professionalism. They can really embody the intention of the work and the performance level is fantastic.’ Amanda Gough and Sonia Rafferty, Artistic Directors, Double Vision

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 21 24/06/2015 16:20 The space to create: reflections on Choreomission

Each spring term the Trinity Laban Dance CAT offers Choreomission and how they are doing it. Then there is a sharing where we as part of the curriculum. Choreomission provides students with an make a cut and go from 10 to 12 down to six. The remaining open space to play, explore and develop approaches to movement choreographers carry on working in a similar way but with and choreography. This year the underlying theme was ‘identity’ and a little bit more focus on the final product. There is another students interested in developing their own choreography were invited sharing and then we make another cut from six to three and to put forward an application outlining their ideas. The chosen students those final three are the ones that go into the show. The final were mentored by Will Aitchison and Stefano Rosato from the CAT three students do another half term of work focused on the team, and by Creative Consultant Lea Anderson, who encouraged final performance piece. the students to challenge their customary creative processes and take risks. How does Choreomission support the development of students’ creativity? Here Will Aitchison, Lead Dance Teacher at the Trinity Laban Dance CAT, shares his thoughts on this year’s Choreomission. Choreomission aims to provide students with an open space to play, explore and develop approaches to movement and How does Choreomission work? choreography. It gives them the time and space to work on their own choreographic voice. These two things are really Students interested in developing their own choreography are important and they are often things that you don’t get later in invited to apply and fill in an application form based around a life when time and space are always short. They are free to chosen theme – ‘identity’ this year. Students write a proposal explore ideas while at the same time getting support from us of what they want to work on and the ideas that have come to as staff. Usually we leave them a little bit to find their own way them. The application process is really important. It forces the through and then we’ll give them advice here and there when students to take time and come up with an idea and then put it they need it. We act as facilitators, giving the students the down on a piece of paper. It helps to consolidate what’s in their place to experiment. I think that’s really important. head. We then look through the applications and decide on 10 to 12 pieces on which we want to start working practically. Creativity should be about playing and having fun with what you’re doing. That is when you are at your most creative. With a very open theme like ‘identity’, the students have to Think about children when they play games; it’s open, they do think what it means to them. It creates multiple possibilities of whatever they want through their imagination. We lose that – what they can do because you can pretty much relate anything we unlearn it, almost. The young choreographers sometimes to that theme. Last year’s theme was ‘fables and fairy-tales’ say to us, ‘What are you looking for?’ and we say, ‘We’re which was a little bit more closed but still had a certain not looking for anything. We’re looking for you to show what openness. It’s a tool to get them to think on another level rather you’ve been doing.’ But there can be a preconception that than something that they have to work around. they’ve got to please others, please the audience. But the goal isn’t to please people; the goal is to make something that is At the beginning of the project we do a big ‘museum day’ their artistic voice. How we find that artistic voice is the really where the students get to try out lots of ideas and look at interesting thing. different stimuli. They get to play around with ideas with many CAT dancers before they make their final casting decisions. They work for half a term focusing on the idea of process

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 22 24/06/2015 16:20 ‘It is so important to have a choreographic element in dance training and to acknowledge its value. If you’re a choreographer, a teacher or a movement director you need to know how to choreograph. If you are a dancer you need to know about choreography in order to deal with it intelligently. It’s so important; it’s so central. I’m so delighted to see young people being exposed to choreography at an early age.’ Lea Anderson, professional choreographer and Choreomission Creative Consultant

Do the students benefit in any other way?

The students also learn real skills: time management, people skills. They often get frustrated. Being there every week they are forced to deal with it. They work with different personalities not just their friends. They have to time manage the whole process and structure individual rehearsals every week. I also think they learn a bit of toughness and strength. Sometimes they’ll get feedback that isn’t what they wanted. Or when they get cut it may be unexpected. They learn that it is difficult to succeed in dance and you’ve got to work for it and I think that’s a really important lesson for them to learn.

What surprises you about the students’ work?

For me the most surprising thing is always the level of maturity of the work of the young people. Some of them are only 14 years old and they make decisions and lead rehearsals like they’ve been doing it all their lives. That’s delightful to see. I am often surprised by what pieces make it through and what pieces get cut. I think every year there is at least one piece that surprises me.

And the future?

This is only my second year of running Choreomission and we’ve already made changes from last year coming into this year. We need to keep changing and trying new things and enabling the whole process to become more creative. We need to keep experimenting with what we are doing with the young people so that they can experiment with what they’re doing. Otherwise it just becomes the same thing ever year. And that’s boring for us and it’s boring for them.

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 23 24/06/2015 16:20 STUDENT PATHWAYS

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 25 24/06/2015 16:20 AUDITiON DIARY by Kyle Creaton

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 26 24/06/2015 16:21 27 April 10 May

As soon as I heard about the Dance CAT at Trinity Laban, I This is the day. This is the day of my audition. My dance immediately wanted to join. At the moment I attend a class teachers told me to be myself, put myself out there and that‘s called Launch at Trinity Laban. There are three classes: Boost, exactly what I‘m going to do. They also said to take risks but Lift and Launch which are for different age groups. Being in not dangerous ones because that wouldn‘t be very good, Launch has taught me lots of different techniques and qualities. would it? I’m feeling a little nervous but confident… It has also taught me good life skills: how to socialise, how to be confident and how to work well with others. …It‘s after the audition. I think I made a good impression and it went as well as it could have gone. I knew some people who It feels like a natural progression to move from Launch to the were there and made some new friends. The audition was run Dance CAT. With the help of my teachers and family I may just by Will and Stefano who teach at Trinity Laban and the Dance get accepted on to the programme. It’s just 13 days until my CAT. The first half was led by Stefano and with him we worked first audition for the Dance CAT. I am feeling nervous about on technique and learning sequences that were challenging what’s in store for me and the other people auditioning but I’m at times. The second half was led by Will and we did creative also quite confident about it. I’m hoping that I make a good work, which isn’t my favourite thing to do but I put that aside impression. I wonder if I will do well. and did as well as I could.

I want to join the Dance CAT because I love dance. I love being able to be myself through the movement I do/make. I 11 May love to go and watch performances by choreographers like Akram Khan and Mathew Bourne. I also enjoy going to watch It’s the day after the audition and I’m back at school. I’ve been the BalletBoyz. I feel the Dance CAT will give me the training telling my friends and teachers all about it. They asked me how I need to be able to become a dancer and work with a range it went and I replied, ‘It was really fun and I enjoyed myself a of talented dancers/choreographers. At the moment I attend lot.’ In Periods Five and Six, students from the London School Trinity Laban twice a week: on Wednesday I do contemporary of Contemporary Dance came in to show us some of their own and on Thursday I do ballet. I feel that this isn’t enough if I want choreography and what they had been choreographed to do. It to be a successful dancer in the dance industry. I need to do a was a good experience. lot more and work extra hard. I just got a call from my mum and she said that they want me 9 May back for the second audition! I’m so happy! If I’m accepted onto the Dance CAT it will be the first real To me, the Dance CAT is the best thing for me to join and train step on a journey that could take me anywhere in life and in at because some of the dancers who attended the Dance dance. I aspire to be that person who speaks to an audience CAT have gone on to do professional work. Also, it sounds emotionally through my movement. I want people to go incredibly fun. Some of my friends from school are in the away after a show and tell their family and friends how Dance CAT and they say the people there are just like me so it much they connected with me. I want to work with as many would be a great environment for me to be in. But of course to choreographers as possible because there are so many that get into the Dance CAT you need to audition. You attend one have different styles. I also aspire to open up my own dance audition and if they think you’re good enough, they call you school in London when I’m older and hopefully teach young back for a second audition. people different styles of dance and also give them the training they need. One of my main aspirations is to make my family The first audition is tomorrow and I’m feeling really nervous proud – especially my grandad. He’s the one who pushes about what’s ahead of me and whether I will be called back for me and will continue to do so until I have made it as a the second audition. successful dancer.

Will there be people there who are more talented than me? Kyle Creaton (14) was successful at his second audition and will join the Trinity Laban Dance CAT programme in September 2015. Probably. Will they get in? Most likely. But this drives my motivation to work extra hard. Today, I’m having a nice relaxing day with my mum and we are going out for brunch. I had my hair cut because it needed cutting but also because I wanted to look good for the audition. Those 13 days sure went fast.

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 27 24/06/2015 16:21 Joining the Dance CAT has been such a positive and important step for our daughter; she is really flourishing technically and creatively. She is also developing her self-confidence, both in and out of the studio, has made some great friends, and gets excellent teaching and support from the tutors. Fiona Wallis, parent of Trinity Laban Dance CAT student

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 29 24/06/2015 16:21 e it is: student stories Telling it lik ent stories e it is: stud Telling it lik student stories GEORGE (13)

How have you settled into the Dance CAT? I knew a couple of people from previous classes at Trinity Laban so I had somebody to be with for the first few weeks. I then discovered that a few people from my school were on the programme as well. I know this is not the case for everyone, but all of the other students on the programme are really kind, funny and easy to talk to. I am the youngest on the programme this year, and may well be next year, so if I found it easy, anyone will. I was surprised by how much everyone was like a family and how easily I mixed with lots of other people that are not in my classes or year.

I am used to being isolated as a boy doing dance, especially in non- dancing environments. It is really nice to be with other boys like me who also like dancing. Staff and teachers are approachable and very supportive, understanding and make it fun!

Is the Dance CAT programme what you expected? I didn’t really know what to expect as I wasn’t very experienced in contemporary dance and didn’t know much about Trinity Laban. All I knew was that it is a great opportunity in terms of high quality training. I soon found out that it meant meeting new people, making new friends, going on amazing theatre trips, extending my knowledge of contemporary, ballet and other dance styles, and most importantly, having fun! The Dance CAT is really enjoyable and I look forward to it every week! What has been your highlight so far? I love going on trips to different places, especially to see performances. Seeing Akram Khan and Sylvie Guillem in Sacred Monsters and the three ballets in the English National Ballet’s Modern Masters programme were amazing experiences. Another highlight was when I managed my first pirouette.

What have you found challenging? Sometimes I feel I am not very good compared to other, older students. I remind myself that they are older than me or they have had more training and that with age comes experience. It makes me want to work harder. When I find classes a bit hard and repetitive, I just tell myself that I won’t be able to dance well if I haven’t practised the technique as best as I can.

Do you have any advice for newcomers on the programme?

You are probably going to feel that someone is better than you but that’s all the more reason to work harder, and if you find the perseverance and resilience needed hard, you are not the only one. Even professional choreographers say they found it hard! The most important thing is to make the most of it and have fun!

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 30 24/06/2015 16:21 e it is: student stories Telling it lik e it is: student stories Telling it lik George, Janina and Emma talked to Rebecca Denby, Administrator and Tutor at the Trinity Laban Dance CAT.

JANINA (15) EMMA (18)

Can you describe a typical Dance CAT day? What have you gained from studying at the Trinity Laban As I enter the double doors on a Saturday morning, I know a hard but Dance CAT? incredibly fun day is about to begin. After a joint warm-up session, This is my fourth and final year on the Trinity Laban Dance CAT boys and girls separate for technique classes. I begin with ballet. programme. During this time, a lot has changed but the scheme Ballet really helps us with our contemporary technique as we can has been a great support throughout everything – from auditions to apply work we do on posture, turn-out and performance quality to deciding what I want to do with my future and personal issues such as our contemporary movement. injuries or illness.

Lunch provides an important time to socialise, relax, eat and talk. After The technique and creative classes every week have enabled me to lunch, we have Tutor Time when we divide into school year groups and make lifelong friends and created an atmosphere where everyone is talk about dance, world issues and everyday life. equal. It feels like a huge extended family! Feedback is constantly given, which I find very useful, because it has enabled me to improve In the afternoon, we do contemporary classes and then a creative and achieve my personal goals. As an aspiring performing artist, this class, in which the boys and girls are brought back together. Creative has been vital to the progression of my learning and to enable me classes change throughout the year. During the first term we work on to work through challenges rather than settle for how I am working our dance skills; this year we focused on dynamics, spatial awareness currently. and quality of movement. In the spring term we explore the creative processes of influential choreographers. In the third term we work with professional choreographers and then perform the pieces in the end- What characterises the Dance CAT at Trinity Laban? of-year shows in July. Professional projects with choreographers and dancers within the industry have provided brilliant performance opportunities. For How do you manage studying at the Dance CAT alongside example, when working with Darren Ellis, we performed a flash mob your school work? at the Horniman Museum. I have learnt many transferable skills when auditioning and creating my own work, such as being free to explore I create timetables and stay very organised to make sure that my work yet being decisive. I have also been lucky enough to have had one-to- is done on time and that I can attend as many classes as I can during one sessions with experts from the industry in order to support me as the week. I organise work days when I don’t have dance, during which an aspiring musical theatre student. I do as much revision and homework as I can, so I am free for the days when I do dance. There are compromises, such as not being able to Something Trinity Laban does well is integrate students from different meet up with friends so often, but it is worth it. Over the years I have backgrounds, ages and abilities. By working with such a range of found a healthy balance of dance, work and free time. people, I have learnt how to engage with other people’s opinions and ideas – as well as giving my own – within a working environment. Do you have a particular highlight from the Dance CAT programme to date? How do you feel about leaving the Dance CAT and furthering your career in the performing arts? Performing for the first time at the Laban Theatre last year in a dance choreographed by Mafalda Deville was a highlight. The piece was In October, I attended an ‘Audition Toolkit’ event along with the other about teen anger and so we were able to show really expressive Year 13 students from all the Dance CAT programmes across the emotions on stage. Stepping out on stage and seeing the lights and country. We visited three conservatoires: The Place, Trinity Laban and the audience just gave me such a buzz and I hope that feeling will the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. At each of the schools, always stay with me. we were given a mock audition, with at least one technique class and creative session, and the chance to talk to staff and students. This What have you found challenging? gave me a real insight into each conservatoire and highlighted the difference between the courses. I can find the number of new movements and steps in ballet challenging but because of the great support I receive I am able to I have gained a lot of confidence and knowledge from these progressively build upon my knowledge. Because I love and enjoy opportunities and from the tutors on the Dance CAT scheme. Overall, I dance so much, the challenges become fun and exciting. Now have loved my time on the Dance CAT scheme and would recommend whenever I come across a new challenge I think not of how hard it is it to anyone looking for something creative to challenge themselves but how I am able to use my body in a clever way to make it work and and explore their abilities. Although I am excited for what the future learn from it. holds, I still haven’t decided where I am going next year to study but feel confident and prepared for either a university or a conservatoire.

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 31 24/06/2015 16:21 George Littell

Boys from both ends of the Dance CAT spectrum successfully auditioned for Lord of the Flies, Matthew Bourne’s critically acclaimed dance adaption of William Golding’s classic novel. Joey Barton (17), who has been with the Dance CAT for five years, andGeorge Littell (14), who only came to us this year, joined the London cast of the production and in October 2014 performed with New Adentures at Sadler’s Wells. The Guardian praised the piece for its ‘seamless integration of amateur and professional dancers’.

For a number of our students, the Trinity Laban Dance CAT has acted as a launch pad to access amazing opportunities in thedevelop wider their dance creativity. world, enabling them to showcase their talents and out

Karim Dime For a number of years, CAT student Karim Dime (19) has been a member of Cando2, Candoco Dance Company’s youth company for disabled and non-disabled dancers. This year he performed with the main company in Jérôme Bel’s The Show Must Go On as part of a cast of 20. The production, which showcased ‘just how versatile, how unstinting, the dancers are’ (The Herald), toured to London, Nottingham and Glasgow in spring 2005.

32 & CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 32 24/06/2015 16:21 Elliot Minogue-Stone (17) was selected as one of this year’s Young Creatives, gaining the opportunity to perform in his own choreography at the Clore Studio at the Royal Opera House in April 2015. The prestigious Young Creatives scheme supports young people to develop their choreographic skills and

deepen their knowledge

of choreography. It is a national programme

managed by Youth Dance

England in partnership with the Royal Ballet School and the Royal Opera House. a b out

Elliot Minogue-Stone, photo: Katherine Hollinson

Molly Walker (17) and Ben Head (18) are both members of the National Youth Dance Company based at Sadler’s Wells, London. The Company brings together some of the brightest dance talent from across England to work with internationally renowned artists. In April 2015, they both performed at Sadler’s Wells in the premier of Frame[d] a new work for the Company by its current Artistic Director, Sidi Larbi Cherakaoui.

Molly Walker & TRINITYLABAN.AC.UK/CAT 33 CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 33 24/06/2015 16:21 Past students, future successes Nuala McGreevy Programme Manager, Trinity Laban Dance CAT

the time of writing we are nearing the end of the Hannah Rotchell, from the 2010–2011 Dance CAT cohort, summer term at the Trinity Laban Dance CAT. This is has just graduated from Jasmin Vardimon’s professional AT a bittersweet time for those students who leave us development company, JV2. this year as they perform with us for the last time and take on the badge of CAT alumni. Many will go on to train in dance Taha Ghauri graduated in 2014 from PARTS in Brussels, at institutions such as London Contemporary Dance School, a highly prestigious performing arts training school, which Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Rambert School or selects students from all over the world, and is now making at other vocational dance schools. Others will go on to attend his own work. universities in the UK and Europe, with some choosing to use the skills and experience they have gained in fields other than We look forward to seeing more great things from our the performing arts. past students as they continue to influence and enrich the world of dance. It therefore feels a good time to reflect on the achievements of those who have already left the programme. ‘The Trinity Laban Dance CAT has had a significant positive impact on my growth Eve Ponsonby is currently playing the role of Viola in as a young person. Being in a supportive, Shakespeare in Love at the Noel Coward Theatre in the creative environment where questions were West End. welcomed allowed me to be comfortable with my own strengths and weaknesses. I was lucky Tom Jackson Greaves has danced with Matthew Bourne’s enough to work with choreographers such New Adventures in Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, and now as Tom Dale, Arthur Pita and dance artists directs and choreographs musical theatre productions, music from the Hofesh Shechter Company, and had videos and contemporary work. the time, freedom and guidance to create my own work. My passion and aim of becoming Claudimar Neto, who joined the Dance CAT in 2006, is now a a professional dancer was solidified, as I had successful commercial dancer and has danced with Rita Ora, a greater understanding of the work required the Thriller Live tour, Beth Ditto, So You Think You Can Dance to get there. I was surrounded by inspiring, and Little Mix. passionate and giving teachers who pushed me even further. The Dance CAT scheme gave Kasi Okene-Jameson left us last year to train at Northern me a fuller understanding of what it means to School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. Kasi was one of be an independent artist and expanded the just five dancers from across the UK to make it through to the expectations I had of myself and what we can BBC Young Dancer contemporary dance finals, screened on do with dance.’ 17 April 2015. Kasi Okene-Jameson, former CAT student and BBC Young Dancer 2015 contemporary finalist Jack Humphrey, who graduated from the Trinity Laban Dance CAT in 2011, is currently dancing with 2faceddance.

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 34 24/06/2015 16:21 Kasi Okene-Jameson. Photo: BBC Pictures

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 36 24/06/2015 16:21 MAKING IT WORK

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 37 24/06/2015 16:21 Communit y, challenge and commitment Dr Angela Pickard Canterbury Christ Church University

2014, I began a pilot research study with 10 young ‘Someone from Trinity Laban came to my school dancers engaged in the Dance CAT programme and did a workshop. They kept noticing me and IN at Trinity Laban. The dancers, aged between 13 giving me praise. Afterwards they gave me a and 16 years, were interviewed about the experiences and leaflet and said, “Audition for the CAT.” opportunities that led them to join the Dance CAT programme. They were questioned about their past and present ‘I didn’t really know that I was talented. I knew that experiences in dance, inside and outside the Dance CAT. I liked moving but didn’t really think about doing The study tracked the dancers’ starting points in learning to more dance until then. I got to second audition dance and their participation in one-off or longer term dance and was quite surprised at myself but I wanted to opportunities (such as schools or community projects, creative get in. I did get in!’ Trinity Laban Dance CAT student

Gaining a place on the Dance CAT programme provided a considerable sense of achievement and self-worth for the dancers, not least because Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is viewed as forward thinking and as having high status. As the Dance CAT is for young dancers aged 13 to 18 years, this adolescent phase of physical and social development is significant, particularly in relation to young people developing a greater sense of self and identity.

The findings of this study led to the development of a research project following the development of young dancers who started on the Dance CAT programme in 2014–15. This larger study uses interviews and observations, and is particularly focused on finding out more about the dancers’ experiences, thoughts, ideas and feelings in relation to how their talent is being nurtured as they develop as contemporary dancers.

dance classes, syllabus focused classes, workshops and The Dance CAT programme provides term-time classes on taster days) that provided stepping stones to starting at the Saturdays and weekday evenings in contemporary dance, Dance CAT. Many of these dance experiences were provided ballet and creative work, as well as projects during school by Trinity Laban’s own Learning and Participation programme. holidays, performance opportunities and visits to dance Such opportunities often open the door for children and young performances. Given that the young dancers are teenagers people with potential in dance to develop their talent. They also how do they balance their home life, school life and social life enabled the young dancers to develop a greater knowledge with participation in the Dance CAT? Many of the CAT students of possibilities through signposting, become part of a dance travel to Trinity Laban from across the South East, meaning community, and increase their self-belief and confidence. early starts on Saturday mornings and during holidays, so what keeps them motivated to maintain their commitment?

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 38 24/06/2015 16:21 What is it about the Dance CAT programme that is so successful and appealing? Challenge

Outlined here are some of the findings; they suggest that there There are high expectations for the young dancers at the are a number of interrelated factors within the environment that Dance CAT, in terms of technique and creativity. However support, enable and motivate the young dancers to commit to development is carefully nurtured by the experienced team of the Dance CAT. professional dance teachers and artists. Sessions take account of group and individual needs as well as progression. There is an expectation that the young dancers will ask questions, Support check meaning and make mistakes, and a careful balance of support and challenge recognises that these young, adolescent As CAT students are teenagers they all need varying levels of dancers are able to push themselves, take risks and try support. This support takes the form of a partnership between something more challenging. provision at the Dance CAT and parental support at home. It is crucial that a parent values dance as an appropriate and ‘I’m never bored here as I always feel I am valuable activity for their child to spend time doing; this enables progressing and trying new things. ’ the young dancer to feel comfortable to commit. Similarly, a Trinity Laban Dance CAT student parent must be willing and able to commit to the Dance CAT programme, in many ways as much as their child, because they are often needed to aid a young dancer’s scheduling of Identity school and other activities with the demands of the Dance CAT, support the dancer to eat appropriately, organise bedtime The young dancers viewed the emphasis on community routines, liaise regarding health or injury concerns, aid time development but also on individual self-improvement as management and facilitate transport. Furthermore, parents positive. They felt a sense of ownership of themselves and as praise, encourage and watch performances. Financially, there part of the group. This links to their perception of enjoyment are bursaries to support some dancers but there are still some and developing identity as a dancer where they ‘fit in’ and this costs, such as purchasing dance clothing. All the dancers is motivating. (even the oldest) commented that they could not be part of the Dance CAT if it were not for the support their parents offered. ‘It feels proper and professional here, I love getting on my sweatshirt and looking in my CAT Support provided through the Dance CAT was recognised diary. I love feeling like a proper dancer.’ as beginning with a welcoming ethos where individuals were Trinity Laban Dance CAT student valued. The dancers felt cared for by the tutors and ‘special’ as individual artistic personalities, noting an emphasis on Trinity Laban’s Dance CAT programme is appealing and nurturing strengths and interests. Personal tutoring was inspiring to young dancers because they feel valued, nurtured seen as important for self-improvement and development. In and challenged as individuals within a community of dancers. addition, the development of a community of CAT dancers and This research is ongoing and will continue to explore teaching friendships were significant. and learning methods that nurture talent, creativity and identity.

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 39 24/06/2015 16:21 Health and Injury management Niamh Morrin Performance Enhancement Teacher, Trinity Laban Dance CAT

s the Performance Enhancement Teacher at the tests. Our dancers are very lucky to have access to the Trinity Laban Dance CAT, I, alongside the entire National Institute for Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS). A team, make every effort to effectively manage the NIDMS provides specialist care for dancers through the NHS. health of our dancers. My job incorporates aspects of health With growing numbers of clinics, currently based in London, and fitness advice, posture and technique assessment, Birmingham and Bath, access to NIDMS is getting easier for all and injury management. injured dancers.

Injuries in dance are common; research suggests that 80 per One-to-one sessions cent of dancers sustain at least one injury each year.1 With regards to injury, working with adolescent dancers brings its A new aspect of my role is the delivery of personalised one- own set of unique challenges. Many of the dancers go through to-one sessions. These sessions greatly benefit our dancers the growth spurt whilst training with us and biomechanical in terms of injury rehabilitation, performance enhancement changes during this developmental stage can predispose the and injury prevention. The sessions provide opportunities adolescent dancer to overuse injuries. to work on prescribed rehabilitation exercises and/or a unique chance to carefully assess alignment and technique Finding and maintaining correct knee, foot, pelvic and shoulder which is subsequently followed by strengthening and/or alignment is key to preventing these injuries; this can be stretching exercises and advice. Usually dancers have up to difficult for the maturing dancer. Managing the complexity six successive sessions with progress assessed on a weekly of correct posture and alignment is an important focus of basis. Dancers can also book an appointment to discuss health technique classes but so are musicality, clarity of connection, concerns like nutrition and hydration or to seek advice on complex coordination and fluidity. As the Performance improving particular aspects of their technique. Enhancement Teacher I observe classes and work with each technique teacher to pick out the most common technique Strength and conditioning toolbox faults/difficulties amongst the dancers. I then address these within an anatomically based session that gives me, the On a typical Dance CAT training day, dancers have access to a technique teacher and the dancers dedicated time to explore ‘strength and conditioning toolbox’, which contains specialised the capabilities of their bodies and explore safer and more equipment and detailed strengthening exercises that are effective ways of moving. specific to the general needs of a dancer. This toolbox can be utilised at any time during the day and its use is encouraged in Strength and flexibility are key aspects to finding and the case of an injured dancer who cannot participate in class. maintaining correct posture and alignment and are therefore crucial physical fitness attributes required not only in injury Here at the Dance CAT we pride ourselves in our openness prevention but also injury rehabilitation. We address these and dedication to health and injury care. Every dancer is attributes in a number of ways. encouraged to inform us of any pain that they are experiencing – the onset of pain could be an early warning sign of a more Physiotherapy serious injury. Early intervention through a one-to-one session or a physiotherapy appointment is key to managing pain and The Dance CAT is very fortunate to work with Chartered preventing further injury. Physiotherapist Janet Briggs. Alongside her work with dancers For more information on the National Institute for Dance Medicine and at the Royal Ballet School, Janet visits the Dance CAT three Science (NIDMS) visit www.nidms.co.uk times each term. Her expert assessments and advice allow dancers to tailor their training whilst managing their injuries. Together we compile an exercise training sheet for the dancers

that they can refer to whilst caring for their injury. On occasion, 1 Laws, Helen (2005) Fit to Dance 2: The report of the second national inquiry Janet may suggest that a dancer seeks further diagnostic into dancers’ health and injury in the UK, London: Dance UK

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 40 24/06/2015 16:21 This year I have attended one- to-one sessions to help with the alignment in my upper back. I feel that because of my sessions I have been able to gain better control over my body and this has helped with improving my technique.

Trinity Laban Dance CAT student

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 41 24/06/2015 16:21 Take your partners… Veronica Jobbins Head of Learning and Participation (Dance), Trinity Laban

he Dance CAT is only one part of the Learning and as Lewisham Education Arts Network, Older People’s Arts Participation (Dance) programme at Trinity Laban, Network and the Horniman Museum. T which offers a wide range of youth, schools and community projects and activities, professional training and The Dance CAT outreach and recruitment programme is short courses for people of all ages and different experiences. strongly linked to our local schools so that currently about 20 per cent of our CAT students live or go to school in Lewisham. Each week we engage with over 1,000 people and last year In the last year CAT students have taken part in Live at Trinity over 10,000 people took part in a programme that includes Laban, a dance and music performance in the Laban Theatre, children’s classes, youth dance activities, Dance Ability for part of Lewisham Live!, an annual festival showcasing the children with and without disabilities, an adult short courses music and dance of young people in the borough. programme, as well as dance workshops and projects for schools locally, across London and nationally. This summer, a group of CAT students working with Tavaziva Dance are taking part in Africa Dance! the opening event of Over the last few years we have developed Retired Not Tired, the Horniman’s African Summer on 5 July 2015. Trinity Laban dance and music groups for the over 60s, and a number of has been working with the Horniman Museum for over five initiatives for health and well-being, including projects in health years: the first major collaborative project, the Big Dance centres, hospitals and, recently, Headway, based at the Albany Picnic in 2012 (part of the Olympic celebrations) reached over performing arts centre in Deptford, providing weekly dance 4,000 people of all ages. In July 2014, we jointly produced classes for people who have suffered an acquired brain injury the Horniman’s Curious Tea Party, with Arts Council funding, or stroke. reaching nearly 8,000 people over a single weekend.

Vital to all that we do are our partnerships and collaborations locally, across London and nationally. Linking up with dance, Partnerships with arts arts, education, local authority and other partners enables us to extend what we do, keep up to date, take advantage of new opportunities, and increase the number of people who organisations have access to dance and music activities. With its position within the Learning and Participation (Dance) programme at Links with major dance, music and arts organisations provide Trinity Laban, the Dance CAT is able to benefit from these richness to what we do and provide essential links with the partnerships and also initiate and develop new ones. professional arts industry, often resulting in opportunities for our participants to experience the work of leading international artists through both performance and participation. We Lotncal par erships have formal partnerships with Southbank Centre, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Candoco Dance Company, Institute While Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is of Contemporary Arts and Wayne MacGregor|Random Dance an internationally recognised specialist institution for higher as well as a very close association with Greenwich Dance, with education and training in music and dance, we have a long whom we have National Portfolio Organisational (NPO) status history of working within Lewisham and are committed to our with Arts Council England. home borough, delivering a range of projects and programmes in local schools and community venues as well as providing This year some of our CAT students are working with Wayne regular classes for people of all ages in the Laban Building in MacGregor|Random Dance as part of their professional Deptford. projects and others are collaborating with Greenwich Dance on The Deluge, a performance project with Lila Dance. Our iconic Herzog & de Meuron designed building in Deptford, supported by Lewisham Council, was officially opened in 2002 This April, with Greenwich Dance, Trinity Laban hosted the and remains a focus for dance participation in the borough. London Regional Platform of UDance, an annual festival As part of our mission, we are committed to our role in the run by Youth Dance England that draws together some of development of the arts in South East London frequently the best youth dance work from across the country. Trinity connecting with other cultural and arts organisations such Laban submitted a dance piece jointly with Candoco Dance

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 42 24/06/2015 16:21 Company bringing together both our youth dance groups in Splintered Spiral, an inclusive dance choreographed by Jamie Dryburgh, which has been selected to go to the National Youth UDance Festival in Plymouth in July. Karim Dime, who came on to our Dance CAT programme in September 2013 has been part of Candoco Dance Company’s youth dance programme for many years, and performed with them at Sadler’s Wells as part of Jérôme Bel’s award winning The Show Must Go On. He has also been part of the Trinity Laban/Candoco Dance Company collaboration for UDance. Dance and music collaborations

As a conservatoire of music and dance, Trinity Laban, has championed many ways in which the two art forms can work together. Almost every year since its inception, the Dance CAT has worked with Junior Trinity, in the Music Faculty, also part of the Department for Education Music and Dance Scheme, to present music and dance collaborative performance pieces at high profile venues such as Sadler’s Wells, Southbank Centre and the Festival Hall. In 2009, we explored the nature of dance choreography and music composition with our students as they led on creating their own joint performance pieces. This year we collaborated on a joint dance and vocal piece, You Should Tell that at Parties, devised by Mark Griffiths (Conductor, Vocal Consort) and Will Aitchison (Dance CAT Lead Teacher).

Trinity Laban Youth Dance Company perform at the Horniman Museum in July 2014 as part of the Horniman’s Curious Tea Party

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 43 24/06/2015 16:21 TRINITYlaban.ac.uk /TRINITYLABAN

Have you met VIC?

John Fosbrook Head of Marketing and Communications, Trinity Laban

he Dance CAT at Trinity Laban is not only a fine to adapt to new environments and styles. The thing in its own right, but also exists as part of a students at Trinity Laban have the opportunity to T greater network of activity. Our Principal, Anthony become strong technical dancers with an artistic Bowne, describes Trinity Laban as a ‘Vertically Integrated and creative mind.’ Conservatoire’ – or VIC for short. It’s a model which enables talented young dancers to progress all the way from beginners Alongside daily classes in contemporary dance technique and to professionals, and in which each strand of activity both classical ballet, students participate in creative workshops enriches and is enriched by the others. and major performance projects. They perform in specially commissioned works, develop their own independent projects, and take part in special events such as the second year Undergraduate programme ‘Historical Project’, where visiting professionals work with students to recreate iconic contemporary works. Student Jack Trinity Laban’s three-year undergraduate programme is Philip recalls recognised as the international gold standard for dance training. Third year student Sebastian Abarbanell enjoys ‘I was working with Wayne McGregor and learning from Random Dance on their work Entity. It was an amazing experience to take class with them and ‘…the most inspiring tutors who are still active as learn the rep; it challenged me as a dancer and dance artists. In the course of three years you are will stay with me as one of my favourite moments introduced to many different techniques including in dance.’ Release, Cunningham, Graham and Limon based classes. Each tutor brings their own style into the Students at Trinity Laban also enjoy being part of an class depending on their previous experience and international community of like-minded creative artists. With personal practice. This prepares you perfectly for music and dance students from some 50 countries, students the professional world where you constantly have form lifelong friendships and artistic relationships. Recent

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 44 24/06/2015 16:22 graduate Camille Desmarest loves the ‘cultural richness’, and At the same time, knowledge often moves in the opposite comments, ‘You create an international web and network… direction. For example, students on our MA Dance Science It gets you to places or encounters you could have never work with undergraduates, helping them to eat well, possibly imagined!’ maintain fitness levels and train effectively. Our researchers’ investigations into pedagogy influence teaching practice at all Postgraduate programmes levels, including on the BA and Dance CAT programmes. Inspiration travels in all directions. Any one of our students, At postgraduate level, students can choose from a wealth from the youngest to the oldest, can provide inspiration for of one- and two-year diploma and masters programmes, any other, through their creativity, hard work or simply an allowing them to focus on specialisms such as choreography, encouraging word. The transparent studio walls in the Laban community dance, creative practice and dance science. A Building are a constant reminder that we can and should flagship programme is the MA Dance Performance in which observe and learn from each other. Thanks to VIC, there are students form the graduate dance company Transitions. many opportunities to do exactly that. They develop new works with leading choreographers and take them on an international tour. This incredibly competitive To find out more about studying at Trinity Laban, programme attracts the world’s very best young visit trinitylaban.ac.uk/dance contemporary dancers.

Some of our students have previous training, others have relatively little; some come straight from undergraduate degrees, while others join later in life. David Kam studied as an architect before coming to Trinity Laban, first completing a diploma and then joining Transitions. He comments that:

‘What I enjoy most about studying at Trinity Laban would have to be the talented, passionate and supportive students and staff members alike. I feel constantly inspired by them… the diversity of my peers, from various training backgrounds and academic perspectives, constantly challenges my personal practice.’ Research programmes

In 2014, Trinity Laban was highly rated for the quality of its research, and was described in Times Higher Education as the number one UK conservatoire for ‘research intensity’. This recognises that there is a small, highly active community of researchers – many of them studying for MPhils or PhDs – who are very involved within the life of the conservatoire.

There’s a huge variety of research at Trinity Laban being undertaken by academics, dancers, choreographers and dance scientists. What links all of this research together is the fact that it is practice-based. So the end product of a study of choreography is more likely to be a live performance than a book, and a study of dancers’ physiology will result in practical advice for performers. And VIC?

How are all of these components linked? Firstly, there is a clear progression between each level: CAT students can and do move onto the undergraduate programme, then onto a postgraduate programme, and then into the profession.

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CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 45 24/06/2015 16:22 As the Project Manager within the Learning and Participation (Dance) team, I oversee a wide range of outreach projects and programmes, including outreach for the Outward Dance CAT programme. Outreach work is intended to offer opportunities for young people to engage in dance, at whatever level they are currently at, and has bound the purpose of helping signpost them to further Katy Pearce opportunities that are suitable to them both Project Manager, Learning and Participation (Dance), currently or for the future. Trinity Laban

Promotion of the Dance CAT scheme is one part of this, for those who show real potential in dance, ensuring that they understand what this training offers for their long-term aspirations. →

Opportunities for young people to take part in contemporary dance Training opportunities sessions with Trinity Laban: Understand the in both technique workshops, projects, taster purpose of the Dance and creative work, sessions, both within CAT programme and to develop engaged, schools or through visits to what is expected of thinking young Othe Laban Building Ustudents Tdancers

CAT_mag_190x255_2015.indd 46 24/06/2015 16:22 Blaze and Explode: Dance workshops/projects One-off workshops for Continuing professional free dance taster days in in secondary schools: schools in the Laban development sessions for February half-term for anyone contemporary dance Building, including classes, a school teachers covering aged 11 to 16, with any level introductory sessions, tour of the building, and a talk a wide range of topics, of experience, to come and curriculum support, after- about dance opportunities including choreography try different dance techniques school clubs and bespoke and dance careers skills, identifying gifted and and watch performances workshops talented pupils, behaviour management, and dance for boys

Taster days: one-day visits Careers talks: helping Signposting from outreach CAT open days: anyone to the Laban Building for young people to understand activities to: the Trinity Laban interested in the Dance CAT school groups taking GCSE the range of career options Youth Dance Programme, the scheme who wants to find out or A Level Dance, offering the possible in dance and what Young Dance Ambassadors more about the programme opportunity to hear about the options there are for study Scheme, the Trinity Laban can visit the Laban Building, undergraduate programme, post-16 in both further and Youth Dance Company and take a taster CAT class watch professional dance higher education the Dance CAT scheme and have their questions training activities and take answered part in technique and creative classes

Educating young → people about Raising opportunities in Accessible for achievement and dance: both for all, at all stages aspirations where they are now of development Eand for their futures A R Helping signpost young people in the Continuous professional right direction and development for helping them make teachers: how to spot, choices that are right develop and nurture for them talent and direct their students to other training H C TRINITYLABAN.AC.UK/CAT 47

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