Summer sunshine and what we've been up to!
Today reminded me that I haven't blogged in some time and I fear that after the news of today everyone is possibly feeling a little unsure... However, my mission today has been to fill our inboxes and social media with the positive and make sure that we are kicking off that summer happiness with lots and lots of dancing.
(Anything underlined has a link to further info just click)
So what have we been up to the past few months?
We have been so, so busy with our mass choreography programme Dance Rio and seen three events at Colchester Football Ground, Essex Cricket Ground and Jim Peters Stadium all a roaring success where approx 1300 dancers performed in one of the events. But it hasnt stopped there school continue to live on the legacy in school games, and we are off to AfPE Conference to share our dance with PE teachers nationally.
We have had our Braintree Dance Network Year 3 come to an end with our festival this week at St Michaels School. Again another successful day with 250 dancers and big thank yous to guest artists Bam Bam Boogies and Flux Dance Collective for performing for us. Please keep an eye out on our vimeo pages and we will shortly upload some of the works from our fabulous schools, we are so so proud of the high quality dance pieces they created this year. If you are itching to see have a look at Flux's duet
Sign up now for next years programme! That's not all we have also been awarded funding support from Essex County Council to roll out our model from Braintree into Colchester and beyond. If you would like to join either dance teachers network programmes please visit our details on how to book.
As we move into the end of summer we are about to share our beautiful elders works a collaboration between Louise Klarnett and Rachel Cherry so if you are able to come and join us for a dance and a cake or two please do. Click here for details. If you missed our fill of stills last term shared at SpringBlast we will be showing this also next week.
Plus we are off to STEP Live with two of our youth dance programme pieces and a very special piece created by Robert Gentle on the digidance programme ALL from Essex, Boswells Boys, Lyons Hall and Saffron Walden County High - WE CANNOT WAIT and we wish them all good luck for performing on such a prestigious stage. Saturday 9th July at Sadlers Wells.
Finally we have seen all this too!
March
Move IT - We shared a stand with Harlow College
Motiv8 Epping Forest (attended)
Barking and Dagenham Primary Dance Network Launch
Launch reopening of the Museum in Waltham Abbey and Epping Forests new home (attended)
Our Annual platform SpringBlast at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford
Last Poppy Has Fallen showcase at the Civic Theatre Chelmsford hosted by Essex County Council we took a few dance pieces along and a poem from our lovely RE:Generation dancer Frances Maynard
Physical Activity conference with Active Essex
6 New Youth Dance Classes join our programme Step into Dance
April
Dance Teachers Annual Conference and the announced plans for a new Dance Degree for Essex a programme designed by University Centre Colchester and the Dance Network Association in consultation with our teachers.
Barking and Dagenham Secondary Dance Meeting
Dance Rio Mass Rehearsal and Performance at Colchester Football Stadium
6 more New Youth Dance Classes join our programme in partnership with Step into Dance
2 x CPD training days for secondary ESS trainees in dance
RE:Generation collaborated with Louise Klarnett and Rachel Cherry on a new film which is untitled, its debut was at SpringBlast
May
Bobbie Gargrave turned 60!
Dance Rio Mass Rehearsal and Performance at Essex Cricket Ground
Dance Rio Mass Rehearsal Barking and Dagenham
Braintree Dance Network meetings
4 of our Essex groups audition for STEP Live with 200 other schools and groups
June
Dance Rio Performance Barking and Dagenham
Braintree Dance Festival
Primary and Secondary Dance Platforms in Barking and Dagenham - 'Fusion'
Launch of Colchester Dance Network to Secondaries and freelancers
NEETSA Fayre
ROH Bridge Annual Conference (attended)
Vicky Brown one of our BDN teachers gave birth to a little boy Friday 24 June we wish her and her family all the best
Coming up!
Wowza I think that is everything - it has been a fabulous few months and with all this happening we contracted our new freelance manager: Emma Meek (Youth, Adult and Professional Companies Manager) to support our work! Emma is in the office each Wednesday her email is emma@dancenetworkassociation.org.uk I would also like to wish Emma a very happy birthday for Monday 27 June x
I think thats all from me, take a little look at our gallery of events below.
See you all dancing soon
Gemma Wright
