
During February half term we hosted hip hop song writing and street dance workshops for young people living in Littlemoor, Weymouth. 15 young people aged 6-16 took part in the workshops which were led by Isaiah Dreads and Isaac Farmer.
Dorset-based Isaiah Dreads is an acclaimed hip hop artist, MC and rapper. He has deep rooted connections with the Dorset landscape, making inspiring lyrical music. Isaac Farmer is a street dance artist and choreographer, also based in the south west. Both creatives worked with young people from Littlemoor to create songs and perform creative street dance. Participants heard examples of Isaiah’s work before creating their own original raps. Isaac shared knowledge of street dance technique and taught creative moves to those taking part. The workshops were built around the central theme of neighbourhood and the young people’s experiences of living in Weymouth.
The workshops were developed to engage young people in creative activities, introducing them to new skills and improve their wellbeing by developing opportunities in their community.
Caroline Suri, Activate’s Producer specialising in theatre, education and outreach, said: “It was so lovely to see young people opening up about their experiences of living in Weymouth in a creative way. Offering opportunities like this is really important so they can develop skills and a love for the arts, hopefully feeling inspired to continue writing songs and dancing in the future.”
Some of the feedback we received from participants included: “inspirational, fun, exciting,” and “I loved it”.
The workshops were delivered by Activate in partnership with Houseworks Dorset, they were supported by funding from Abri Housing, with additional support from Big4Littlemoor.
More to come
Littlemoor and Wareham
We will be helping to deliver more hip hop song writing and street dance workshops in Littlemoor in the Easter holidays on 3 and 4 April as part of Dorset Council’s Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF). They will be FREE for those who have a HAF passcode.
To book a free space text ‘ART’ to 07423555318, along with your chosen date, child’s name and date of birth, HAF passcode and your postcode. Bookings cannot be confirmed without this information. For more details please visit the Houseworks Dorset Facebook page.
Free workshops with Isaiah and Isaac will also be taking place at Wareham Youth Centre on the same days. To make a booking for Wareham, email office@pycf.org.uk with your details and HAF passcode. For more information please visit the Purbeck Youth and Community Foundation Facebook page.