At the beginning of March, Activate’s Dorset Youth Dance were invited to perform a specially created curtain-raiser with professional company Ceyda Tanc Dance as part of their production Kizlar. (A curtain-raiser is a short prelimary performance before the main event).
We were delighted to be part of this fantastic production presented by Artsreach at Buckland Newton Village Hall, as part of the Rural Touring Dance Initiative.
The weekend was a fantastic celebration of intergenerational creativity, with Dorset Youth Dance and the Dorchester-based older peoples’ community dance group, Movers and Shakers, performing a brand new piece choreographed by British-Turkish choreographer, Ceyda Tanc.
Ki Shaw, Activate’s Producer for Dance, Youth and Diversity said “It was a great opportunity for our young people in Dorset Youth Dance to perform alongside professional dancers from the wonderful Ceyda Tanc Dance, and be part of an intergenerational piece with Dorchester-based Movers and Shakers. We love these opportunities – we learn from them and it’s exciting to be part of them.”
Working with a company that produces aesthetically driven contemporary dance works, with influence of traditional Turkish folk dance, gave the Dorset Youth Dance participants an incredible opportunity to learn new and inspiring ways of moving.