Making Moves: Choose a Direction
Are you aged 16 or over?
Do you have a passion for performing?
Are you already involved in physical theatre, drama or dance?
Have you ever thought of a career in the performing arts but are unsure of what to expect?
Making Moves could be for you!
Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company in partnership with the University of Ulster is offering you the unique opportunity to work intensively with professional dancers to improve your movement skills and performance technique.
Whether you wish to pursue dance into Higher Education or develop your skills through experience, Making Moves will open your eyes to the professional process of performers, modelled on the practice of Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company.
As the leading contemporary dance company in Northern Ireland, Echo Echo has a strong link with the University of Ulster's Dance degree course at the Magee campus. Both Co-Artistic Directors of the company teach regularly on the course.
Therefore as a bonus for completing the Making Moves summer course you will receive accreditation from the University of Ulster's School of Creative Arts.
The story so far...
The first stage of this course started in November 2008 with 8 free introductory dance sessions in schools across Northern Ireland from Derry to Antrim and Belfast to Strabane.
Echo Echo was overwhelmed by the interest from secondary schools. The company hopes to maintain any new links created with them.
The introductory sessions last approx one hour and 30 minutes and will be taught by Echo Echo Co-Artistic Director, Steve Batts and full time ensemble member, Ayesha Mailey.They will be supported by Echo Echo's currrent placement students who are semi-professional dancers and dancers in training.
The sessions will involve warming up exercises, aspects of choreography- how it's created and how to follow it. It will also include more creative elements and improvisation before cooling down to finish.
It is hoped that participants will enjoy their experience of dance and movement and be inspired to pursue it. However, there is no obligation to progress onto the Easter and Summer courses.
What's next?
Easter course: Tuesday 14th - Saturday 18th April - 10am to 2pm each day - FREE
Summer course: Monday 3rd - Friday 21st August - 10am to 6pm - Costs £50
There will be a performance on Thursday 20th August in The Waterside Theatre, Derry- Londonderry.
Both courses will take place in the Echo Echo Dance Studio, Waterside Theatre and The Foyle Arts Building at the University of Ulster's Magee Campus.
Echo Echo tutors will teach on both Making Moves courses as well as invited artists from Europe in order to provide an exciting and unique opportunity to learn from various talented and creative artists.
How to get involved...
If you are interested in participating in Making Moves, on either the Easter or Summer course- or both, you must fill in an ‘expression of interest' form (download below) and return to Echo Echo.
This form is very basic, containing your contact details, school information and a paragraph about why you want to participate. You can get help from your teacher/parent if you need to.
The Expression of Interest form is designed to help Echo Echo decide on participants should there be more people interested than spaces available on the courses. On the Summer course, preference will be given to those who attended the Easter course.
* Download the Expression of Interest Form here (word doc)
Further Information:
Echo Echo will update this page as soon as the international artists are confirmed.
NOTE: Echo Echo is aware that some participants in the Easter and Summer courses may live too far away to travel everyday. Echo Echo can offer advice on where to stay, whether it is with a host family, in a hostel or a B&B.
However, Echo Echo will not take responsibility for the accommodation arrangements that participants make. This must be organised by the participant and their parent/guardian.
Funding for the Youth Dance Development Course has been provided by the Clore Duffield Foundation through its Clore Performing Arts Awards.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MAKING MOVES, CONTACT ECHO ECHO ON 028 7134 2266 OR EMAIL INFO@ECHOECHODANCE.COM
