Young D/deaf people in and around Cardiff will work and dance with Australian choreographer Anna Seymour, arguably one of the most highly acclaimed D/deaf dance artists working internationally today. Around ten young people will take part in a week-long summer dance school as part of Jones the Dance Young Company’s year-long project Quiet Beats (specially tailored creative dance workshops for young D/deaf people in south Wales).
Anna was selected by the Quiet Beats members themselves during the May half term. They interviewed three candidates through an audition/workshop session. Anna has worked with major international company Candoco since 2020 performing with them all over the world. During the week the young people will work on dance technique, learn choreography by Anna and create their own dances.
The young people will also have the opportunity to work with up-and-coming local Welsh dance artist Jules Young who will share his own style with them. They will aim to develop footwork skills and explore movement memory methods through games and fun tasks. At the end of the week they will share what they have been doing with family and friends.
Quiet Beats and Jones the Dance’s Young Company began during the pandemic with the aim to offer young D/deaf people the chance to try out dance in a supportive and nurturing environment that is tailored to their needs as young D/deaf people. The project was developed with the desire to create outstanding experiences for young people who usually don't get access to such opportunities to thrive and develop in dance. Through inviting international and homegrown choreographers, the aim is to develop physical and mental, team working, collaboration and creative skills.
Quiet Beats is led by Jones the Dance’s Dance Officer, Amber Howells who said:
“It is brilliant to be able to invite a D/deaf Choreographer of this calibre to come and work with and inspire the group to mark the end of a fantastic year”
With funding from Arts Council of Wales, Quiet Beats has expanded from a summer school into a year-long programme of week-long workshops during half terms and the summer holidays. Jones the Dance has also been running taster workshops across south Wales for young D/deaf children, taking their specially tailored classes to schools that provide specific resources for young D/deaf children and to Deaf hubs in Swansea, Newport, Pontypridd and Cwmbran, amongst others.
Speaking about the initiative Jones the Dance’s Artistic Director Gwyn Emberton said:
“Jones the Dance’s Young Company is part of our continued aims and commitment to developing dance in Wales, by creating opportunities for young people who might not think dance is for them or have not had the opportunity to dance before. Over the last ten years, we have been developing our knowledge and experience to provide dance from the grassroots to professional level. We are focused on bringing dance to communities that face acute barriers to accessing dance and sharing our expertise across Wales. Our vision is to transform who gets to dance, with the hope that some of the young people participating in Quiet Beats will be the next generation of dancers from Wales.”
There are still spaces left to join the Quiet Beats summer school which is for anyone who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, aged 7-17 years. The sessions will run from July 29th-August 2nd at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. All ages stay for the morning session from 10am-12noon and then age 12+ stay for the afternoon from 12:30-3pm. The sessions are free but booking is essential via the website. Travel bursaries are available for those who are travelling from outside of Cardiff and need some travel support.
https://www.jonesthedance.com/youngcompanybooking/quiet-beats-summer-sc…
Please get in touch with Dance Officer Amber Howells if you want to find out more on quietbeats@jonesthedance.com.
The company expects that more workshops and dance schools will run throughout the autumn of 2024 and spring and summer 2025 with leading professional choreographers.