back to top  

WORLD CHAMPIONS – ‘TABOT’ AFTER APPEARING AT DANCE CHALLENGE™

times.series@archant.co.uk 30 September 2009

‘Tabot’ dance group has been celebrating after being crowned Teen world champions of street dance.

After appearing at Dance Challenge™ in July this year the Kilburn-based Kronik beat some of the best dance groups from all over the world to become the Under 14s champions at the 2009 United Dance Organisation World Street Dance Championship in Blackpool.

The dance group represents the Tabot Mix Dance School, an urban street and hip hop dance company based at the Tabot Centre in Granville Road, Kilburn.

Angela Moore of the Tabot Centre said:’We would like to show that our young people are award winners and are giving a positive representation of our area and of Brent as a whole’

The championship was held this year [on Sunday August 29] as a tribute to the late Michael Jackson and featured special guest stars including Britain's Got Talent Winners 'Diversity.’

Cllr Mary Arnold, Kilburn Ward, said: ‘I am delighted to see the Tabot has at last been provided with modern, spacious facilities that will continue to inspire the children who thrive in the after-school and dance, arts and media provision.

’In their state-of-the-art new centre, the Tabot is even more of an asset for Kilburn families and their award-winning street dance performance is now internationally renowned and a testament to the children's significant artistic abilities and the Tabot's achievement’

Footage of Kronik dancing can be seen online at www.youtube.com/kroniikman.

We at Dane Challenge™ wish the group all the best.

back to top  

DANCE CHALLENGE™ UK WINNERS 2009

Community Groups category - Joint Place

Aaron Crosbie and Status

Primary Schools category

Our Lady of Victories RC School

Secondary School category

St Charles Catholic Sixth Form

back to top  

DANCE CHALLENGE™ SOUTHWARK WINNERS 2009

Community groups category

Progidy - Winner

Primary schools category

Ivydale Primary School – Winner

Dog Kennel Hill Primary school (Area 3) – Runner up

Secondary schools category

Kingsdale Community College - Winner

Globe Academy – Runner up

back to top  

LIST OF OUR CHOREOGRAPHERS

Here is the list of our choreographers for Dance Challenge™ 2009 Winners

The £150 cash voucher entitles the winning teams to receive up to three hours of dance training with one of the following dance artists.

Akosua Boakye - Style: African/ Contemporary

Head of Dance Kensington and Chelsea Performing Arts College. She teaches: Contemporary African, a highly energetic class which engages the whole body. Get ready to challenge your body in rhythm and dance

Kasper Cornish - Style: Ballet

Kasper danced as the Prince of Transylvania in the West End Production of ""My Fair Lady"" and as a freelance principal artist has danced famous ballet pas de deux all over the world. He has taught classical ballet, pas de deux and classical repertoire since 1995 for The Urdang Academy, The Italia Conti Academy, West London School of Dance, English Youth Ballet, Studio Petit Etoile – Japan and was Ballet Master for the European Ballet’s 1997 summer tour.

SRISHTI - Style: Indian dance

Your workshop with Srishti will be led by the Artistic Director, Nina Rajarani. Srishti creates and presents dance work that maintains the authenticity of Indian classical dance and music whilst presenting these forms in innovative ways and within contemporary contexts.

The company has a passion for, and extremely in-depth knowledge of, Bharatanatyam (a south Asian style of dance) and Karnatic music, its natural accompaniment.

Annette Brandanger - Style: Capoiera and Contemporary

Annette is a London based dance artist. Apart from working with the Dance Challenge team she also teaches for the Royal Academy of Dance and the English National Ballet in Contemporary, Street and Capoeira style. Her creative work motivates strength, energy and technique. Her work has been shown at the Royal Albert Hall, Sadler’s Wells, Queen Elisabeth Hall and more. As a performer she has danced for Transitions Dance company, Influx Dance, Lee Anderson,TMV productions and she will appear in this years Dance Umbrella festival.

Cindy Claes - Style: Krumping and Dance Hall.

Cindy is the artistic director of East London Dance Youth Company she has worked along side Jonzi D as rehearsal director and as assistant choreographer for Mayhem Youth Theatre. Cindy is a world renowned krumping expert. She is a choreographer, a dancer, a dance teacher, to sum it up: a dance artist!

She is totally unreasonable and crazily creative! Integrity, freedom and growth are the values who guide her through her work and the way she communicate with people. She has danced for MTV Bust a Move, Reebok, Dr Martens, Columbia, (UK and Europe)

Matt Walker - Style: Street Dance and breaking style

Matt Walker is the Artistic Director of The Urban Dance School. He will teach a workshop on street and breaking style and will be highly energetic and challenging. The Urban Dance School are highly recognised for street and breaking within Spelthorne borough and across Greater London. Matt Walker as a dancer and choreographer has worked with world famous artists including Mariah Carey, Chris Brown, Jennifer Ellison and most recently Fresh Entertainment. He has received 3 awards for choreography since turning professional at the age of 17 and has an incredible passion for all aspects of dance and performing shown by his versatility.

back to top  

TICKETS SOLD OUT - DANCE CHALLENGE™ UK

We are pleased to announce that the whole 950 seats are gone. All tickets for the DANCE CHALLENGE™ UK, 7:30 Show are sold.

The passion and excitement is palpable. Groups are ready to battle it on the Queen Elizabeth (South Bank Centre) stage. We at the Dance Challenge™ office are feeling the buzz…

back to top  

WATCH THE LIVE RECORDING OF 1st JULY SHOW

Here is the link to watch the Dance Challenge™ live recording of the 1st July 2009 event at Cadogan Hall: http://www.dancechallenge.co.uk/gallery.php

Then click in the link: Watch Dance Challenge RBKC 09

NOTE: You need to install flash player to watch the video.

back to top  

FINAL LIST - DANCE CHALLENGE™ UK 17th July 2009 7:30PM (SBC)

PRIMARY SCHOOLS CATEGORY

Kensal Rise Primary

Park Walk Primary School

Parlaunt Park

Our Lady of Victories RC Primary

Guest Artist 2 - Salsa – Almas Latinas

SECONDARY SCHOOLS CATEGORY

Bosworth Community College

Finchley Catholic High School

Langley Park Girls School

MXT – Woodhouse College & Barnet College

Queen Elizabeth Girls School

Queen Park Community School

Southgate

St. Charles Catholic 6th Form

St. George’s Catholic

Thamesmead

Norwood School

Guest Artist 3 – Child of Zion

COMMUNITY GROUPS

CATEGORY

Aaron Crosbie

Acronikos Dance

Alluminae

Discipline

Equilibrium

Futunity UK

Gemstarz Dance Troupe

Genesis

Guest Artist 4 – Laban

Kronik

Nicola School of Dance

Status

Swager

The Company Bearfoot

The Movement Academy

Union Too

Westminster Youth Dance

Guest Artist 5 - Impact

back to top  

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA WINNERS - 1 July 09

Community groups category

Aaron Crosbie Dance Academy - 1st Prize Community

Thomas Jones PlayCentre - 2nd Prize Community

Capoeira Canal

Generation Girls

Sion Manning Tap

Primary Schools category

Our Lady Victories - 1st Prize Primary

Bousfield Primary - 2nd Prize Secondary

Fox Primary Dance Club

Maple Walk Prima

Servite RC Primary

The Clement & James Centre

Secondary Schools category

St Charles College - 1st Prize Secondary

Sion Manning – Cheerleader - 2nd Prize Secondary

back to top  

LIVE WORLD BROADCST - KENSINGTON & CHELSEA SHOW 1 July 09

The first dance event of its kind to be streamlined live over the internet!

For the first-time ever the exciting and successful Dance Challenge™ event will be broadcast live to an international audience, when it takes place on Wednesday 1st July at the prestigious Cadogan Hall in Chelsea. Funded by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, this is the first dance event of its kind to be streamlined live over the internet.

You can join in the action and watch the event for yourself. Visit http://www.cadoganhall.com/whats_on_ch2.php and click on the Dance Challenge™ page.

Viewers from around the world will be able to watch some of the boroughs hottest dance groups from schools and the community battle it out on stage, directly from their own computers.

back to top  

THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN! - FINAL CHANCE - REGISTER BY 30/6/09

The countdown to this year’s Dance Challenge™ UK event has begun and groups are getting ready to battle it out on the prestigious stage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall!

Don’t forget – you can support your favourite team - Reserve your tickets now!

Confirmed groups so far include:

YOUTH GROUPS CATEGORY:

> Acronikos Dance Troupe - Lintons Youth Arts Centre

> Alluminae

> Equilibrium Dance Troupe

> Gemstarz Dance Troupe

> Genesis

> Shooting Starz

> The Company,Bearfoot

> Union Too

> Westminster Youth Dance Scene

SECONDARY SCHOOLS CATEGORY:

> Bosworth Community College

> Finchley Catholic High School

> Langley Park Girls School

> St Georges Catholic School

> Thamesmead Secondary School

> The Norwood School

PRIMARY SCHOOLS CATEGORY:

> Aldersbrook Primary School

> Kensal Rise Primary School

> Parlaunt Park Primary School

FINAL CHANCE TO REGISTER YOUR GROUP – DEADLINE 30th JUNE! - REGISTER ONLINE NOW!

AUDIENCE VOTE! HOW DOES IT WORK? - (June 09)

This year there is an added twist to the competition! The audience will be involved in determining the winners by being able to vote for their favourite group - every ticket sold will count as a vote!

So how does it work? It's simple!

- Once audience members have collected their tickets for the show, they will be given a voting token.

- As soon as they receive this they can visit the voting area to drop their token into the box of the group they are supporting.

- Votes must be cast before the show starts

- The tokens will then be counted for each group and 10% of points will be awarded accordingly.

Scoring

10% of the audience vote will be awarded in points. For example, if a group receives 60 votes then 6 points will be added to their final score!

back to top  

TRAINING DAY FOR RBKC GROUPS, 28/2/09 - (Feb 09)

9:30 – 16:00

Sion-Manning RC Girls School, 75 St Charles Square, London W10 6EL. Tube: Ladbroke Grove

Dance Challenge™ training sessions help young people, teachers, social workers and youth group leaders to hone their skills in choreography, music editing and set design.

The day is ideal if your group is planning to enter a Dance Challenge™ event or is choreographing a piece for any other forthcoming dance performance. Anyone and everyone is welcome to take advantage of our FREE workshops.

Places are limited to 3 members per school/group (at least one adult has to be present from each team)

TRAINING DAY CONTENT

During the training day participants will get to work with professionals from the creative arts and media industry. You will receive specialist knowledge and advice, intended to inspire. These sessions will provide you with the tools and skills that you can apply to any creative project you engage in.

The following topics will be discussed:

- What is Dance Challenge™? How to enter, rules and general information

- How to find inspiration and starting the creative process

- Creating a concept

- Planning a theme for your piece

- Choreography

- Sound and Music editing/production

- Costume and set design

- Networking

Booking is essential! The training day is FREE and places are limited. 48 hours’ notice is required should you wish to cancel your place. Failure to do so will incur a £25 administration charge.

Refreshments and biscuits will be provided. Each participant should bring their own lunch.

For more information contact us: dance@dancechallenge.co.uk or call 0845 539 0014

back to top  

DANCE CHALLENGE™ 2008 ON YOUTUBE - (Jan 09)

DANCE CHALLENGE™ 2008 (JUNE – JUL) participating teams can be seen on Youtube.Below are the individual links.

KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA BOROUGH (SCHOOLS AND GROUPS)

Bousfield Primary School - http://www.youtube.com/v/ugEP1RKSb68

Marlborough Primary Group -http://www.youtube.com/v/B_vTEHJlBI8

Oxford Gardens¹ Dance Steppers -http://www.youtube.com/v/I2Z5H4-1aWc

St. Mary¹s Abbots - http://www.youtube.com/v/ZRFnE1vX1lY

St. Nicholas Prepartory -http://www.youtube.com/v/4qnosXLLZwA

Sion Manning Tap Dancers -http://www.youtube.com/v/tNV86AMfQ6k

Aaron Crosbie Irish Dance Academy -www.youtube.com/v/SHVofZpctYg

Capoeira Canal - http://www.youtube.com/v/1jk12sgztzY

Generation Girls - http://www.youtube.com/v/_PjlGHAD3bs

Midaye Somali Dance Group -http://www.youtube.com/v/JJAuKcTU4HY

Our Time - http://www.youtube.com/v/yUHkm4Z5MVg

WESTMINSTER BOROUGH (SCHOOLS AND GROUPS)

Hallfield Juniors -http://www.youtube.com/v/d-pd3Y2ERfE

Hampden Gurney -http://www.youtube.com/v/3Grc_EZm89s

Our Lady of Dolours -http://www.youtube.com/v/giqmzvVqqqg

St. George's Primary School -http://www.youtube.com/v/PBVtkWh0Cjw

Paddington Academy -http://www.youtube.com/v/ouffzFjsc5U

Quintin Kynaston -http://www.youtube.com/v/Is8VWJwu2bY

The Grey Coat Hospital -http://www.youtube.com/v/6M1uYtJ43As

Paddington Arts Performance Group -www.youtube.com/v/anmZJYUnWDo

Union Too -http://www.youtube.com/v/GQtERaWjbWA

Unique Dynamites -http://www.youtube.com/v/kWpwTwKeVaY

Westminster Youth Dance -http://www.youtube.com/v/sxRGcByOCpY

LONDON WIDE (COMMUNITY GROUPS)

Akhtamar Performance Group - http://www.youtube.com/v/rxrhGu6x6NU

Angels Cheerleading - http://www.youtube.com/v/PoQNNomv4j4

Bearfoot Company -http://www.youtube.com/v/eouiVx0ww0A

Calthorpe Allstars -http://www.youtube.com/v/L0MWVpmSz4I

Caution -http://www.youtube.com/v/P0Lv8tVeSJA

Cult Dance -http://www.youtube.com/v/4qcmEotqQuY

CYPSEG -http://www.youtube.com/v/hNSYZHexatM

Dancevibes -http://www.youtube.com/v/7xWmk2RfWyg

Feltham Dance Company -http://www.youtube.com/v/qkzoRhsi3Ko

Firestorm - http://www.youtube.com/v/k7RbTyJ02Ek

Freedom of Dance - http://www.youtube.com/v/11LkpRxgHqo

Spirit - http://www.youtube.com/v/Y9KfZMgxbGU

Kronik - http://www.youtube.com/v/cDIX2riCios

Ombrascura - http://www.youtube.com/v/9kfRw3yOs6E

Protocol - http://www.youtube.com/v/rPYUXL-ANq4

Reminisce - http://www.youtube.com/v/G9Qjbs9kNMU

Surge - http://www.youtube.com/v/QNMjsw318xI

The Dark Elite - http://www.youtube.com/v/RfJ1Frcz5rw

Movement Academy - http://www.youtube.com/v/u715tCG2kJA

The Urban Dance School - http://www.youtube.com/v/fxthDRQjqCA

Triveni Dance Company - http://www.youtube.com/v/frQApSdHGJQ

Vortex - http://www.youtube.com/v/XwbEuBC2OqE

Youthology - http://www.youtube.com/v/sgKCw_8At3c

Abyss - http://www.youtube.com/v/jg8TR1fxjQ8

back to top  

back to top  

--------------------------------------- 2008 NEWS ---------------------------------------

back to top  

back to top  

Dance Challenge™ Kensington & Chelsea 1 July 2009 date for your calendar

Dear All,

I realise that deep into November it is difficult to remember what last July was like, let alone start planning for the next one, but it is with pleasure that I am able to confirm that we will be running Dance Challenge again in 2009 and to give you early notice that the showcase event will be held on the evening of Wednesday 1st July at Cadogan Hall.

Last year Kensington and Chelsea’s Extended Services Team, in partnership with the independent arts organisation Culture and Arts, ran a Dance Challenge event at Cadogan Hall on the evening of 26th June.  The event included play centres, primary schools, secondary schools and youth and community groups taking part who all received support to choreograph and rehearse an original dance piece over 14 weeks which they then performed, alongside five professional acts, at the showcase event.  In 2008 Bousfield won the primary category, Sion Manning the secondary and the Aaron Crosbie Dance Academy won the community group prize; awarded by a panel of dance and industry professionals.

In 2009 we will once again be working in partnership with Culture and Arts, along with the School Sports Partnership and the Arts Service, to support 16 groups (indicatively to be split as eight primary/play, four youth/community and four secondary/sixth form).  We will be offering chorographical support on group by group basis and the competition will once again be combined with professional performances on the night designed to:

Reflect the rich and varied cultural and community links to dance in Kensington and Chelsea by introducing young people to as many different forms of dance as possible

Promote healthy lifestyles and positive attitudes to emotional and physical health by involving children and young people in an aspirational physical activity.

Judging by last year's feedback it should be a wonderful evening so, whilst formal invitations will follow closer to the time, please mark us down in your diaries now. 

‘I came expecting a school show, but this was of an amazing standard’ - ‘it showed a real sense of confidence within the community’ - ‘so many great performers; a really high standard of work’ - ‘inspiring’ - a ‘surprising amount of team spirit and commitment’

Yours,

Anna Banbury

Service Manager - Learning, Transition and Targeted Children's Support

Family and Children's Services

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

back to top  

Free Dance Course: October Half-Term

Dance Challenge™ is offering a FREE DANCE COURSE during October half term primary school children in Brent

Course details

Dance style: Hip-Hop/Contemporary

Dates: 27 – 30 October

Times: 10:00 – 12:30

Venue: Gladstone Park Primary School (Sports hall)

Participants: Primary school age students.

Description:

During this course students will be learning some of the latest techniques of hip-hop and contemporary dances with professional dancers provided by Culture and Arts.

If you are interested in enrolling your child for this Free course you need to fill in and return the consent form to:

Gladstone Park School ,Sherrick Green Rd, London, NW10 1LB

Or call: 07961 433 042

By: Monday 20 October 2008

Places are limited to 20 students per course and priority will be given to Gladstone Park Primary School students. We operate on first come first serve bases.

Please make the necessary arrangements for your child to be collected directly after the courses.

back to top  

DVD now on sale!

Dance Challenge™ 2008 Finals DVD is now on sale.

We have printed a limited numbers of this year’s Finals DVD’s which are for sale at: £8.99 + £2.90 (postage) = £11.89 each.

If you are interested in getting a copy you can send a cheque (for £11.89) to: Cultural Awareness Ltd 11 Rosemont Road London NW3 6NG or contact us: dance@dancechallenge.co.uk to arrange your visit and collect the DVD in our office. Or contact Tomorr on: 07961 433042

back to top  

At Wembley Arena (again) - Dance Challenge™ groups at Culture8 Festival

This Sunday 28 September Unique Dynamites, Westminster Youth Dance Scene and Cult are performing at Culture8 Festival at Wembley Arena.

Culture8 is a non-stop family festival of music, dance, sport, circus and street entertainment from West London’s best, welcoming the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics Games.

The diversity of styles in these three groups will bring to Wembley a distinct flavour of this year’s Dance Challenge™. Their pieces are a combination of jazz, contemporary, acrobatics, street and hip-hop techniques.

Unique Dynamites brought something special to the Dance Challenge™ by combining cheerleading with hip-hop and street dance techniques, culminating with some mesmerising acrobatic elements.

Westminster Youth Dance Scene made their debut entitled ‘CATS’ at this year’s event. Their well crafted piece was enhanced by the elegant costumes and dramatic make-up, and was topped off by an impressive performance of its members, whose ages range from 5 to 20 years.

Cult was crowned the winner of Dance Challenge™ 2008 amongst 38 other community groups. Throughout the performance you feel as if you are transported into a virtual world where the characters have an ever-burning human soul. Behind each movement you can feel a strength of passion linking all the team towards a unique pursuit. Perhaps the search for the truth.… Their fast-paced movements will keep you wondering how do they do it. Where does the contemporary technique start and the street dance end? But moreover, it will leaving you wanting more.

Dance Challenge™ 2008 was attended by over 1000 dancers from 63 different primary/secondary schools and community groups from across UK.

They challenged each other with an array of dance styles at five different events alongside 12 guest artists making this year’s competition the biggest to date.

Good luck to these three Dance Challenge™ champions.

Tomorr Kokona (Artistic Director)

back to top  

Dance Challenge™ 2008 Winners - £150 cash voucher training

Each winning team from the Dance Challenge™ Heats and Finals are entitled to receive a £150 cash voucher training with one of the following dance artists

Choreographers’ biographies and styles

Head of Dance Kensington and Chelsea Performing Arts College. She teaches Contemporary African, a highly energetic class which engages the whole body. Get ready to challenge your body in rhythm and dance

Kasper Cornish - Style: Ballet

Kasper danced as the Prince of Transylvania in the West End Production of ""My Fair Lady"" and as a freelance principal artist has danced famous ballet pas de deux all over the world. He has taught classical ballet, pas de deux and classical repertoire since 1995 for The Urdang Academy, The Italia Conti Academy, West London School of Dance, English Youth Ballet, Studio Petit Etoile – Japan and was Ballet Master for the European Ballet’s 1997 summer tour.

SRISHTI - Style: Indian dance

Your workshop with Srishti will be led by the Artistic Director, Nina Rajarani. Srishti creates and presents dance work that maintains the authenticity of Indian classical dance and music whilst presenting these forms in innovative ways and within contemporary contexts. The company has a passion for, and extremely in-depth knowledge of, Bharatanatyam (a south Asian style of dance) and Karnatic music, its natural accompaniment.

http://www.srishti.co.uk/home.htm

Hakeem Onibudo - Style: Street/Hip-Hop

Hakeem is the artistic director of Impact dance and teaches the xpressyourself Street dance class at Danceworks, Central London. This year Hakeem’s Impact Dance was selected as one of six youth dance companies from the UK to work with Mark Murphy of DV8 on a new show for the Royal Festival Hall.

Fran Barbe - Style: Japanese Butoh/Contemporary

Fran is a trained ballet and contemporary dancer. For the past ten years she has focused on Butoh, Contemporary Japanese dance and has been working in Japan and across Europe. Now, based in London she has founded her own company Fran Barbe Dance Theatre which is highly theatrical dance style inspired by Japanese butoh. She runs workshops across London in Butoh and Suzuki (strong movement language)

Tom Dale - Style: Laban technique

Tom Dale graduated from Laban Centre London, he is currently based in London and has set up his own company which successfully tours around the whole of the UK. Tom’s choreography brings together dance and electronic music. His workshop will be based on the simple structure of the Laban technique.

Annette Brandanger - Style: Capoiera/ Contemporary

Annette Brandanger is a Laban trained contemporary dancer and caporistan from Capoeira Ceara London. She has choreographed for projects held at the Royal Albert Hall, Sadler’s Wells and Lyric theatre. As a performer she has danced in number of performances in London and across England and Europe. She held permanent residence with “Influx Dance Company” from 2003-2005. She now teaches workshops across London.

www.constantmovement.co.uk

Matt Walker – Style: Street/breaking

Matt Walker is the Artistic Director of The Urban Dance School. He will teach a workshop on street and breaking style and will be highly energetic and challenging. The Urban Dance School are highly recognised for street and breaking within Spelthorne borough and across Greater London. Matt Walker as a dancer and choreographer has worked with world famous artists including Mariah Carey, Chris Brown, Jennifer Ellison and most recently Fresh Entertainmmet. He has received 3 awards for choreography since turning professional at the age of 17 and has an incredible passion for all aspects of dance and performing shown by his versatility.

back to top  

Tomorr Kokona interviewed on BBC London 94.9FM!

The Mayor of London’s Big Dance festival fast approaches, and the London media are beginning to be interested. BBC Radio London 94.9 FM recently woke up to the news that dance is the fastest growing leisure phenomenon among young people in the UK, and decided that Dance Challenge’s own Tomorr Kokona was the person to speak to, to ask why.

“Of course,” Tom – a classically trained dancer – explained, “I am Albanian, and in Albania dance is the national sport!” he joked. Seriously, though, he went on, dance is indeed one of the best “sports” you can do. It’s good for the health and the figure, but it’s also artistic and creative – not to mention “cool”. Tom explained that in schools where children begin to attend dance classes, truancy and delinquency rates plummet. It’s as if, believes Tom, that dance gives the young people a really constructive and positive outlook. They see it as a great form of self expression, and it fires their imaginations as well as physically energising them. You get less depression and dissatisfaction with school and life generally, believes Tom, and dancing MAKES the kids more optimistic and happy about life in general.

So dance is therapy? No, Tom says, that’s not what it is designed to be, but dance catches the innate rhythms of life and makes you feel physically and spiritually connected to the world – and makes you feel your place in it has a purpose, and that life can be fun and even thrilling. You don’t need any special equipment, and you can dance anywhere.

So what’s not to like? Get dancing everybody!

back to top  

Dance Challenge™ 2008 Launch Party Report

The London Coliseum in St Martin’s Lane, home of the English National Opera, played host to the launch party of the 2008 Dance Challenge™. For the first and maybe the only time, the venerable building pounded to pop, rock and hip-hop beats as a special showcase performance by finalists and winners of last year’s competition performed for the assembled guests. There were inspiring routines by the Hallfield Primary Group (still dancing together even though they have now graduated to secondary school), by the Langley Park Girls’ School (or “LPGS” as they call themselves), and last but not least by the amazing Vortex, whose hip-hop-inspired routines impressed everybody, including the staff of the Coliseum - witty and inventive riffs danced to a medley of tunes that approached the status of dance theatre.

The thoroughly entertaining performances were watched by a large cross-section of guests from the dance and arts world; the atmosphere was great, and it was a perfect launching pad for what promises to be the best and biggest Dance Challenge™ so far.

If your group hasn’t yet signed up, then do so now: the lists are open and filling fast.

back to top  

The BIG ISSUE sponsors Dance Challenge™ 2008

We are proud to announce that The Big Issue are now the media partners for Dance Challenge™ 2008.

Since it’s birth 17 years ago, The Big Issue has been at the forefront of addressing social problems and helping individuals to transform their lives. Vendors buy the magazine for 70p and sell it for £1.50. the independence gained and support given builds self-esteem and self-responsibility allowing homeless people to make a real change from your small change.

The Big Issue said “We support the inspiring work of Dance Challenge™ and of the opportunity it gives to young people involved, many whom face challenges in their lives but tackle them with positivity and creative self-expression.”

back to top  

ENO Opens Its Doors For Our Launch Party

We are happy to announce that the launch party for Dance Challenge™ 2008 has been confirmed for 16 May and will take place at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane, home of the English National Opera.

The event will be held in the Upper Foyer, and is strictly on an invite and RSVP basis, as space will be limited.

Winners from last year’s Dance Challenge™ will perform live at the party, which will be a media opportunity not just for Dance Challenge™ but also for the Mayor of London’s Big Dance 2008 festival, which is taking place on 5-13 July, and with which Dance Challenge™ is collaborating (check it out on http://www.london.gov.uk/bigdance

back to top  

Cash Prizes For The First Time At Dance Challenge™ 2008

This year, for the very first time, winners of each category of every heat will receive not only the customary and much-coveted trophies but now also cash prizes. That means the winners of the primary and secondary schools, and of the

back to top  

Dance Challenge™ And Big Dance

DANCE CHALLENGE™ is proud to announce our participation in the Mayor of London’s Big Dance festival, from 5-13 July 2008. http://www.london.gov.uk/bigdance/.

We will be joining with other great partners of the festival – which aims

back to top  

back to top  

--------------------------------------- 2007 NEWS ---------------------------------------

back to top  

back to top  

6th Dance Challenge™ - 18th July 2007 - record numbers

The date of the 6th annual Dance Challenge™ is fast approaching, and we are thrilled to say it will now be - officially - an even bigger occasion than last year, with a record number of entrants now confirmed.

Following the great success of the event in 2006, there has been an overwhelming amount of interest in this year's Dance Challenge™ - over 700 young people from more than 60 London Primary/Secondary Schools and Community Groups will display their individual creativity and talent on the world famous stage of Wembley Arena.

We now have a provisional final roster of participating dance groups, and will publish the confirmed list within the next few days, so watch this space for a heads-up of who is taking part.

The showcase starts at 2pm and finishes at approximately 8pm. Due to the exceptional number of dancers, we have decided to split the Challenge into two sections. London's finest Primary and Secondary schools will be competing in part one, followed by the Community groups who will take centre stage in part two. The best teams will be awarded prizes based on their talent and the quality of their choreography.

back to top  

Dance prodigies - audition dates set - open call!

Culture and Arts is delighted to announce that auditions are soon to take place for the Dance Prodigies project.

Dance Prodigies will create a mixed-age-group company composed of professional dancers and young people who have previously taken part in Dance Challenge™. They will work together intensively for several weeks before touring and performing at theatres, schools and community groups around the UK.

A small group of between six and ten young people will be chosen on the basis of their ability and talent by the professional company members at open auditions.

The date and place has now been fixed and interested graduates"""" of Dance Challenges past are warmly invited to come along.

The date: July 2nd 2007

The place: Gladstone Park Primary School

back to top  

New award for Culture and Arts

Culture and Arts is pleased to announce that we have been awarded £12,000 by Brent Youth Services PAYP to organise holiday-time activities during upcoming school vacations during October and the Christmas period.

Our popular and acclaimed dance and music courses are available to all Brent school children, but places will be limited. So if you are interested please contact us now and book ASAP.

back to top