ELEVATE Youth Dance Company

ELEVATE Youth Dance Company is based in Aberdeen and run by citymoves dancespace, the regional dance agency for the North East of Scotland. It is a collaboration between Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils. The project has received Lottery funding for the next three years.

What is it?

ELEVATE is a high-calibre youth dance company for the North East of Scotland. Each year 10 young dancers, aged 14-18 are selected to join the company. They work with leading choreographers to create dance performances to inspire young audiences throughout the region. All company members have the opportunity to gain Scottish Qualifications Authority units through their involvement in the company.

Each year a company of 10 young dancers is established through a series of auditions in Aberdeen and other towns in the North East.

Over 120 young people auditioned for ELEVATE in September 2003. Those selected to be part of ELEVATE 2003/04 are : -

• Katie Parkinson from Aberdeen
• Darren Mutch from Fraserbugh
• Laura Murrey from Inverurie
• Kayleigh Clark from Aberdeen
• Sam Ewen from Aberdeen
• Katrina Morgan from Inverurie
• Natasha Reid from Huntley
• Janie Keith from Peterhead
• Fraida Ali from Aberdeen
• Isla McGovern from Westhill

What it involves:

• The company meet once a month at citymoves for a full-day training session. The emphasis on these days is on developing the young dancers' technical and performance skills.
• They participate in three residential courses. These take place during the school holidays and bring the company together in a central location to work intensively with a choreographer to create a new dance piece. A leading or emerging choreographer from the UK will work with the young people during each of these residential courses. They will be commissioned to create a new, fresh dance piece that is appealing and dynamic for a young audience.

What now?

• In June ELEVATE went on tour, visiting some of the schools that the members are from. The company will be performing and leading workshops in an innovative peer learning project supported by citymoves' Dance Development Officer, Jillian Thomson.
• In August ELEVATE joined youth dance companies from all over the world, performing as part of Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

ELEVATE provides an intensive training and creative opportunity for young dancers and a number of members have already moved onto full-time professional training.

For further information please contact: Jillian Thomson - Dance Development Officer citymoves dancespace T : 01224 523706 E : jillianthomson@arts-rec.aberdeen.net.uk

Supported by the National Lottery through Scottish Arts Council.