The Dance Department is always seeking ways to extend and enrich the dance provision in school. This term our Year 10 BTEC and Year 12 A Level dancers were lucky enough to participate in a full day workshop with Mapdance company.
Mapdance company is formed of students who are studying for an MA Performance in Dance degree at the University of Chichester. Mapdance operates as a professional company with daily technique classes and rehearsals. They work with internationally established and up-and-coming choreographers. In addition, they tour nationally and internationally and offer educational activities for schools and colleges.
The workshop ran all day and resulted in the dancers learning and rehearsing a 4-minute dance work. They worked extremely hard and the result was fantastic. The following evening, they opened for Mapdance company and performed the dance that they had learned only the day before in the Showroom at the University.
I am so proud of their resilience and hard work. Here are some soundbites from some of the students who took part:
“Working with Mapdance was an amazing experience and dancing with the students gave me an idea of what it would be like to study dance at university.”
Tabby, Year 12 A level dancer
“The workshop with Mapdance inspired me and put me out of my comfort zone as it was a very abstract style of dance that I have never done before. All of the Mapdance members were so encouraging and talented.”
Olivia, Year 10 BTEC dancer
Miss J Lawlor
Head of Arts Faculty / Team leader Dance