2023-03-31-annual-report

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Annual Report 2022123

THE COMPANY

DU Dance (NI) is a vibrant, progressive dance company, highly regarded for its work at the cutting edge of dance and social and community development. Working through the medium of contemporary dance theatre and constantly pushing the boundaries of where and with whom dance has value, the company’s work focuses on young people but involves people of all ages and abilities in a variety of community and artistic settings.

DU Dance (NI) is committed to delivering the same professional standard of work, regardless of whether that work takes place in a high profile venue or in a local school hall. The company advocates the entitlement of marginalised individuals and groups to benefit from the same opportunities as everyone else.

Through dance, the company aims to inspire people and communities to realise their full potential and is committed to building new audiences and to training and sharing skills.

OUR AIM is to introduce young people to dance and the creative arts and to advocate dance as a tool for facilitating personal and social development.

OUR VISION is to advance dance as an art form, build community connections and foster tolerance and respect.

The company’s artistic and management team has over thirty years’ experience of working within communities all over the world, using dance and the arts as tools for personal and community development and social change.

PROGRAMMES OF WORK

DU Dance (NI) has formulated its approach into interconnected programmes of work under the following generic titles:

BUILDING BRIDGES - benefits young people who are at risk of being socially segregated due to their special needs, cultural difference or disability. People who are perceived to be different in some way are often pushed to the margins of society and are excluded from full participation by the organisation of our physical and social environments. Almost all encounter prejudice, bullying, insensitive treatment and discrimination at some time in their lives. This programme seeks to build connections between different groups, to celebrate difference and facilitate a process in which every individual can be fully received into their community.

CLOSING THE GAP - focuses on inter-generational work by bringing people of different generations together. Historically, dance has been a social gatherer with people of all ages and genders. Currently, however, there are few situations that bring people of different ages together. With advancements in digital technology and the radical change in forms of communication, the generation gap has increased. Closing the Gap seeks to address this lack of connection and to challenge preconceived attitudes that obstruct integration and increase isolation.

CROSSING THE DIVIDE - focuses on crosscommunity work using dance, with its physical, emotional and cognitive demands, as a tool for cohesion. This work provides people with a safe environment in which to let go of fears and prejudices and begin to have contact with each other through our common humanity. In the belief that most attitudes to life are established in childhood and on the understanding that change needs to happen both at grassroots as well as policy level, DU Dance (NI) works with young people in a variety of educational and social settings, concentrating on areas where participants experience inter-community conflict.

OPENING THE SPECTRUM - focuses on

broadening horizons and opening up new opportunities. It includes one-off workshops, summer schemes, performances, festivals or longer ongoing projects. The programme incorporates work outside Northern Ireland, which is undertaken only if there is a social or developmental aim that fits into the framework of the company’s mission statement. Programmes of work delivered internationally have resulted in the development of continuing partnerships with local development organisations.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

Board of Directors Rosamond Bennett (Chairperson) - Chief Executive Officer, Christian Aid Ireland Valerie Catterson (Secretary) - Chartered accountant and freelance financial manager Les McLean (Treasurer) - Project Manager, Business Services Organisation Claire Flynn - Head of Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement (UK), The National Lottery Heritage Fund - Jane Coyle Arts journalist, writer, theatre and dance critic Marie O’Donoghue - Manager of Creative Schools/Schools Improvement - EANI Randall Shannon - Executive Director - Wexford Festival Opera Tom Hughes - Online Visual Content Producer, BBC Northern Ireland.

Youth Steering Group Anastazja Milczarek • Rebecca Wallace (Young Ambassadors) Amelie Corr • Aoibhe Donnelly • Cliodhna Fee • Cara Harte Leo Keery • Noah Kerloch • Rory Press Worth • Archie Magill • Oisin Gordon

Company Staff Mags Byrne - Artistic Director Louise Dempster O’Neil - Company Manager Morag Stuart - Marketing Co-ordinator Deborah Hamilton - Youth Engagement Project Director Sheena Kelly - Community Development Artist Core Youth Engagement Dance Artists: Michaela Elliot • Philip Johnston • Sheena Kelly • Sean O’Neill

SUPPORT & FUNDING

PRINCIPAL IN KIND FUNDERS: SUPPORT FROM:

Internationales – Jugenddtanztheater – Duisburg

CONTACT US

www.dudanceni.com Email: info@dudanceni.com Tel: 02890 230877 fb.com/ dudanceni DUDanceni

Charity No. NIC102765 Company No. NI063813

Graphics, Design & Print – Media Design & Print. Belfast

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April 2022 – March 2023
Unanimous Platform:
1 111
212
Belfast to Bethlehem
Artists Training:
1 8
Day of Dance:
2 1
30 130
Sutemos & Suteminis Youth Cultural Bridge:
42 20
Engagement Projects:
Online film
2 70 100
screenings
28 5 Belfast Boys Youth Youth Steering Group:
140 Engagement Project: 3 17
2 62 Workshops:
Young Carers: 33 275
26 343 3 24 3 129
2 47 40,000 International projects
Addis Ababa:
Care: Alternative Energies: 2 companies ongoing mentoring
Primary School Dance Bethlehem:
1 17
32 35 Festival: 1 ongoing training programme
37 6 4 135 2 129 Bilbao, Wellbeing Summit:
1 4,224 2 4 180
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Building Bridges Closing the Gap CROSSING THE DIVIDE Opening the Spectrum
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