New dance partners – Mencap and the Northern Ballet Theatre

Northern Ballet Theatre, the UK’s leading touring dance company, is launching a new initiative with Mencap to generate more dance opportunities for people with a learning disability and to assist the professional development of dancers with a learning disability.12/03/2004

 
© Hemera

The partnership will also raise awareness of dancers with a learning disability amongst ballet audiences in towns and cities where Northern Ballet Theatre perform.

In its first 18 months the initiative will see projects starting up in Yorkshire, Belfast and Norwich with local Mencap groups involving children and adults of all ages. Wieke Eringa, Northern Ballet Theatre Director of Learning & Access, hopes that this work will ".. be a catalyst for sustained provision of dancing opportunities in areas where there is currently none. It will also be a welcome addition to the groundbreaking work already being done by and with people with learning disabilities, by companies such as Corali, Anjali and Stop Gap to name a few.”

Gus Garside, Mencap's National Arts Co-ordinator says of the partnership "While professional learning disability dance is still in its infancy, it is already providing challenging and stimulating new directions in dance. It is very exciting that a company with the reputation and popularity of Northern Ballet Theatre, has offered its resources to provide more skilled opportunities for people with a learning disability.”

The partnership between Mencap and Northern Ballet Theatre will be formally launched at a fundraising gala at Sadler's Wells on Thursday 25 March, Part of this evening will be a performance of Northern Ballet Theatre's A Midsummer Night's Dream as well as dance excerpts performed by members of Corali, a performance group of adults with learning disabilities. Tickets for this event are on sale from Mencap.


- Find out more about more on www.mencap.org.uk!
- More information on the Northern Ballet Theatre - www.nbt.co.uk.

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