People Dancing :: People Dancing Summer Intensive 2024

Join us this July, online, on location and in our home city of Leicester, for one or more days of People Dancing's Summer 2024 Intensive. This mix of inspiring courses with artists from the leading edge of community and participatory dance is a chance for you to learn, experiment and reflect with like-minded colleagues.

There are ten courses to choose from, taking place virtually and in person. There are courses to suit all career stages and all of the courses are:

A safe space for mutual learning and co-mentorship - for students, teachers and leaders of community and participatory dance and other performing arts specialists with an interest in the field

Focussed time to fill up on inspiration for the year to come by deepening your current practice or exploring new avenues

Cost-conscious with fee reductions for Members of People Dancing

A chance to network with peers as passionate as you from near and far, the welcoming People Dancing team and have a general emphasis on respite, refreshment, and the joy of together!

Bookings are now open - follow the links in each of the course details below to book your place!

Please note: Programme may be subject to change.

Above image credit: Courtesy of Empowering Dance (archive of the project).

Online workshops

Sunday 07 July, Sunday 14 July and Sunday 21 July

> Power up your practice: Community dance superpowers with Claire Pring

Join Claire Pring, independent dance artist, accessor, author, educator and BBC Dance and Movement Content Creator for three online workshops. These will help you understand where you've been, where you are and where you're going in your career - with an option, afterwards, to gain a People Dancing Professional Qualification Level 3 Award in Professional Practice for Participatory Artists.

> Find out more and book your place

Sunday 28 July

> Writing about your work with Donald Hutera

This online workshop is for anyone who wants to develop their skills to be able to write about their dance work in a compelling and engaging way.

> Find out more and book your place

Outdoor on location, Buckfastleigh, Devon: in-person

Friday 19 July

> Earth Songs: A Non-Stylised & Environmental Movement workshop with Helen Poynor

Join Helen Poynor for a day long course that explores her Walk of Life approach to working indoors and outdoors. This is an innovative approach to non-stylised movement and creative expression. It integrates moving in the studio with moving in response to natural environments.

> Find out more and book your place

De Montfort University, Leicester: in-person

Tuesday 23 July - choose from 4 courses

> Delighted by dance: creating & moving in Early Years - a two-day course (23 and 24 July) with Liz Clark

A two-day course in the studio and outdoors for dancers, teaching artists and community practitioners who want to gain skills, knowledge and experience in leading dance activities with Early Years children (aged 4 years and under).

> Find out more and book your place

> Roots and Routes: How African diasporic dance forms conquered world stages with Akosua Boakye BEM and Jreena Green

Join Akosua Boakye BEM from AkomaAsa Arts, dance leader, lecturer and West End casting co- ordinator with Jreena Green dance historian and choreographer for adverts, film and tv, for the journey of thousand lifetimes in a day!

> Find out more and book your place

> The art of togetherness: Developing your Soft Skills in dance with Professor Sara Houston

This one day course will explore what soft skills you already hold as a dance artist working with others, how you can articulate these skills to employers and funders, and how you might want to develop these skills further for your own professional development.

> Find out more and book your place

> Introduction to dance with older people with Diane Amans

A one-day introductory course in the studio for dancers, teaching artists and community practitioners who want to gain skills, knowledge and experience in leading dance with older people.

> Find out more and book your place

Evening demonstration

> Human first, dancer second an evening demonstration by Linden Youth Dance Company

On Tuesday, there is an evening reception at 5.30pm, followed by a demonstration lecture by Linden Dance Company. Please join us for this and some wine and nibbles.

Find out more...

Optional morning warm-up on Wednesday 24 July

> Morning warm-up with Michael Joseph (9:00 - 9:30am)

Get your groove on in Michael's morning disco warm-up! Open to all course participants.

Find out more...

Wednesday 24 July - choose from 3 courses

> Learning to (give and) take the lead with Sarah Archdeacon and DJ, Corali

Come and experience a day of joyful learning with Artistic Director, Sarah Archdeacon and Associate Artistic Director, Housni Hassan aka DJ, Corali, one of the UKs longest established and most celebrated inclusive dance companies!

> Find out more and book your place

> Dance, health and wellbeing with Danielle Jones

Join Danielle Jones, Artistic Director of Luminelle, for a one-day course which enables participants to gain a clear overview of theory and practice in the context of Dance, Health & Wellbeing in participatory dance settings.

> Find out more and book your place

> A Life of Business, the Business of Life with June Gamble

Invest some time in developing confidence in yourself and your business skills on a classroom-based course full of insights and advice from one of the UK dance scene's most in-demand coaches and strategists.

> Find out more and book your place

Pricing

Online event tickets

Members price: £30
*Standard price: £57.

In-person event tickets

Members price: £60 one day ticket / £120 two-day ticket for Delighted by dance: creating & moving in Early Years course
*Standard price: £87 one day ticket / £174 two-day ticket for Delighted by dance: creating & moving in Early Years course.

* Standard price tickets include People Dancing Associate Individual Membership for one year with the joining fee waived. To find out more about the benefits of this membership please click Associate Individual Membership.

How to book your place

Bookings are made via an Eventbrite form and payment will be taken at the same time.

The process is as follows:

1. Click the booking link provided in each of the individual courses descriptions to book the courses you would like to attend. If you are booking for more than one course, each needs to be booked and paid for separately.

2. Complete the Eventbrite form and make payment

3. Payments are confirmed via an automatic email following booking.

If you need an alternative method of booking and paying please call us on 0116 253 5453 or email info@communitydance.org.uk

Cancellations

If you need to cancel your place:

up to 23 June 2024 a full refund will be given
from 24 June to 8 July 2024 50% of your total fee will refunded
from 9 July 2024 no refund will be given
If you do need to cancel your place after Tuesday 9 July please speak to us directly.

Access and inclusion

Our Summer Intensive aims to be welcoming and inclusive. We seek the same information from all participants and invite individual comment about access needs and preferences.

Zoom, online

Closed Captions can be used in these zoom sessions. This feature is built into the Chrome browser. However, it is not turned on by default - it’s a user-activated accessibility setting. Once actioned, any audio detected while using Chrome will generate Closed Captions.

Please indicate on the booking form or get in touch with our team via emma.baxter@communitydance.org.uk if you have any specific access requirements. Access requirements beyond closed captions may not be fulfilled for bookings after 23 June due to the appropriate notice given.

Outdoor on location, Buckfastleigh, Devon: in-person

The morning will be moving inside in the Buckfastleigh Town Hall. The afternoon will be outside, moving in the environment. We will car share and walk to reach the outdoor site.

This is a wild site, which means it is not fully accessible, with rocky terrain and uneven underfoot. If you wish to discuss accessibility of the site in more detail, please contact emma.baxter@communitydance.org.uk.

N.B. You will need to bring appropriate outdoor gear for this course & will be notified of exact requirements nearer to the time.

De Montfort University, Leicester, in-person

Throughout the in-person events at De Montfort University here will be various quiet spaces available throughout the Summer Intensive should you need to take a break, rest, use your laptop or have some reflective time.

If you have any further access requirements that you need to make us aware of, please email emma.baxter@communitydance.org.uk before 15 July 2024.

There is also an accessibility guide for the Performance Arts Centre for Excellence (PACE) Building at De Montfort University here: www.accessable.co.uk/de-montfort-university/access-guides/performance-arts-centre-for-excellence-pace-building

De Montfort University, Leicester: In-person information

To help you plan your visit to Leicester below is some vital information for you.

>> De Montfort University Course timings

Each day starts with registration or warm-up between 9am-10am, with the courses starting at 10am and running throughout the day until 5.30pm.

On Tuesday, there is an evening reception at 5.30pm, followed by a demonstration lecture by Linden Dance Company. Please join us for this and some wine and nibbles.

Please note: The Delighted by dance: creating & moving in Early Years course is two days. You must attend both days if you pick this course.

>> De Montfort University Location and parking

Location

PACE Building, De Montfort University, Richmond Street, Leicester, LE2 7GZ

On the University website, there is an interactive map to guide you around the campus, found here: www.dmu.ac.uk/content/discover-dmu.

Parking

www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/how-to-find-us/visitor-car-parking.aspx

All visitors to the university who park on campus 24/7 are required to pay the requisite Pay & Display charge and display a DMU Visitor Parking Permit and Pay & Display ticket whilst using the car park. THIS INCLUDES ALL UNIVERSITY EVENTS. The current charges are £2 for up to 5 hours and £4 for up to 12 hours. The machines are card only.

If you require a blue badge parking space next to the venue, please let Emma Baxter know at emma.baxter@communitydance.org.uk asap to book this with the University estates team.

>> De Montfort University Accommodation

Below you will find a copy of our Local Guide to Leicester pdf. It gives plenty of information about where to stay locally.

We have an agreement with a local hotel called The Gresham Aparthotel. They are offering the price of £80 for overnight accommodation, £92 including breakfast. To book with this deal, please contact the hotel on 0116 243 7666 and ask for Dominique Haines.

>> De Montfort University What to wear, what to bring, refreshments

What to wear

We want you to be as comfortable as possible and be able to move/dance in practical sessions so please dress in a manner appropriate to the courses you are attending. No outdoor shoes are permitted in the studios, so be prepared to work barefoot of bring alternative footwear. Studios are air conditioned.

What to bring

Notepad/pen/device to be able to take notes
a water bottle that closes to be able to take into the studio (no glass!)
please bring your own lunch (no nuts)
some courses will have specific requests, so keep an eye on your emails closer to July.

Refreshments

Tea, coffee and water will be provided all day. Lunch is not provided, so please bring this with you. Alternatively, there are a lot of local food outlets within the campus. It is slightly further into the town to find somewhere else to eat.