Move It Dudley

Drama Artist - Interview

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:30:02 +0000

Rachel is a professional drama artist and has worked in the Black Country since 1996. After acting and directing Rachel worked in local schools and colleges before taking up her current role with DPA. Rachel is a teacher, writer and director specialising in new theatrical works, site specific performance and film working with school, college and community groups. Rachel was Artistic Director for the latest Leaps and Bounds performance ‘Wrosne’ which took place underground in the Dudley Lime Stone Mines.

Rachel talks to us about the project in her video diary -

http://www.vimeo.com/1435050

Dance Artist - Interview 2

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:29:10 +0000

In this video Laura talks about how’s the project is going and what they’re going to do next -

http://www.vimeo.com/1435035

Dudley Dancer - Anthony

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:24:48 +0000

Anthony has just completed his A levels at Stourbridge College where he successfully gained credits in both dance and performance studies. He has always been active in the arts, accessing groups such as DPA Dance Theatre group and Buzz Theatre Group on a weekly basis for a number of years. Recent performances he has undertaken include Arts Fest 2008, Himley 2008 and Burying Jack at Stourbridge Town Hall, Summer 2008.

He only started to study dance in 2007 and successfully completed his A level in one year!

September 2008 sees him begin his dance and drama degree at The University of Wolverhampton where he will study for 3 years, in the hope of progressing into arts in the community.

Anthony’s other performance credits include Wrosne: An Underground Experience in July 08 where Anthony was a street performer leading the audience through the Black Country Museum. He also attends the National Youth Theatre weekly, has just finished a short course in sign language and is about to embark on an AS level in photography!!

Follow Anthony’s journey from the beginning of the project to the final performance at the DPA Summer Festival in his video diary -

http://www.vimeo.com/1380634

Dudley Performance @ Himley

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:19:01 +0000

The group performed “Does My Bum Look Big in This?” at the DPA Summer Festival at Himley Hall. The soundtrack for the performance was Baz Lurhman’s Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).

The group hope to use the piece as the catalyst to develop a workshop that will be taken to settings such as schools and youth clubs to encourage young people to think more positively about their bodies.

Watch the Dudley group perform their routine at the DPA Summer Festival in full in this video -

http://www.vimeo.com/1393187

Dudley Interview - Farrah

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:02:05 +0000

Farrah is a member of ‘Chat Back Productions’ who’s first film is now a national hit. This project was Farrah’s first experience of drama and dance which she thoroughly enjoyed! As soon as the Move It project was pitched to her, she knew she wanted to get involved and couldn’t wait for the performances. Farrah gained a great deal of confidence through being part of this project and made lots of new friends - she enjoyed performing on the main stage at DPA’s summer festival 08 and wanted to keep one of the wigs!!! Farrah feels this was the first of many dance projects she would like to be part of.

This was Farrah’s first experience of a project like this, see how she got on in her video diary -

http://www.vimeo.com/1338461

Dudley Interview - Sasha

admin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:58:27 +0000

Sasha has been an active member of Buzz Theatre Company for a two years, most recently performing Burying Jack in 2008 at Stourbridge Town Hall and Himley Hall. Until the summer of 2008 Sasha had never been involved with a large dance project and performance - this was her first!

Sasha enjoyed the opportunity she had been given to explore new movement skills which she can further develop in her physical performance and is already looking forward to next year’s project… whatever it may be???…

Watch Sasha go from initial rehearsals to DPA Summer Festival performance in her video diary -

http://www.vimeo.com/1320846

Dudley Group

admin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:18:52 +0000

The Dudley performers were Catherine, Anthony, Steph, Sasha, Farrah, Katie and Kelly. Some of the group had worked together previously on a drama project but most of the group were new and had little or no experience of dance. The project was based at Netherton Arts Centre and the dance artists working on the project were Laura Simmons and Rachel Sharpe. The dance artists worked with the group over three intensive days to create a movement and narrative piece called “Does My Bum Look Big in This ?” The piece is about how hung up we all are about our bodies and the pressures of conforming to stereotypical images of beauty. It was devised following discussions the young people had with each other about body image and the pressures placed on young people by the media.

Dance Artist - Interview 1

admin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:32:15 +0000

Laura began her dance training by completing a BTEC National Diploma in dance and gaining a BA Hons Dance and Theatre Arts Degree. Upon completing her training she worked for Dudley Community Dance Consortium delivering projects with a range of communities to make dance more accessible. Laura currently delivers training opportunities for dance graduates in her post as Curriculum Dance Leader with Dudley Performing Arts were she manages a small team of Dance Artists working in community and education. She continues to teach regular dance sessions within the region including A Level Dance, guest lecturing on Dance in Education and the Community at Wolverhampton University, directing the DPA Dance Theatre Group and delivering on large scale arts projects. Laura specialises in working with disaffected young people and really thrives on this work, constantly gaining new insights and approaches to dance. She is particularly interested in youth culture and the effects of music in today’s society.

Laura talks to us about the start of the project in her video diary -

http://www.vimeo.com/1435011

Creative Team

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:00:23 +0000

Shealyn, who formed part of the Move It creative team tells us why she took part in the project.

‘I took part in this project because I saw the potential it had to teach me more about the art of putting together a community media project and increasing my capacity to work in a group of trained professionals. I enjoyed being involved in something both creative and technical and I gained experience in film editing, camera work and writing. I was extremely glad to have had the opportunity presented to me and I will take away with me a wonderful experience and contacts in the media world, which will be helpful as I am studying Film Production and Screenwriting at the University of Worcester.’