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“ The National Dance Company of Wales do many wonderful things to promote and encourage the Culture of Dance and all its many benefits.” ROGER HARRISON, DANCE FOR PARKINSON’S PARTICIPANT Image: Dance for Parkinson’s
National Dance Company Wales makes innovative work with and for all kinds of people in all kinds of places, helping to model how we could be individually and collectively. The company presents its work in different formats and contexts across Wales and around the world, commissioning primarily choreographers who haven’t yet been commissioned in the UK. 2017/2018 was when our new model of working came to fruition, and it saw over 20,000 people engage with us as audiences and participants. On the international stage we performed in Hong Kong and Germany and started a long-term partnership with a German-based agent which has seen the Company perform in 8 venues to date.
Our participation activity also increased and diversified across Wales with new partnerships to deliver pioneering initiatives such as a dance programme designed to support falls prevention work in partnership with Aesop, called Dance to Health. Here is an overview of some of the ways we have been able to dance for and with all kinds of people, in all kinds of places over the last twelve months.
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Tundra © Rhys Cozens
What we made 20,001 audiences and participants engaged on tour, at the Dance House and through the participation programme (up by 24% on 2016/2017).
,430 370 watched NDCWales’ performances online or on TV.
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Gave performances across Wales, the UK and overseas.
2017/2018 the company toured 7 pieces throughout the UK and internationally: TUNDRA by Marcos Morau ATALAŸ by Mario Bermudez Gil FOLK by Caroline Finn THE GREEN HOUSE by Caroline Finn PROFUNDIS by Roy Assaf ANIMATORIUM by Caroline Finn THEY SEEK TO FIND THEY HAPPINESS THEY SEEM by Lee Johnston
We created dance on different scales and in different places.
P.A.R.A.D.E. This large-scale project was part of Russia ‘17 and brought together a variety of art-forms, artists and organisations in Cardiff and Bangor, and from across the nation. Directed by Marc Rees, with the core work choreographed by Caroline Finn, it featured BBC National Orchestra of Wales and pioneering community dance organisations, Rubicon and Dawns i Bawb. The work was shown on BBC4 and BBC Wales, and was shared online, as a result of a commission from The Space. It had reached over 35,000 online and TV audiences by December 2017.
“ Every single part of this production is ethereal, heart-stomping magic.” WALES ARTS REVIEW (TUNDRA) NOMINATED FOR UK THEATRE ‘ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE’ AWARD
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Touring Family Dance Festival With Coreo Cymru we co-produced a Family Dance Festival visiting Brecon, Cardiff, Newtown and Newport. The programme consisted of the Company’s work Animatorium, and 3 other works by Wales-based dance companies. There were 21 performances indoors and outside, primarily for family audiences.
Roots We presented a new small scale tour, which reached smaller venues across Wales including Llanelli, Cardigan, Blackwood, Mold and Cardiff. Supported by a 3 year grant from Esmée Fairbairn, Roots presented four short dances in an accessible format in Llanelli, Mold, Abergavenny, Cardigan, Blackwood and Cardiff. As part of the funding we appointed a new Learning Lead Dancer who works with the artistic and participation teams to develop new audiences and engagement opportunities around Roots.
International NDCWales’ profile has grown in the last 12 months since its performance at the Tanzmesse Dance Festival Showcase in 2016, where it fronted the Welsh Dance presence in collaboration with agencies from England and Scotland. This event has opened many new doors for the Company including establishing a new partnership with a German-based agent, Norddeutsche Konzertdirektion; the Company has now performed in 8 locations as a result across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Also as a result of Tanzmesse 2016, the Company secured a tour to Hong Kong, where it was part of the opening season on a brand-new venue called Artistree.
British Council Showcase In 2017, NDCWales was invited to be a part of the British Council’s International Showcase at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The company performed Caroline Finn’s Folk and Roy Assaf’s Profundis.
The Observer’s Luke Jennings listed Folk in the top 10 dance pieces of the year, commenting that the season demonstrated
“ that much of the most important British dance theatre is happening far from London.” 4
Workshops - Sarah Rogers Dance Ambassador. Credit: Kirsten McTernan.
Young People In 2017/18 there were NDCWales believes in the power of dance to transform – to enhance people’s self-confidence, selfawareness; developing health, team-building and creativity. Every participation project focuses on these and the artistic values of the company, to inspire a passion for dance in the communities we engage with. Associates Our youth Company, the Associates, gave 20 young people aged 13-19 the chance to attend weekly sessions to nurture their talent and experience of dance. In February 2018, they performed a piece they created with Resident Choreographer Caroline Finn called Taboo, performed as part of Youth Dance Night.
Dance Courses at the Dance House Dance Days are intensive programmes where 13-19 year olds learn technique and rep. The Spring and Summer Courses are intensive week-long courses for 14-21 year olds. Both courses are taught with company dancers or dance ambassadors.
Youth Dance Night In 2017/2018 two Youth Dance Nights were held with 9 youth groups from across Wales performing 4 performances at the Dance House. These were NDCWales Associates ETC Dance Blackwood Youth Dance Awen Academy Blackwood Youth Dance Destiny Project ActionPotential Rubicon Dance Spark Youth Dance Young Nubirco
“ My participation in the Associates has undoubtedly provided me with the confidence and desire to advance my training and pursue a career in dance.” LLEWELLYN BROWN, FORMER ASSOCIATE
365 Participation Events
(workshops, classes, courses, post show talks, watch dance classes).
5,990
people attended participation projects across schools, colleges, community groups, venues across Wales and England, and the Dance House, Cardiff.
Nine different Welsh dance groups featuring 98 young performers appeared at Youth Dance Nights in November and March.
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Health and Wellbeing “ It’s remarkable that sometimes you can’t walk but you can dance.” JULIE BRIDGER, DANCE FOR PARKINSON’S PARTICIPANT Dance for Parkinson’s Since 2015, NDCWales has been running a weekly class for people with Parkinson’s in collaboration with English National Ballet, led by specially trained freelance dance artists. In 2017/18 we launched the second hub in Wales at Blackwood Miners Institute.
Dance to Health In January 2018 we launched a new health pioneering falls prevention programme with AMBU Health Board and Aesop called Dance to Health. The programme has been successful in supporting those who have fallen in Gorseinon, Pontarddulais and Porthcawl.
34 sessions were delivered with
542 attenders
for Dance for Parkinson’s
696 Participants
have been attended 6 weekly sessions of Dance to Health
1,173 people
attended weekly dance classes at the Dance House
“ I suffer with vertigo and it dawned on me when filling out the form last week, that I haven’t had an episode in the last 26 weeks of coming.” DANCE TO HEALTH PARTICIPANT 6
Mura Morales, The Request Show
Dance House 21 In 2017/18
performances at the
Dance House
1,173 people attended weekly dance classes at the Dance House In 2017/2018
338 people
attended our open rehearsals, with more audiences viewing us on Facebook Live. The Dance House is home our home in Wales Millennium Centre, but also a home for dance in Wales a base for professional performances, weekly dance classes and open rehearsals.
Yoga at the Dance House. Credit: Kirsten McTernan
Supporting the sector In 2017/18 we hosted performances by: Monmouthshire Youth Dance Company, Ignite Jo Fong, Pitch Tring Park School, Encore Dance Company Mura Morales, The Request Show Edge, London Contemporary Dance School Lui & Artemis, Prototype Status Northern Contemporary, Verve Cardiff Metropolitan University, Encounters with Dance Mess Up The Mess, Us Proclaimed: Clywch Ni Project Inc, My brother, dear Sister Cardiff Dance Festival, Blackout, Not About Everything.
We open our company class to professional dancers here in Wales and on tour. In 2017/18 133 external guests attended Company Class. Dance artists can develop new ideas through our Wales based and international residencies at the Dance House; Dancers’ Career Development ‘Evolve’ sector training and we have continued our relationship with Cardiff based Groundwork Pro.
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Income
The Company seeks to offer value for its public investment by maximising its earned income and fundraising to develop and further its work. Around 53% of the Company’s turnover is from a core grant from the Arts Council of Wales, with the remainder being fees for touring and participation projects, box office income, partnership and commission income, fundraising from trusts and foundations and other donations. The Company is very grateful to the Arts Council of Wales for its ‘Arts Portfolio’ investment; without it we could not sustain the Company’s work, nor attract other funders to support us.
Arts Council of Wales Fundraising Earned Income
28% 53% 19%
£874,000
Diolch
Thank you to the organisations and individuals who have supported the company:
IDLEWILD TRUST
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MARY HOMFRAY CHARITABLE TRUST
THE WATERLOO FOUNDATION
Afterimage. Credit: Rhys Cozens
What next?
2018/19 and beyond 2017/2018 was a landmark year for the company and 2018/19 sees the company continue its ambition to be curious, confident and connected.
2018 sees a major collaboration with the contemporary music company, Music Theatre Wales to create a dance opera, Passion, the second Roots small-scale tour across Wales and new commissions from Brazilian choreographer Fernando Melo and Resident Choreographer Caroline Finn. Our participation programme is seeing a wider range of people engaging with dance from across schools, colleges and groups. This happened in part as a result of close partnership working with our new Priority Venues – in England these are Blackpool Grand, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, Derby Theatre and Severn Theatre in Shrewsbury. Latterly the Foyle Foundation has supported similar work in Wales – at Pontio in Bangor, Theatr Clwyd in Mold and the Taliesin in Swansea. In each location a local dance artist works with local groups to acquaint them with the Company’s repertoire; most also attend the performances. Fearghus Ó Conchúir takes up the role of Artistic Director in October 2018 and will be continuing to develop our journey. Fearghus said, “I want to continue diversifying the company’s programme, audiences and participants, to welcome new ways of connecting with people through dance, and to develop our individual and collective potential through a generous and innovative creativity. I want us to make work with and for all kinds of people in all kinds of places.”
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Keep in touch ndcwales.co.uk National Dance Company Wales Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre Pierhead Street, Cardiff Bay CF10 4PH COMPANY REG NO: 1672419 | COMPANY VAT NO: 4333011 06 | REG CHARITY NO: 326227
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