Summer Intensive 2024: Delighted by dance: creating & moving in Early Years

This eclectic 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. All of the courses are:

• Suitable for all career stages - often encouraging an effective blend of them 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

• Focused 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 a general emphasis on respite, refreshment, and the joy of together!

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).

Led by Liz Clark, our Associate Artist for Early Years, the two day course will enable you to:

• Acquire creative, inclusive, practical dance and movement ideas for family dance
• Explore techniques for generating class content, gaining skills in creating content for workshops, with time to test out ideas
• Take part in early years movement class and an outdoor movement installation (based on Turned On Its Head’s new show for 0-4’s The Delights) with local families to gain new inspiration for your dance practice
• Gain a better understanding how dance and movement can support a child’s sense of self and belonging
• Learn more about current issues in the early years education sector led by research informed approaches
• Explore the unique dancer and leader in you – the course will create space for understanding improvisation as the cornerstone of outstanding early years practice
• Link dance practice to current early years theory and pedagogy
• Gain a better understanding of the importance of embodied, experiential learning.

You will also be introduced to People Dancing’s Early Years Network (EYDN) - an opportunity to stay connected to us and fellow course participants beyond the day. EYDN meets both online and in person for practice, discussion and advocacy for dance in the lives of children under-4 and their families.

To gain the most from this course, we suggest also booking the online course (not the qualification) Approaches to Dance for Early Years. This is not compulsory for attending the course, however it does offer solid groundwork before you begin your practical work and was created by the Liz Clark, who is leading the sessions.

This two-day course is ideal for both early career artists and more experienced artists considering developing a specialism in this area of work.

Above image credit: The Delights City ArtsHoopla 3. Image: Lamar Francois.

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