Gem TV is the sister organisation of Adugna Community Dance Theatre Company and is led by a group of young, independent, Ethiopian filmmakers. Similar to the dancers of Adugna, many of Gem TV’s filmmakers were street children who, supported by The Ethiopian Gemini Trust, have learned the skills to express themselves and the voice of their communities through media and the arts.

Gem TV create documentary and behaviour change drama films with the ambition to raise awareness, educate and inspire people all over Ethiopia to change their lives for the better.

See below for the full press release.

For more information, visit:
www.gem-tv.org
www.geminitrust.org

GEM TV PRESS RELEASE:

Gem TV, a group of young, independent, Ethiopian filmmakers, many of whom were street kids, have won the 2012 Special Award at the One World Media Awards in London.

The Special Award, which is sponsored by the Thomson Media Foundation, recognises an outstanding project working on the ground in the developing world where media activity has made a real impact on people’s lives.

Standing alongside nominees who included the BBC, ITN and other leading international media organisations, Gem TV Film Director, Adanech Admassu, received the award saying that she hoped it would raise the profile of Gem TV’s work in Ethiopia where they have made films for UNICEF, UNDP, Oxfam, Water Aid and Womankind amongst others.

Gem TV films have addressed key issues such as girls’ education, health and sanitation, HIV/AIDS, FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and many other developing world issues.

Clutching the Special Award, Adanech also spoke of Gem TV’s pioneering work in producing behaviour change drama films, which not only raise awareness of issues but have inspired people all over Ethiopia to make positive changes and improve their lives for themselves. Shown in the Ethiopian parliament, their film, Stolen Childhood, was a drama-documentary which addressed early marriage and told the true-life story of how a young girl from the countryside was condemned to a life on the streets. Its searing portrayal left the members of parliament shocked and played a role in getting new legislation passed. That’s the difference a Gem TV film can make.

Adanech stressed that coming from underprivileged backgrounds themselves, the Gem TV film-makers bring a unique insight into the issues their films address as well as an acute cultural awareness.

Speaking on behalf of all the Gem TV filmmakers, she said that what made this award extra special was that it wasn’t for a single film but recognised Gem TV’s long-term commitment to filmmaking in Ethiopia, and celebrated the positive effect their films have made to countless people over many years.

Gem TV is part of the Gemini Foundation, a local Ethiopian NGO founded 27 years ago by Dr. Carmela Green-Abate, that assists families with twins living in the slums in Addis Ababa.

We are delighted to announce that DESTINO: A Contemporary Dance Story will be screening on Sky Arts 2 and Sky Arts 2 HD during May.

Tune in to see the film:
Thursday 10th May: 19:00 & 00:50
Saturday 12th May: 06:00
Wednesday 16th May: 10:50

Click for more information about the film.

There is significant public concern around gang and group offending in London. To support practitioners in their work with this group, and with the complex needs they present, the London Criminal Justice Partnership (CJP) has produced this handbook.

For more information on its contents and to download it for free, click here.

This Tuesday 1st May, we’ll be at the Shaw Theatre (near King’s Cross, London) between 2.30pm and 4.30pm, filming The Performance. We are looking for members of the public to join us and be part of the film (it won’t involve dance).  Participants will be rewarded for their time with tickets for upcoming Dance United shows in May and July.

If you are interested, please write to *protected email* for more information.

London Academy Graduation Performance
Bernie Grant Arts Centre

Participants from the London Academy graduated on Wednesday 4th April with an evening of performances. An enthusiastic audience of over 200 people were overwhelmed by what they saw:

“Really great. I thought it was even better than watching professional dancers because the movements are human and full of the story of getting to this point.” 

“Dynamic and inspiring. I’m impressed by the risks the young people have taken in performing this evening, their courage is inspiring. Wonderful to see the poise and dignity with which they walked off stage, and great to be able to celebrate their achievements and witness them receive their certificates.” 

“Wonderful! Amazing example of how young people disenfranchised by lack of positive stimulus and unemployment / lack of opportunity can rise to the occasion and prove themselves.” 

“Beautiful, motivating, inspiring. Made me feel like dancing.”

“Amazing work!! Amazed by detailed hands movement which express so many emotions. Wonderful choice of music as well!! Difficult to believe that you can achieve so much in such a short period of time. Sign of hard and intense work.”

The London Academy graduates were joined by a vibrant performance of Today is the day, is the day, is the day… by the London Performance Company. This piece choreographed by Robert Guy, was originally created for ReFresh 2012, a project produced by Sadler’s Wells and The Place.

See more images below. Photography by Pari Naderi.

“My name is Denise Yusuf and I am working as a Life Coach for Dance United.

I see all the students at least once during the programme, and some of the students a number of times. I also work in a number of challenging Inner London schools as a Life Coach, as well as for other charities working with young people. In addition I supervise professional social workers, psychologists and counsellors working with children and young people. So I have a reasonable idea about the sorts of problems facing young people today, and about the different services trying to intervene and improve the life chances of young people. I am so impressed with what Dance United are prepared to take on, and what they then achieve with young people, that I wanted to write it down, read it aloud, make a song and dance about it. The children and young people with whom they work come from some of the most difficult and deprived circumstances imaginable. Young people who have been the victims of serious crimes, the perpetrators of serious crimes, from families facing huge challenges in parenting, young people living alone in hostels with no family support at all, young people affected by mental health issues often as a result of abuse, young people who have been out of education or any sort of provision for months and years. Somehow, Dance United seem able to connect with these young people, and slowly begin the process of reconnecting them with their other qualities, buried beneath these hard experiences, then reconnect them to a world where they can begin to believe in themselves again, or perhaps for the first time.

Dance United never give up. Getting young people into projects and using services is one of the great challenges facing all of us, and many organisations struggle to achieve this. Dance United have a determination to do this and an energy which is almost impossible to resist, and it is successful. They will visit, telephone, text, go out and bring young people in, go again and again, and they never give up, at any stage. One young person told me how he walked out of his first meeting with them, how he said yes when he meant no, how he came in late, how he looked at everyone and thought no, I can never do this.

“After the first day I thought I am not ever doing that again. But I did.”

Dance United never let him go, and their unique programme of day to day care, attention, listening and support, combined with a rigorous training in contemporary dance and performance, has engaged, challenged and developed this young person and many others, teaching them new skills and attitudes which they can take with them. And they take with them something even more useful, something which will help them carve out their own life paths. It is an experience, not of avoiding something which scares them, stopping them in their tracks, but feeling fearful and doing it, starting them, even speeding them, on their tracks. Dance United are hands on, every minute, and they offer real opportunities for growth and change to young people, especially to those who thought they would never ever do something like that. But they did.”

DENISE YUSUF
MA MSc CQSW DipSFP (BRIEF)Dip LC (Ins LC)
Certified Coach and Supervisor
Accredited by Association For Coaching

Dance United is pleased to announce the dates for our next Stage 1 Training course:

Monday 23rd – Thursday 26th April, 10:00am – 4:30pm
One KX, 120 Cromer Street, London WC1H 8BS

Course Fee: £200 (including registration fees for NOCN Level 3 Unit qualification)

Our four-day training course looks at how to deliver high quality contemporary dance when working with challenging groups in the community. The main focus of this practical training course is the relationship between pro-active dance-based strategies that can be embedded into a dance methodology and reactive non-dance strategies that, together, can successfully resolve challenging behaviour, resistance and non-engagement within participant groups.

We are delighted to announce that our Stage 1 Training course has been accredited by National Open College Network (NOCN) and that for the first time, those completing the course will be awarded with a Level 3 Unit in Social Inclusion Practice in Dance (Credit Value: 3) by NOCN.

To apply  for a place on the course please send your CV and a short cover letter (no longer than an A4 page) explaining why you would like to complete the course to Haris Marathefti: *protected email*

Deadline for applications: Friday 13th April.
We encourage you to apply early as places are limited.

Click here for more information about the course.

The Random Acts series broadcasts three-minute films chosen for their bold and original expressions of creativity.

See images of the company on set taken by Juli Favero, below.

Details of when and where you can see the finished film will be posted on our website.

Click to enlarge

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW

The London Academy Graduation Performance will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 4th April at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Seven Sisters, London.

This special evening of performances will include:

* Momentum
* choreography created by the London Academy dancers
* Today is the day, is the day is the day… performed by the London Performance Company

Today is the day, is the day… choreographed by Robert Guy, was created for ReFresh 2012, a project produced by Sadler’s Wells and The Place.

Send your ticket request to *protected email* by 30th March 2012

See below images from the London Academy’s 3 week performance of Momentum, taken by Pari Naderi.

The dancers of the Wessex Dance Academy will take to the stage on Monday 19th March to give their graduation performance.

Seats are limited for this performance and RSVP is essential. To register your interest and check availability, please email Lorna Digweed: *protected email*