Rite of Passage 1

Rite of Passage 1: September 2011

n:~ a ritual or ceremony signifying an event in a person’s life indicative of a transition from one stage to another, as from adolescence to adulthood.

Over 40 young people from Bradford, London and Wessex came together this summer to participate in Dance United’s summer choreographic programme working towards three performances at the end of the rehearsal period.

The Rite of Passage 1 performances took place at Sadler’s Wells Lilian Baylis Studio Theatre on the 6th & 7th September and included choreography by BalletBoyz, Sarah Dowling, Dam Van Huynh and a duet from Russell Maliphant’s ‘Torsion’. Our young dancers performed to full houses in what proved to be a fantastic showcase of new and innovative choreography.

Take a look below for images and audience feedback.

Many thanks for inviting me to the amazing event last night… I thought the standard of the performances was really high and the young people so immersed, you could completely understand how life changing the work you do can be.
Frances Done, Chair, Youth Justice Board

 

As always, wonderful. Bodies owned by young people – not labels!
Jo Rideal, Grants Manager, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

Moving, exciting and impressive. Great to see lives transformed.
Nick Kaufmann, Trustee, Sofronie Foundation

Amazing. I am so proud to work with Dance United.
Darryl Powell, Support Manager

 

Outstanding and inspirational.
Caroline Edwards, Community Investment Director, Royal Bank of Scotland

I had a lovely evening and just as ever with Dance United events, left being a better person than when I arrived!
Paul Lazurus, Head of Department – Sport, Performing Arts and Travel, Hackney Community College

 

I just wanted to say that I had the most amazing time in London. They were three of the most exciting weeks of my life and that’s all thanks to the wonderful staff at Dance United. Everything from the costumes to the enthusiastic backstage staff made it a really positive experience and I am so grateful to have been able to be part of it.
Dancer, Rite of Passage 1

Last night was fabulous. The performance was inspiring. The trust between dancers was palpable, and the mood warm and moving.
Professor Alison Liebling, Cambridge University Institute of Criminology

 

I am so very proud of them and what they have achieved. For such young dancers, that was no simple challenge. A great many thanks to Dance United for the opportunity to take on this challenge as well. It has also been a learning process for me, which I appreciate very much. The support and dedication from your team was fantastic and made the process very rewarding.
Dam Van Huynh, Choreographer

Photography by Pari Naderi & Jamie Leme