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Laura is originally from London. After graduating from Middlesex University with a First Class BA(Hons) Degree in Dance Studies, she has worked, taught and danced in and around the city. Laura joined the historic Jacob’s Pillow Dance in Massachusetts USA as a 2015 Festival Intern. Her passion for all forms of dance education saw her return in 2016, to participate in a cultural exchange programme, taking on a role in the Education Department to help coordinate The School’s Dance and Intern Programs.

 

Have you always wanted to be involved in dance?

I was quite a latecomer to dance; I’d always danced and loved it, but never thought of it as a career path. It wasn’t until I started looking at universities when I was 17 that I realised all I cared about was how good the dance programme was! After that I knew I had to pursue it as a career and started thinking about it seriously.

 

Where did you train and what was it like?

I went to Middlesex University and loved it; it ticked all the boxes for me. The course consisted of strong training in a range of techniques, choreography and performance, as well as a high level of academic expectation, involving anatomy, nutrition, history, critical writing and more. The campus was small so it wasn’t a stereotypical university experience, but it was great as I was surrounded by likeminded people and inspiring tutors.

 

What is a day in your life like?

Jacob’s Pillow is in a very beautiful and mountainous location in western Massachusetts so my day always starts with a short but lovely walk to the office! I am in the education department, so currently I spend a lot of time emailing and speaking with people about the 2017 Audition tour. Auditions for The School happen in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami, among other national and international sites, so there are lots of studios to book, artists to contact and materials to send for information on the four different 2017 programmes: Ballet, Tap, Contemporary and Musical Theatre Dance. I’m also involved in coordinating the Intern Programme and help with the recruitment for this, and for The School – speaking with prospective applicants and processing applications. When the Festival is taking place my day is interspersed with orientations, observations in the studio, organising seminars and showings, seeing dance works in the three performance spaces on campus and attending talks and dance classes.

 

What is your favourite part of your job?

Hearing dancers, patrons or interns talk about the amazing summers they’ve had at The Pillow and feeling in awe of the place you work in. People visit from all over the world and tell you stories about when they were here as a student in the 1950s, or how they remember Ted Shawn himself – it’s very inspiring. Jacob’s Pillow is celebrating its 85th anniversary season this year and I love that I get to play a tiny part in its history through our work. It really is the nucleus for everything ‘dance’ so it’s an exciting environment to be in and learn from.

 

What is your proudest moment?

Graduating was a great feeling; to all be able to celebrate our degrees together was a perfect way to culminate that time. It goes without saying that successfully applying for the internship at Jacob’s Pillow in 2015, then moving here to the US last year, was also wonderful as it’s something I’d wanted to do for so long.

 

What’s the best thing about the performing arts?

That it has such potential beyond great entertainment. Dance helps with personal expression, improves cardiovascular health as well as all other areas of fitness such as balance, strength, agility. It advances cognitive function, embraces differences in cultures, develops social skills, relieves stress, it can tackle social or political issues… the list goes on! When you look at it like that it’s an amazing art form for one that’s very often undermined.

 

And the worst?

Feeling like you sometimes have to prove its worth. Yes, it is a real career choice, yes, people can make a living from it!

 

What would be your advice for someone aspiring to work in the performing arts?

Be passionate about it – it’s a common saying but very true. If you are passionate about the work, your career path will always be successful and enjoyable in your eyes. Additionally, put yourself out there for every opportunity you’re interested in, or comes your way, you never know where it can lead.

 

What’s next for you?

Good question! I don’t really have a long term plan, but for now I am enjoying where I am and am excited for whatever opportunities may come my way in the future. Without a doubt being involved in the arts is always going to part of my life.

Dancing is often considered as solely suited to young people, or something you need to start learning as early as possible in life. However, for many people who come to dance later in life they find that you can actually start dancing at any age, and sometimes it is of more benefit to the individual to start later in life.

Adult dance is often considered a more genuine activity than a dance class for younger faces – it is guaranteed that taking part in an adult dance class is because you really want to be there, not because your parents have decided it would be something nice to do (and you do incidentally enjoy it!) Adult life is full to the brim of other things that require attention, so making time to attend a dance class says a lot about the motivation to be there.

Learning to dance without prior experience is a huge achievement. As an adult, you will have a better understanding of your body and a heightened awareness also of what it can do and what makes you feel good. Life experience and time means that adults have a more objective sight of the world than younger students, meaning dance has all the more significance for them. It’s never too late to start learning to dance. Many classes have a different focus, whether it’s performing, preparing for exams or just offering classes for fun and fitness.

Dancing has a huge list of benefits for people of all ages: for adults specially, the genuine enjoyment of dance transcends all other benefits, providing a creative outlet for people that have lots of other things to think about. It is sociable, fun, challenging, and also encourages good posture, coordination, balance and agility. This is without its neurological benefits too!

As the UK’s biggest festival for new dance, Resolution 2017 at The Place, London, is back for emerging artists and for its 28th year. 26 triple bills and 78 companies are challenging perceptions of dance through bold ideas and movement.

This year other arts organisations, such as Breakin’ Convention, Jacksons Lane, Rambert and a Grad-Lab Dance development project supported by The Point, Eastleigh are on board. They are co-presenting companies and are helping to bring the best new hip-hop, contemporary and circus choreography to The Place.

Part of this year’s Resolution questions Grime as music for the twenty-first century. In an intriguing dance piece named ‘Not Hard’ by Stephen Quildan, it will take a look at Grime music and London’s youth culture, the catalyst for the now global music phenomenon. This will be performed as part of the one-nightly triple bills that make up Resolution until 25 February, on 28 January.

Looking at the vibrancy and creativity of London in the early 2000s, as accessible digital technologies boomed, Quildan’s piece reimagines how dance plays a role in that context. The piece is made of up of three world-class dancers from Rambert, who travel through barriers of gender, race and identity that come with growing up; exciting, ambitious and relevant work for Londoners. ‘Not Hard’ will be performed alongside work by Bridget Lappin (‘Who’s Afraid of a Pussy Cat’) and Mathieu Geffré (‘What Songs May Do’).

Quildan’s debut at the ever-popular Resolution festival (in which choreographers such at Wayne McGregor and Luca Silvestrini had early days) sets itself to stand out from the rest. Stephen Quildan is a London-born dancer and choreographer who currently dances for Rambert. An alumnus of the music-associated BRIT School he has now choreographed internationally for Issey Miyake, U2 and Natalia Lesz.

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Receiving the right careers advice for the creative industries can be somewhat challenging. Artistic careers do not always have set routes in like other sectors do, and even advanced training does not always mean a career is guaranteed by the end of it. Often it is the combination of experience, passion, luck and talent which means someone will become a performer; formal qualifications are often outweighed entirely.

Clichés such as such as ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’ can ring so true. The arts require networking and making contacts in order to make a difference, often between succeeding or not. There is some luck involved regardless, and being in the right place at the right time – whilst another frustrating cliché – is something which is paramount. It can therefore be difficult to decide the best route to take, in early training, auditions and then further training.

Whilst getting into the arts is not straightforward it is ultimately fulfilling. Many see this as an exciting situation to be in, however there is a very real risk of young people being discouraged from following their chosen path in the arts due to the lack of specific careers advice. Unless there is someone with genuine experience of the arts who is able to offer honest and objective advice, the usual careers advice does not complement that of the arts. At some schools and colleges, careers advice is too focused on traditional careers and trades.

It is therefore important, when aiming for a creative career, to be proactive in contacting and networking with people in the industry specific to your goals, whether it’s for work experience or first-hand advice. It is also important to remember that everyone had to start somewhere, and lots of people will try to help.

Open access Fringe festivals can be a great first step into producing work in the arts sector, and then producing a show. Whilst being part of a Fringe festival does not guarantee success in the arts world, it can help you on the way to success. Whether you are a professional or an amateur, you need to know why you are taking part in a Fringe show. For amateurs it can be a good way to gain exposure for your work, however for a professional it may be more about securing funding, building your reputation, and connecting with other artists, promoters and booking agents.

Having good organisation skills is a prerequisite for anything in the arts and dance. Registrations for most Fringe Festivals close months before the festival itself, so ensure you have dates firmly in your diary, and that you are ready for each stage of the process. Drafting a broad timeline gives you sufficient time to finalise details such as images and marketing copy, venue, dates and times, and pricing information. Include milestones such as when you need to complete your budget and marketing plan, when you start rehearsals, when you confirm more intricate details and the different roles of the team behind you.

By getting lots of people involved you are ensuring that you have lots of pairs of hands to make your part of the Fringe a success. When it comes to promoting your work, you can also make the most of the support offered by the Fringe festival itself. Most Fringe festivals offer written guides on how to make your show a success, which cover finding a venue, promoting the show, putting together a budget and also covers legal issues. Promotional opportunities are also plenty, such as pop-up performances which can help pique interest in what you are doing in the area.

Being part of a Fringe festival is hard work, but a great opportunity for choreographers and small dance companies to present work. They can be exhausting, so give yourself a good head start with early and thorough planning, including buffers and getting plenty of support.

Youth Music Theatre UK is busy auditioning talented young people aged 11-21 in 24 cities across the UK and Ireland. Having begun on 21 January, auditions will take place until 19 February, providing young people with the chance to join Youth Music Theatre UK and further their skills as young performers. Taking part in the organisation’s work can do much for young people’s skill set, performance and confidence. Youth Music Theatre UK alumni include Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Charlotte Ritchie, demonstrating how much it can provide.

Working alongside Youth Music Theatre UK could propel a young person far along their desired career path, if they have aims to enter the professional musical theatre industry. Youth Music Theatre UK is viewed by many as an invaluable resource for young people to take part in something engaging and rewarding, hugely beneficial for a young person, performer, and therefore young performer.

Auditions for the company do not require any previous experience. This year’s auditions until February will see performers receive a three hour group workshop in improvisation, singing and dancing, led by top professionals. Aspiring to achieve just as the professionals have done means the young performers can form their own performance goals and ensure they achieve them.

Once part of the Youth Music Theatre UK company, young performers will be able to participate in an intensive, action-packed residential musical theatre course: as part of this they will work to develop a brand new show. They will have the chance to train with the very best directors, musical directors and choreographers, and develop their skills even further. The ultimate aim is therefore to play a part in one of eight new, full-scale musical shows. Youth Music Theatre UK’s summer season includes the world première of the original 1960’s rock opera A Teenage Opera; the tragic story of Tess of the d’Urbervilles; Gulliver’s Travels; Jabberwocky, and many more.

There is no doubt that live musicals have made a strong comeback on television – examples include The Sound of Music, Peter Pan Live, The Wiz, Grease: the list goes on. Most recently showed was Hairspray, which was broadcast live during the festive period in 2016. While some may argue that this musical trend may be short lived, there is a clear audience appetite for this type of broadcast, enabling audiences to experience live theatre from the comfort of their own homes.

Many of the live musicals also include star appearances; Hairspray starred Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein as Tracey’s mother Edna, Jennifer Hudson appeared as a tour de force too and so did Kristin Chenoweth as Velma. This of course increases the broadcast’s appeal; it saw The Sound of Music attract 18.6 million viewers, and The Wiz – with Queen Latifah and Mary J Blige among its stars – reached 11.5 million. Hairspray attracted 8.9 million, and a 2.3 rating in the age 18-49 demographic.

As with live theatre in an auditorium, there is always the danger of something going wrong on live TV, that cannot be anticipated and must be dealt with in the moment. However, many may argue this is what draws them to the theatre, in how ‘in the moment’ the action is and the excitement of something unfolding before their eyes. With live musicals broadcast on television, this goes some way in recreating that feeling of actually being in a theatre, just for many more people.

In a positive note for the programme makers, live broadcasts of musicals are cheap; production values are low and there is a distinct lack of necessary action that is required with filming. By the nature of live broadcast, the added element of musical theatre provides a definite positive event viewing for all involved.

Bard to Bollywood is a new and exciting mass participation dance programme, which is taking place at a number of high profile sports events throughout the year. This year’s programme marks the 2017 UK-India Year of Culture in order to to celebrate the UK’s cultural ties with India. The work will also commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of legendary playwright William Shakespeare, whose first folio of work will be touring India during 2017.

In celebrating culture in this way – through dance – young people are able to experience the arts in a different way. This is whilst getting thoroughly involved in a new cultural programme which links both India and the UK’s cultural history through the bard William Shakespeare and Bollywood dance. The organisation behind the programme is encouraging education and community groups of all ages across the counties of Essex and Barking & Dagenham to participate in these memorable dance events at high profile sporting venues. The venues include those such as Essex County Cricket Club ground and Colchester United FC ground, as well as the Jim Peters Stadium.

Back in 2016, the organisation’s Dance Rio programme involved around 1,500 dancers, taking part in lots of cultural activities and events. With the Bard to Bollywood programme, the organisation is striving to top last year’s success with its biggest performance yet. As part of this aim, Bard to Bollywood is aiming to involve up to 2,500 dancers of all ages. Whilst there is a multitude of dance experiences, for young dancers specifically in the UK, the Bard to Bollywood is unique in its combining of British history with dance, along with India’s cultural history too.

If the success of the organisation’s Dance Rio programme is anything to go by, the Bard to Bollywood edition will take dance by storm.

The UK dance sector was well recognised in Her Majesty The Queen’s New Year’s honours list at the beginning of the year.

The awards included:

Avril Hitman, BEM (for services to people with learning disabilities in Bromley through dance and the arts)

Mary Ross, BEM (for services to country dancing and charity in Nairn and Inverness)

Beverley Glean, MBE (Founding Artistic Director of IRIE! Dance Theatre for services to the promotion of African and Caribbean Dance)

Sunita Golvala, MBE (for services to South Asian Dance in the UK)

Catherine Khan, MBE (Scottish Wheelchair Dance Association for services to people with disabilities)

Elma McCausland, MBE (for services to Scottish Country Dance)

Kenrick Sandy, MBE (for services to dance and the community)

Caroline Miller, OBE (for services to the arts)

Luke Rittner, CBE (Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Dance for services to the arts, particularly dance)

The group have made an extremely strong contribution to dance in all its diverse forms. Most notable is the award of an OBE to Caroline Miller who, as Director of Dance UK (as it was then known), was instrumental in merging the organisation with three sister dance bodies in April 2016 to form the united force for dance now known as One Dance UK. During her ten years at Dance UK, Miller raised the profile of dance in the UK, working tirelessly to gain the support of the government for dance across its many forms.

In culmination of this, there are huge achievements in the awarding of all honours to the personalities above. Such a strong and notable list indicates the importance of dance to UK’s society, and how it is being acknowledged through lists such as these. A wide variety of awards for different people demonstrates the length and breadth of the UK’s dance sector – long may it continue!

Courtney trained at Laine Theatre Arts, and since graduation her theatre credits include Ensemble / On Stage Swing in Grease the Musical (Curve Leicester), Dancer in Thriller Live (UK and European Tour), Ensemble & Understudy/Played Tiger Lily in Peter Pan (Southend Cliffs Pavilion) and Ensemble & Dance Captain in Robin Hood (Plymouth Theatre Royal).

Her TV and film credits include; Giff Gaff ‘Part Of The Movement’ commercial, Dancer in ‘Moving Southwark’, and Isabella in ‘1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets’.

Courtney has had a role created for her in a new comedy project for TV starring Sarah Hadland, called “Born To Dance”: she looks forward to filming in the future.

 

Have always wanted to be on stage?

Yes – I’ve grown up around dance as my mum was my dance teacher, and it was such a big part of my family and life! I’ve danced since the age of two and it was always something that I wanted to do with my life.

 

Where did you train and what was it like?

I trained at Laine Theatre Arts and it was the best three years! That kind of training is always going to be intense and it requires so much hard work, but I loved every aspect! I learnt so much that has carried through into professional auditions and work.

 

What was your Grease audition like?

The audition for Grease was such a fun process. It began with a dance round, held by the choreographer Nick Winston, which was a routine that had a modern spin on the original 50s style. Then we had a singing round – we sang a song of our choice in the style of the show. For the final round we had to sing material from the show, but the most interesting part was that we had to write and perform our own monologue based on a character from the show. This shaped how our characters in the show were formed.

 

What were rehearsals like?

Rehearsals for Grease were amazing but lots of hard work. There was a lot required from us, not just in terms of learning the material – the songs and dances – but also characterisation and ‘finding’ who we were in the show. This was really important to the director Nikolai Foster, and he was so clever with helping bring out individual characters. For me the hardest part was actually learning how to baton twirl for the cheerleading scene – lots of bruises and dropped batons involved in this!

 

What is your favourite part of the show?

It’s hard to say but I do think my favourite part of the show is the Hand Jive – it’s so cleverly put together! There is so much going on and it just shows off everyone’s strengths and individualities, but brings us together at the end. And it’s just so fun to perform!

 

What is a day in your life like?

We are required in the theatre early for warm up so it differs depending on whether it’s a one or two show day. I usually like to have the mornings to myself and get little jobs done, and then into work for warm ups and onto the show/shows. After the show I can never normally go to bed straight away – I need time to come down! So I usually go home and eat, and then just chill out until I’m ready to sleep!

 

What’s the best thing about performing?

The fact that you get to do what you love every day! I constantly feel so lucky to be able to do this, and grateful to have a job that I love!

 

And the worst thing?

It can be really tiring, not just physically but mentally. The hardest thing is probably when your body’s tired and you have aches and pains or injuries, and not being able to show it! I remind myself that each audience, every night, has paid to be here so you have to give them the best you can!

 

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

Not really – I tend to have little things that come depending on the show or the number… like the baton twirling in Grease. All the girls hold our batons up together before we go on in the hope that we don’t drop them on stage! (But this doesn’t always work!)

 

What would be your advice to an aspiring performer?

Something that my mum taught me… to grab every single opportunity that you can and give your everything to it! And that never ends – I’ve always been taught to continue learning in anything I do. If you love it then the hard work always outweighs what it brings you!