TYPE OF WORK
Dance performance, education and participatory dance in community and educational contexts.

TARGET GROUPS
Participatory dance-based projects to young people in nurseries, schools and colleges, older people in day centres, sheltered housing and residential homes, people in hospitals, refugees and asylum seekers, and people with learning disabilities.

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
UK, Western and Southern Europe

COMPANY POLICY
The company believes that everyone has a right to communicate, express and enjoy themselves through dance, and that dance is an invaluable tool in health, education and human development. It seeks to enable people in all communities, of all ages and of all physical and mental abilities to both watch and practice dance. Many projects have objectives beyond dance and seek, for example, to promote healing, knowledge of scientific concepts, healthy and active life and advance knowledge and awareness of citizenship and environmental issues. The company offers training both for dance and non-dance professionals.

SCALE OF PROJECTS
Number of practitioners: 1-10
Number of participants: 8-100
Preparation time: 2 days - 3 months
Contact time: 16 hours over 8 weeks and 4 weeks full-time

PERMANENT STAFF
Fergus Early, Artistic Director
Rachel Elliott, Education Director
Rosemary Evans, Administrator

Home (UK, 1999)
Home was a collaboration project between Green Candle Dance Company and 1st Framework Theatre Company, working with local community groups during a series of 10-day residencies around England towards final performances of dance, drama, music and design in each location.

Local groups performed alongside, and under the guidance of, a professional team, transforming a number of spaces in a variety of unusual locations. The audience was taken on a journey through different rooms and buildings, encountering scenes associated with home. The performance took the audience on a roller-coaster of emotions from a celebratory welcome scene to scenes associated with functions within a home and also touching upon issues such as death and domestic violence. Participants included primary and secondary school pupils, older people, people with learning disabilities, asylum seekers.

By uniting sectors of local communities through a project of this nature, the company aimed to create a model for innovative, cross-generational arts. The project intended to break down barriers (physical, geographical and social) that prevent groups working collectively and in doing so encourage new relationships with existing and neighbouring communities.

Through the participation of cross-arts activities, the company aimed to give people of all ages and abilities an opportunity and the confidence to learn new skills for their own personal and collective development.

Mina's Story (UK, 2002-03)
Mina's story is a show for young people aged 8-13, touring to primary and secondary schools, with accompanying workshops, it is a story of a refugee family, and accompanying workshops explore issues such as citizenship, migration and identity.

5th Annual Dance Summer School for Deaf Children
In collaboration with Sadler's Wells Theatre, (UK, August 2003)

Dance upon the level shore
A programme involving older people in sheltered housing in a year-long dance residency which will be evaluated by an independent researcher to establish mental, physical and emotional benefits of dance to this age group. (2004)

Fergus Early or Rachel Elliott
Green Candle Dance Company
Oxford House, Derbyshire Street
Bethnal Green
London E2 6HG

T +44 (0) 20 7222 7003
F +44 (0) 20 7222 6994

E info@greencandledance.com
W www.greencancledance.com

“I was so impressed by the quality of the children’s dance, their understanding of science and, above all, the way they took themselves and what they were doing seriously.”
Director, New River Partnership Education Action Zone, London, on Explosions, a secondary school dance and science project (2002)

“The atmosphere created was electric and helped enhance the thinking and mood of our residents. All our voluntary staff were very impressed both with the performance and the workshop.”
Care Assistant, Residential Home, on tour of Dances for Small Spaces, (Ireland, 1998)

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