TYPE OF WORK
Community dance development organisation

TARGET GROUPS
People of all ages and abilities in a range of community settings, inner city urban areas and at the company's specialist dance base in Cardiff. Boys' dance, youth dance, young people with behavioural problems, disabled groups, young mothers, asylum seekers and children from a local refuge.

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
UK, Sub-Saharan Africa, North America, Australia/New Zealand, Central and Eastern Europe, Western and Southern Europe

COMPANY POLICY
To provide regular dance activities relevant to each participant and group. The weekly programme includes sessions in specific styles from break dance to Bharata Natyam, with specific groups from nurseries to elderly homes. Training programmes include the flagship youth group, Nubrico, a one-year full-time dance course and schemes for young dancers, volunteers, community dance apprenticeships and a professional development programme for Rubicon dance leaders. Additional activities include international work, youth exchanges, performances and partnership projects with other arts organisations.

SCALE OF PROJECTS
Number of practitioners: 1-3
Number of participants: 10-500
Preparation time: 1 month - 5 years
Contact time: 3 weeks

PERMANENT STAFF
Ruth Till, Director
Adam Lloyd-Binding, General Manager
Tracey Brown, Dance Development Leader (Cardiff)
Sam James, Dance Development Worker (Newport)
Rachel Robertson, Dance Worker (Cardiff)
Claire Turner, Joint Dance Co-ordinator
June Campbell-Davies, Joint Dance Co-ordinator

Dance development project (UK/Romania, 1998-ongoing)
A five-year project in Craiova, Romania with children from two special schools and two orphanages, initially accompanying a charity providing aid. Fundraising support for the visits was done by various Rubicon groups and local schools, who took a personal interest in progress of the Romanian children. Members of Nubrico youth dance accompanied Rubicon staff on one trip and last year a group of eight deaf children from Craiova were brought to Cardiff to dance with young people here, entirely funded through Rubicon supporters. A further visit with Rubicon youth is planned for 2004.

Outcomes include an unforgettable experience for all involved, a dance programme in the schools in Craiova with children creating and making their own work, friendship between the children and a real interest and pride from all those who gave their support.

Dance exchange programme (UK/Australia, 1998-ongoing)
Two Rubicon staff went to New South Wales (1998) to meet with dance workers from across the continent, to lead dance sessions with different groups, to discuss the work of Rubicon, particularly the community dance apprentice programme and to share practice and new ways of working. This was joint funded through Wales Arts International, British Council and the Australian Ministry for the Arts and hosted by Ausdance NSW. A further visit followed in 1999 by Rubicon's director as part of a trade visit organised by the National Assembly for Wales. Three dance workers from New South Wales have subsequently had placements at Rubicon as part of the same programme and others have come to spend time with the organisation as a direct result of the visit. Recently two Rubicon apprentices went out to work with an aboriginal group in Broome and with the contacts they had made previously.

Dance development project
Return visit to Craiova, Romania with young Rubicon dancers (see Case Studies). (2004)

Youth Exchange
Exchange with Native American children from Monument Valley High School, Utah, USA. This is part of a longer term programme of exchanges and visits from 1995 in partnership with the Utah Arts Council, USA

Ruth Till
Rubicon Dance
Nora Street
Adamsdown
Cardiff  CF24 4DA

T +44 (0) 29 2049 1477
F +44 (0) 29 2043 6339

E info@rubicondance.co.uk
W www.rubicondance.co.uk

“WAC’s initial input, your enthusiasm and professionalism was the catalyst to start all of this.”
Paul Rees, Wales Aid to Craiova (WAC)

“Their knowledge and experience of youth and community dance practice was very much appreciated by the dance community here.”
Bon Carr, MP Premier and Minister for the Arts (Sydney Australia)

“Rubicon Dance impressed me then [1995] and they continue to reflect the highest standards of artistic and educational excellence.”
Jean Irwin, Utah Arts Council (USA)

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