Stop hanging about .. get your dancing shoes on !

Beingfrank Youth is a new and inspiring dance company. They say “We create energetic theatre through a fusioncontemporary dance and physical theatre”

Aiming to interact with their audience with breath-taking effect the four young men who make us Beingfrank Youth with WYANs support have successfully applied for a youth opportunity bid that has enabled them to tour their show piece to youth groups and schools in Warwickshire as well as offer some workshops to budding young dancers.

Sound good doesn’t it … but perhaps what is most surprising about being frank youth is that the whole company are under 18 years old and so not only will this work mean that other young men are being encouraged to take up dance but also the dancers ( boys themselves) are learning new skills in fundraising touring , work shopping and business marketing all of which will certainly aid their career development as they move on to bigger and greater things.

Being Frank Youth

Youth arts worker Clare Mitchell said

“It’s a real pleasure to work with such talented young men who have not only a very desire to develop themselves  but also the desire to contribute to the lives of other young people. Imagine what talent they might unearth as they embark on their tour of local youth centres and schools…”

Already the world is staking notice as, with help from their mentor Dave Mckenna (Being frank physical theatre) they took part in the national youth dance showcase in London last year and in February begin a months long tour with Birmingham based dance company ACE dance  in 2009… so watch this space blink and you might have missed them !

The local tour starts in Lillington Youth Centre and ends in Keresley village community centre at the BHK youth project.

For more details contact Clare Mitchell.  Youth arts development worker  01926 74 2486 or www.wyan.org.uk

Watch out arts venues! - Our secret cultural shopping team have begun their mission to seek out excellent youth arts work … read more as they tell us about their mission to make the arts world more youth friendly !

On a cold Friday evening a group of young art enthusiasts went along to Trinity High School in Leamington to review a performance from Being Frank physical theatre. Chloe, Ben, Lucy, and Joseph volunteered their evening to write a review of their experience and upload it to the WYAN website for the world to see. By doing so it is hoped that many other young people can have a look at what they have to say and decide to go along to the venue or similar performances. Over the coming months these young people and others plan to visit and review various other arts related venues and events across Warwick District. By doing so local arts facilities will be informed about young people’s experiences of their services and therefore consider them in future events. This project aims both to promote young people’s enjoyment of local arts and to encourage arts providers to involve young people in their programmes.

Find out who got shopped first with the reviewers commenting ….“An incredibly impressive production: must see them again.”   click on projects and seek out the reveiwers project ….

 http://www.wyan.org.uk/subcultures-young-reviewers-scheme/

Thursday Flickers is an exciting weekly film and video event at Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum. The screenings provide a platform for film & video makers to showcase their innovative media work to a wider audience.

The new programme includes work from video artists, short-film makers, animators, motion-graphic designers, VJs, and artists using video installations.

During and after the viewings there will be the possibility for the public to ask questions and to discuss the screened work.

 Join us Thursday nights from 6.30 to 7.30pm. Free admission. 

If you would like the opportunity to show your work contact Tammy Woodrow on 01926 742700 or email prooms@warwickdc.gov.uk. 

In September Warwickshire schools and youth groups visited the “We Were There” exhibition in Leamington. The exhibition explored the involvement of BME communities in the forces….

Some of the young people from Campion were so moved by the exhibiiton they were inspired to write …here is their poem …

I am dual

nationality

I wonder why they don’t understand

I hear those

calling names

I see them

laughing

I want to be accepted

I am able to laugh now

I pretend it never happen

I feel older,

wiser,

and stronger

I worry about their

naivety

I cry no more

I am just an ordinary girl

I understand they were ignorant

I dream about the future

I try to

stand up for others

I hope they understand now

I will be proud

of who I am

I am ME!

 Are you inspired to write a piece of poetry, short story or a lyric … if so send in your poems via comments… we’d love to hear them too so MP3 welcome !

(To make a comment Click on the title box and look at the bottom of the blog … there will be a comments box there for you to fill )

Radio Abbey in action

Radio Abbey – Kenilworth Youth and Community Centre

Ever wanted some where local to showcase young musical talent? Some where to hear fascinating interviews and information/advice programmes where young people are at the heart … look no further Radio Abbey is for you !

Over the past 6 months young people at Kenilworth Youth and Community Centre have been working with youth workers to establish a young people’s radio project.

Radio Abbey will be launching its broadcasts on the web at the end of November with the support of local business Solutions – Squared, and will be able to provide up to date information for young people by young people. Radio Abbey will be totally managed produced and presented by local young people and will offer training for those who would like to get involved. Right now they are looking for exciting events and opportunities to cover on the show  …

Kenilworth centre manager Andy Norman said ….’ At last young people will have a voice about what really matters to them! Not what adults think really matters. Their music, their issues, their life!’

If you have something to Broadcast on Radio Abbey please contact Andy Norman (Centre Manager) on tel; 01926 855205

On the 13th October young people from Lillington Youth Centre, The BHK Project and Stratford College went to see Hoschef Schecter ( of Skins coregraphy fame) perform at Warwick Arts Centre …. I thought it was a fantastic night, I have never seen dance quite like it before and really recommend seeing this show… it is paticularly good for young people as it is familiar but strangely different and challenging at the same time

See below to see example of the “Skins” coreography ….

and now the real hard stuff at Sadlers Wells ….

I think the groups liked it … but I wonder what they really thought ???

If you went to see Hoschef post your commnet NOW!

Our first visit!

Urban Savages at Trinity High School, Leamington Spa.

The young reviewers before the show...

   ‘Urban Savages’ was a contemporary dance production combining elements of Brazilian martial arts and parkour, with young local males providing the majority of the action. With a plot based upon the famous novel ‘Lord of the Flies’, survivors of an apocalyptic virus found themselves in a harsh altered environment. A power struggle soon emerges as the tribes descend into savergy, and must fight to outlive each other until help arrives.

            ‘Being Frank’s production was held at Trinity High School with three performances over the weekend. An easy location to reach via most forms of transport, the school boasted excellent accessibility for all people to attend, and the dance company took full advantage of the venue’s impressive facilities. With tickets costing £6 and with the production taking place at a school some may be put off, but this would most definitely be a mistake.

            We heard about ‘Savages’ through a Youth Club member of staff, and unfortunately would not have discovered it otherwise: the advertising itself was professionally done and very engaging to the eyes, but distribution was certainly limited. Strangely, not any emphasis was put upon the exclusively male-cast, which could have been a major selling point: ‘Being Frank’ run a workshop training un-experienced 12-15 year olds in contemporary dance, introducing them to a world they would otherwise miss out on.

            The show itself was incredibly energetic, with young athletes wrapping & weaving themselves amongst a simple yet very well designed set. A fantastic selection of music provided the backbone for the dancers, ranging from classic hip-hop to more modern electronic beats. The ‘Lord of the Flies’ inspired plot was easy enough to follow, although occasional deviations could throw the audience off at points, due to weak use of video and unclear dialogue. Some of the dance sequences did become repetitive, but this can be expected due to the inclusion of local amateur dancers and their limited preparation time. This did lead to a long, well rounded duration.

            Overall, people should not be discouraged by the fact that this production is held at a school, as the performance delivered excellent quality in all aspects: a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Ratings (out of five):

Accessibility:……….4/5

Promotion:………..3.5/5

The ’show’/event:….4/5

Treatment:………….5/5

 

Overall rating:…….4/5

“I would definitely like to see Being Franks work again”

“An incredibly impressive production: must see them again.”

Want to get involved???

Live in Warwick district ?

Got an opinion about the arts?

Wanna make your point heard ?

We are currently recruiting a group of young people from the area to visit appropriate arts related venues and events and then write a review of their experiences; is it suitable for young people? Is it affordable? Are the staff helpful/friendly?

We will visit exhibitions, museums, theatre plays and more, as a group and then tell the world what you think….THERE IS NO COST INVOLVED FOR PARTICIPANTS!!

We are planning new visits before April 2009 - if you would like to get involved or want more information then please get in touch:

contact Lee Atkins lee.atkins@wayc.org.uk or call (01926) 450156

More to follow…