Lineup announced for U.Dance National Festival
Some of the biggest names in dance have assembled for U.Dance National Festival 2021, One Dance UK’s free youth dance festival in July. Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Hauer and former Strictly champion Joanne Clifton, choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne, West End leading lady Miriam Teak-Lee and The Royal Ballet star Marcelino Sambe are confirmed in the lineup for the festival, full of opportunity for young people.
Taking place between 16-18 July online, the event will be comprised of 30 sessions made up of digital dance masterclasses, industry information panels and dance showcases allowing participants to pick and mix sessions in their favourite dance styles, or try something new. The event is open to dancers aged 11-19, or up to 25 with a disability, and is free for all attendees, with the aim of giving even more young dance enthusiasts access to inspiring, inclusive, content after a year of uncertainty and cancelled dance classes and performances.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn from some of the country’s top dance companies, including Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Zoonation: The Kate Prince Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Candoco, and from professionals who work with The Royal Ballet, The Greatest Dancer, Six the Musical, Hamilton, The Lion King, leading dance scientists and many more.
U.Dance is the UK’s largest youth dance festival, and this year it will be delivered through digital-only platforms for the second time. Therefore U.Dance remains the UK’s largest celebration of youth dance. With the 2020 festival being delivered online for the first time, 5,000 young people nationwide accessed sessions. The festival this year will also provide a platform for young perfomers, choreographers and writers; U.Dance National Showcases will present streamed work of creative youth dance companies from around the UK, and the dance and writing challenges will give young people the chance to have their talents for choreography and dance writing showcased to a national audience.