dance for social action
Turning movement into a voice for change.
Through dance, choreography and creative collaboration, young females explore the issues shaping their lives, share their experiences and create powerful work that challenges inequality and calls for social change.
Our Dance for Social Action programme gives young people the space to explore the issues that affect their lives and decide what they want to change. Through a youth-led, co-creative process, they develop ideas, share lived experiences and transform their thoughts and feelings into original dance and performance.
Alongside developing their artistic practice, participants build self-reliance, strengthen peer relationships and gain practical skills in collaboration, communication and community organising. Their work creates opportunities for young people's perspectives to reach wider audiences and contribute to conversations about social change.
What we deliver
1. Performance Dance Companies
We run seven performance companies where young females create original choreography inspired by issues that matter to them. Across 12-week creative cycles, dancers explore street dance, contemporary and commercial styles, developing their artistic skills while using movement to express their experiences and call for social change.
Their work is showcased at leading regional and national platforms, including Sadler’s Wells East, Brighton Festival, U.Dance, The Place Youth Dance Platform and Brighton Dome.
2. Social Action Dance Theatre Productions
We create full-length dance theatre productions, bringing young dancers together with professional creative teams, including guest choreographers, sound designers and lighting technicians.
Through ambitious, large-scale performance work, young females develop their artistic and technical skills, bring their ideas to life and share powerful messages for social change with wider public audiences.
Our impact
Our reported participant outcomes demonstrate the value of creative expression, connection and youth-led practice.
“Being on stage at Sadler's Wells performing a piece we created about public safety made me realise that our experiences as young females matter.
We aren't just complaining; we're showing people what needs to change.”
— Performance Company Member