NYDC works digitally with latest cohort

Published: 12 March 2021
Reporter: Vera Liber

NTDC 2020-21

Run by Sadler’s Wells, National Youth Dance Company, has completed its second fully digital residency, led by Guest Artistic Director Alesandra Seutin.

NYDC responded to the coronavirus pandemic with virtual taster workshops, Q&As, live online workshops and digital sessions to ensure that residencies were able to continue for the 2020/2021 cohort, who continue to work with Seutin and Vocab Dance on two further residencies before a short UK tour this summer.

The 29 is made up of—21 recruited virtually in November 2020 and eight returning from last year— is made up of 19 female and 10 male dancers from more than 20 different towns and cities across the country.

The company is Deborah Asidi from Nottingham, Charlotte Aspin from Bristol, Ella Atkinson from Stalybridge, Jesse Baggett-Lahav from Ipswich, Ashur Cali from Leeds, Keziah Campbell-Golding from London, Elvi Rose Christiansen Head from London, Rory Clarke from Winchester, Kian Crowley from London, Maya Donne from Lewes, Phoebe Dowglass from Goring-by-sea, Skiye Edmond from London, Harry Fayers from Marlow, Maiya Leeke from Preston, Jasmine Massey from Stourbridge, Max Mulrenan from York, Jamaica Payne from Nottingham, Katie Smith from Wakefield, Amari Webb-Martin from London, Ciaran Wood from Frome and Genevieve Wright from Downham Market. They join the following dancers from the previous cohort: Sonny Connor-Bell from Birmingham, Karim Dime from London, Maia Faulkner from Brighton, Willow Fenner from London, Mia Grote from Totnes, Mirabelle Haddon from London, Chiara Moore from Warrington and Eve Shorten from Oxford.

Hannah Kirkpatrick, NYDC General Manager, said, “this year is certainly bringing its challenges, but we made a decision early on that it would not stop us creating new work, we just have to adapt how the work can be created. I feel so proud of how the company have responded, how dedicated and motivated they are to continue working together and making this a success. It is a huge amount of work for Alesandra and her artistic team, planning and utilising the time on Zoom to make sure that when we can be in person we can hit the ground running. This past year has hit us all, but I think it has been particularly difficult for young people. Creating a new work over lockdown is keeping us motivated and focused in a time when so much is out of our control.”

*Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, The Ticket Factory, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

Are you sure?