Little Big Dance

What is Little Big Dance?

Launched in 2019 by South East Dance, in partnership with DanceEast, Take Art and Yorkshire Dance, Little Big Dance empowers dance artists to develop the specialist skills and experience needed to make captivating and diverse dance work for and with under five-year-old children and their families.

Little Big Dance is changing the face of dance work for younger audiences: bringing dance artists together with children under five, early years specialists and dramaturgs to develop new skills and create new work. 

Over two cycles, Little Big Dance is supporting up to 16 dance artists to receive robust specialist training and development in creating work for young audiences; and commissioning three new pieces of dance work, created by and with under five-year olds for national tour.

The Partners

Take Art are delighted to be working in partnership alongside South East Dance, lead partner in Little Big Dance and an arts charity dedicated to making life better through dance; Dance East, one of the UK's leading dance organisations and Yorkshire Dance, a charity championing the value of dance and development in Yorkshire.

Little Big Dance is also supported by Dance Umbrella, Birmingham Hippodrome, Strike a Light Festival and English National Ballet School.

What will the project do?

In its first cycle, Little Big Dance supported four artists to progress their careers; and commissioned two stunning pieces of work by artists George Fellows and Takeshi Matsumoto, which to date have reached more than 3000 people and continue to tour nationally and internationally.

The Next Steps

Now, applications are open to UK-based dance artists with at least five years’ experience of creating and touring work to take part in Cycle Two, in one of two ways:

Artist Lab – apply by 31 October 2022

Eight artists will be selected from an open call to take part in a week’s residency lab focusing on making work for and with under five year olds at The Dance Space, Brighton during 15-20 January, 2023. Find out more here.

Little Big Dance Commissioned Artist – apply by 14 November 2022

One UK-based dance artist or choreographer with at least five years’ experience of making and touring dance shows will be selected to develop and create a full dance show to tour to early years settings, festivals and venues. Find out more here.

Little Big Dance is changing the face of dance performances for very young audiences, while empowering dance artists and choreographers to push and challenge their practice in new ways. Cycle One has seen two beautiful and very different dance works being produced and seen by thousands of people to date. Both pieces are based on original ideas, with children’s voices at the heart, and are the result of robust research and development into how children under five develop and what they need and want to really connect with movement-based shows. 

Cath James, Artistic Director South East Dance, Lead Partner of Little Big Dance

Find out more about Little Big Dance

To find out more about Little Big Dance and the next steps for the project please visit southeastdance.org.uk

Contact Alison Lord, Director of Dance or Nadine Griffiths, Project Coordinator

Email: alison@takeart.org or nadine@takeart.org

Twitter: #littlebigdance

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