Please watch this 20min documentary (dis)ability documentary This documentary was created by Wayne Sables and funded by The Leeds Community Foundation (Mohan Westlake Arts Engagement Fund) On Thursdays 27th January 2022 we premiered our #AbilityNotDisability documentary filmed by Wayne Sables and feturing our Inclusive Dance Group. This funing by The Leeds Community Foundation #MohanWestlakeArtsEngagementFund has made a major differance to the young people and their families lives. This film highlights the importance of inclusion and the power of dance. This program supported 6 weekly sessions for young people and young adults with a learning or physical disability to dance. This film follows just one of those groups and their families journey. For more information on the group please Email: [email protected] or Call: 07519018675
Dance Action Zone Leeds ”Why do you love to dance?”
Part of the Dance Action Zone Leeds ”Why do you love to dance?” series we asked for our practitioners and dancers to get involved and tell us why they love to dance and why the arts are important. The series consists of Six x60 sec films and then two films with the young people expressing their love for the arts – Here’s what they say… At Dance Action Zone Leeds we pride ourselves on providing opportunities for all to dance! Visit www.dazl.org.uk for more information or email [email protected] This project was in partnership with Wayne Sables and Funded by the Ann Maguire Arts Education Fund
Feedback from parent #KickOffBoys Project
Hi Chrisie, Dance Action Zone Leeds (Kick Off Boys Project) Just wanted to send you a bit of feedback- I hope you can use it for reports etc. ( I run an arts organisation myself and know how useful it is to have!) This morning, after last nights performance at NSCD, I overheard Dylan say, as he woke up and in a bright cheery voice: ‘Good morning world!’ A lovely positive start to the day and for Dylan a massive turnaround for a boy who used to wake up angry (and quite often screaming) most mornings. Less than a year ago Dylan was seeing a counsellor through CAMHS and being part of Kick Off Boys has massively helped him. He absolutely loves dancing and being able to use his huge amounts of energy in such a positive way has enabled him to feel so much more comfortable about himself and really helped to build his confidence. When he first started Kick Off Boys he was so thrilled and said it was the the start of his career and that he was in his first ‘company’! I am so very grateful that he has this opportunity as being part of the group is as important to him as the dancing and he loves to tell me stories about all the other boys in the group. He feels a sense of belonging and he thrives from the mix of ages and from being accepted by the older boys. I think it has helped him to feel that it’s ok not to be the same as everyone else. We are travelling to Leeds from Holmfirth twice a week so that Dylan can access The Kick Off Boys Project and the NSCD classes because it is so important for his well -being. It is a real shame that there is nothing closer to us as there must be so many other boys like Dylan who would benefit from these groups (and boys in Dylan’s school still think dancing is just for girls!). I do think it’s really important to get boys dancing before they leave primary education as I think the peer pressure and self-consciousness that comes with the teenage years must prevent so many boys from experiencing dance. Thank you again for offering this opportunity. We re so glad Dylan is involved! Kind Regards Chloe Chloe Williams, The Children’s Art School. Kick Off Boys Project is a partnership with Dance Action Zone Leeds, Phoenix Dance, Northern School and Leeds City College.
DAZL team up with Anchor Care Homes in Leeds
DAZL work with the elderly from the Anchor Trust Over the past few months DAZL has been delivering a dance program in partnership with the six Leeds based Anchor Care Homes. This project works with older people who are living with dementia headed up by the DAZL Dance Facilitator Amy Smith and Community Dance & Health Practitioner Stephen Johnson. Assisting these two artists have been the DAZL Dance and Health Officer Apprentice Harvey Pratt and DAZL Dance Leader Kaci Emmonds. The DAZL team have have absolutely loved working with the residents and the wonderful caring and supportive staff from the Anchor Trust. The residents have really responded well to the weekly dance for fun sessions and to date we have engaged around 120 older people throughout the six care home in Leeds. Moving forward DAZL plan to continue this partnership delivering dance and from January we plan on deliver an intergenaerational project with the older people from Anchor and young people from DAZL. This will will also be evaluated by Leeds Beckett University of which it will be published in a academic journal highlighting the impact dance has on dementia and older peoples overall health and wellbeing. Below is a statement from Jo Bailey, Anchor Wellbeing Coordinator In later life, maintaining movement is key, and a huge part of wellbeing and healthcare. However, this is not always easy to achieve. For people living with Dementia, it is the little things that count, or in the case of DAZL, the fun things. A bunch of enthusiastic, skilled, caring dancers, DAZL are an absolute joy. The way they interact with the residents, we have found it is almost impossible to resist joining in, whether resident, carer or visitor alike. Having had the pleasure of their company for many visits now I can safely say that the impact they have had on our residents has been both positive and profound. I returned to one home the day after DAZL had visited and was greeted with conversations and smiles regarding the previous day’s events. Such recollections are, regrettably, rare so for the DAZL team to have achieved this was praise indeed. I would, without hesitation, recommend the concept and of course DAZL to other care homes or anyone who is living with Dementia or caring for somebody who is. Kind Regards – Jo Bailey, Wellness Coordinator Anchor For more information on the Anchor Trust please visit https://www.anchor.org.uk/ Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with this wonderful project.
DAZL Double Win at One Dance UK Awards 2018
One Dance UK 2018 Awards The first One Dance UK Awards unlike any other awards focused uniquely on dance and has been developed to recognise the outstanding contributions of people working in the dance sector. This annual event is an opportunity for people in the dance sector to get together, celebrate, acknowledge and reward the people who have made an impact on the UK’s vibrant dance landscape. There was 23 Award Categories, which span all the vital work that is taking place to shape the dance sector today. DAZL was lucky enough to be nominated and shortlisted for two awards. DAZL WINS Leeds Dance Partnership Award Each year One Dance UK will present an award in partnership with the host region, recognising an organisation or individual who has made a significant impact to dance in the local area. This year DAZL and our Director Ian Rodley was recognised by the host city and the Leeds Dance Partnership for the work we deliver across the city. What an absolutely lovely honor to receive this award, thank you so much and well done to the DAZL Team. Also congratulations and keep doing all your fantastic work to the other two nominees Mobius Dance and Spin Arts. Ian Rodley Director – Dance Action Zone Leeds DAZL WINS PEOPLES CHOICE Award The People’s Choice Award recognises an individual or organisation that has made a significant contribution to the dance sector throughout the last 12 months. Entrants for this award were nominated by One Dance UK members and then decided by open public vote. DAZL was extremely lucky to be awarded a second award. The team found this awards really special as this was vote by the public ans as we like to say at DAZL The #DAZLFAMILY. We would also like to congratulate the other two nominees Donald Hutera and Motionhouse – Charge. Thank you to Sharon Watson, Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre and Wieke Eringa, CEO and Artistic Director of Yorkshire Dance who presented DAZL with the two awards on behalf of One Dance UK.
DAZL, ACE & WATCH-It Partnership – Holiday Hunger Program
DAZL, ACE and Watch-It Holiday Hunger Partnership supported by Leeds Community Foundation What we did! We provided four activity camps one at Easter where we engaged 34 at the South Leeds Youth Hub in Belle Isle. We also deliver three summer camps across the City we tried to spread the provision across South, East and West Leeds to reach more children and to achieve the greatest impact. The first one in Gipton at Dame Fanny Waterman Centre where we engaged 20 children. The second camp was in Belle Isle at the South Leeds Youth Hub where we engaged 47 children and the final camp was in Swinnow at Swinnow Community Centre where we engaged with 40 children. In total we engaged 141 children of which 121 were free school meal children which is what was aimed to achieve. This was in partnership with ACE who is part of of Health For All Leeds who delivered the multi sports alongside DAZL who was delivering the dance, crafts and healthy eating. We also had watch-it children weigh management service who attend one day each week and also refereed children onto the activity. As an additional we engaged 21 looked after children and 2 children with a disability within the four activity camps which is great and fits with the DAZL ethos or reducing barriers for these groups/ individuals. The Impact We used dance, arts and sport to engage the young people addressing the need for exciting positive activities that children want to engage with. We also engaged 80% free school meal children and 20% look after children or children with a disability. 90% of the children also come from an area of deprivation therefore supporting those harder to reach families/ communities who have the greatest need. We provided activity from 8.30am-3pm Monday to Friday providing a cooked breakfast and dinner for the children along with snack. This really helps parents and gives them the assurance they will be fed, safe and have fun within the camp. Added value The young people have been able to access the DAZL community provision and also Active Clubs Experience Provision, those struggling to maintain a healthy weight also got information on Watch-It. DAZL Created a film documenting the project with feedback from participants, partners and also staff showing the impact and the difference this camp. Video feedback from young people DAZL has the young people give video feedback and we have posted this via social media. We have obtained permission from parents to use all this in monitoring and evaluation. Madison Emmonds, Age 12 video feedback Aimee Mulvy, Age 13 video feedback Brandan Shaw, Age 10 video feedback Aiden Wood, Age 9 video feedback Add us on Social Media Twitter @DAZL_Leeds Facbook – LIKE danceactionzoneleeds Istagram @danceactionzoneleeds
DAZL summer project supported by Morrisons Foundation
DAZL Healthy HeARTS Summer Program -Support by The Morrisons Foundation. With the support of the Morrisons Foundation over the summer we provided a week long summer project. This program aimed to improved the children’s health and wellbeing part of the “The DAZL Healthy heARTS Project”. The Projected offered fun and accessible high quality dance and healthy eating opportunities. We engaged 40 children from Leeds 10 and surrounding areas, We also provided a healthy Breakfast and lunch courtesy of Morrisons Hunslet. Targeting children and families in deprived areas, who lack access to activities or are at risk of sedentary lifestyles. We have a commitment to supporting local people enabling and encouraging ownership and entrepreneurship, we had 3 local parent volunteers help out and 4 youth dance leaders from the local community. We had a particular focus on looked After Children and those children who are struggling to maintain a healthy weight/ lifestyle. We worked with the Wayne Sables Project to create a short film/ online resource addressing the themes of the project which is shared via our social media and our YouTube channel. Please checkout out the impact of the project in the films below. DAZL Healthy HeARTS Project – Short Film DAZL Healthy HeARTS Project – Change 4 Life Sugar Swap The DAZL staffing team are all trained Bounce dance fitness instructors and this program has delivered part of the #HealthyHeARTS project supported by Morrisons Foundation. This is a fun dance fitness program and is accessible to all, For more information visit https://www.bouncedancefit.com/ Thank you so much to the Morrison’s Foundation for their support. For more information on The Morrison’s Foundation visit https://www.morrisonsfoundation.com/about-us/ Add us on Social Media Twitter @DAZL_Leeds Facbook – LIKE danceactionzoneleeds Istagram @danceactionzoneleeds
DAZL support the LGBT Sport Fringe Festival
DAZL support the LGBT Sport Fringe Festival Dance Action Zone Leeds supports the LGBT Sport Fringe Festival which is focused on combating homophobia, transphobia, biphobia and sportphobia in the LGBT community. The festival aims to Improve mental and physical health of the LGBT community and their allies supported by Big Lottery, Leeds Community Committee Funding and Leeds Pride. Please see the video below Follows us on social media @DAZL_Leeds Twitter and Facebook DanceActionZoneLeeds Please contact us via email at [email protected] or tel – 07519018675
Painted Faces Film by Kick Off Boys Project
Painted Faces by Kick Off Boys Project This is a mental health awareness film created by the Kick Off Boys Project partnership which consists of Dance Action Zone Leeds (DAZL), Northern School Of Contemporary Dance, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Leeds City College. The mental health stigma workshops were delivered by Space 2 Leeds and film created by Wayne Sables and project funded by Big Lottery – Awards For All. Painted faces uses dance as a tool to enable young men to talk about mental health! For help and support contact Mind Mate Leeds 0113 376 0324 To contact MindMate, email [email protected], Website – mindmate.org.uk/ Social Media @mindmateleeds Need urgent help? If you’ve injured yourself or taken an overdose dial 999. To speak to someone urgently, please call ChildLine free on 0800 11 11
Welcome NEW DAZL Dance Teacher Chloe Young
Welcome Chloe Young Chloe joined the DAZL team in January 2018 for a two week placement where DAZL supported her teaching and work experience. Shortly after she was offered some teaching work and has been working with DAZL ever since! Chloe recently completed her Dance degree at Leeds Beckett University, receiving an upper second class honours. Chloe has had experience teaching workshops since college for a range of ages and is wanting to continue and pursue a career in Dance Teaching now she has completed her studies. Chloe has been dancing since she was 8 and has experience in contemporary dance, hip-hop, commercial and street dance.
