New Adventures has announced their Overture dance artist cohort for 2021/2022. Established in 2016, Overture is the annual New Adventures professional development programme for dance artists and dance teachers from a variety of genres who have been working in community or education settings for less than five years.
Each year, the group of artists are chosen for their diverse range of work and experience within the community dance sector that spans a full scope of settings from across England.
Found through an open call and through dance networks, this year’s 16 talented community dance artists are:
- Charlotte Arnold, Leeds
- Nya Bardouille, Enfield, London
- Poppy Barnes, Roehampton, London
- Emilie Barton, Wimborne, Dorset
- Emily Cooke, East Cowes, Isle of Wight
- Pippa Fisher, Chalfont St Peter, London
- Martina Ghinetti, Fulbourn, Cambridge
- Natalie Haslam, Lichfield, Staffordshire
- Megan Jansen, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire
- Kath McGuire, Withington, Gloucestershire
- Hannah Miles, Forest Hill, London
- Emily Orme, Coxbridge, Glastonbury
- Kate Stanforth, Stocksfield, Northumberland
- Christopher Tendai, Erith, London
- Hannah Wintie-Hawkins, York
- Tom Withington, Norfolk
Facilitated by Resident Artist Kerry Biggin and Community Dance Practice Educator and Artist Director of UNIT, Tom Hobden, the cohort of dance artists participate in two residential weekends at the Company’s base in Farnham Maltings, Surrey over an eight-month period, alongside digital sessions and a visit to the current New Adventures production on tour.
Each residential comprises of practical workshops, discussions and skills-sharing as well as inspirational guest teachers from a variety of dance backgrounds. With workshops in areas such as personal development, coaching and networking, New Adventures aim to provide the cohort with a range of skills to support them in reaching the next level of their careers as community dance artists. This year guest tutors include among others Isabel Mortimer, a personal and executive coach and director of Coaching at Dancers Career Development; and Kane Husbands, Artistic Director of ThePappyShow, Performance Design and Practice lecturer at Central Saint Martins and Overture alumnus.
Kerry Biggin said today. ‘It is always wonderful to be part of the journey and development of the dance artists and teachers that we work with each year on Overture and is continually inspiring to see how each cohort grow, build their network, confidence and aspirations throughout the programme and beyond. I am so excited to be continuing this valuable support for freelancers across England, especially at this time of transition as we seek to re-connect and strengthen our community which was so affected by the pandemic. Sending out inspired artists, confident to forge their way in the industry brings real hope for the future of dance and I’m excited to follow their stories’.
This year’s cohort bring the total to 106 freelance artists and teachers who have worked with New Adventures on the Overture professional development programme. The Overture alumni continue to work across the dance industry: Grace Black, a member of the first cohort, is now working as a support artist on Cygnet School with New Adventures; Emily Jenkins is founder of Move Dance Feel, an organisation who facilitate dance for people affected by cancer; Jenny Reeves is the Artistic Director of Lancaster based heritage dance company, About Time; Kane Husbands is founder and artistic director of The Pappy Show; and Hilary Seaton was the 2020 Ryde Academy Winner of One Dance UK Award for outstanding secondary dance teaching.
