Northern School of Contemporary Dance has announced Kaleidoscope, a major heritage project marking the organisation’s 40th anniversary.
The year-long programme will celebrate the people, stories and communities that have shaped NSCD since its roots in the 1970s and 1980s.
Kaleidoscope will honour alumni, past and present staff and local communities connected to the school and its home in Chapeltown and Harehills, while reflecting on NSCD’s lasting impact on contemporary dance.
The project officially launched on 21 January with the Harehills Middle School Alumni Reunion, held at Shine in Harehills, formerly Harehills Middle School.
Former students from the 1970s and 1980s came together to reconnect and celebrate the creative education that led to the founding of NSCD in 1985.
Harehills Middle School educator Nadine Senior MBE founded NSCD, establishing the first conservatoire dance school within the public sector.
Over the coming year, Kaleidoscope will work with groups including NSCD alumni and students, the Black Elders Association, Hillcrest Academy, United Hebrew Congregation and BOHEMIA.
Together, these groups will co-create new heritage works that reflect local identity and preserve community histories for the future.
Sharon Watson MBE DL, CEO and Principal of NSCD, said: “The Harehills Middle School Alumni Reunion celebrates an extraordinary era of dance and dancers whose lives were shaped by creative education, led by the pioneering vision of Nadine Senior MBE. For many, that experience changed the course of their futures.
“Opening this reunion to Harehills alumni is a vital way of honouring our shared heritage, 40 years on, and recognising the powerful legacy of this place. As a Harehills Middle School alumna myself, I feel a deep personal connection to the school. It is a privilege to return, to honour our collective memories, reconnect with our roots, and reflect on the enduring role dance has played in shaping our lives and journeys.”
She continued: “Today, the NSCD building is used by local communities for dance and a wide range of creative activity, contributing to a powerful shared memory of place and time. Through Kaleidoscope, we are creating space for communities to come together, celebrate our collective history, and embrace the diversity, passion and care that defines our heritage.”
As part of the project, NSCD has created a 40 Years / 40 Seconds trailer introducing Kaleidoscope and capturing the energy of the people who have shaped the school over four decades.
The film will evolve throughout the year, incorporating community contributions to form a living portrait of NSCD’s history.
A digital archive and publication will also be developed to preserve early stories, memories and materials connected to the school.
Sharon Watson MBE DL said: “The trailer, digital archive and publication are being developed as tangible expressions of the co-creative work we are undertaking with our community and alumni partners. Shared memory and participation sit at the heart of these works; without them, we would not be able to fully articulate where NSCD is today. I am immensely proud to be leading the school at such a pivotal moment in its history, and I look forward to continuing to celebrate NSCD’s role both within our local communities and in the development of internationally renowned dance artists for years to come.”
One of the major moments of the anniversary year will take place this July, when NSCD hosts a Party in the Park celebrating dance, food and creativity across cultures in Chapeltown and Harehills.
The programme also aligns with Leeds City Council’s celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the city’s first Royal Charter.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
