Sound, film, photography, music and event management training

Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre in association with Seedhead Productions is following the success of the Dance United NI’s ‘eMERGEncy’ production with a series of exciting, FREE courses during the mid term break.

This is your opportunity to learn from some of the best professionals in the arts business through courses that have been set up just for you.

Wed 15th Feb (10am – 5pm) – Stage Craft with Tim Bates
The course will take place in the the Group Space of the Ulster Hall, will cover basic sound and lights and will work with a live band in the afternoon session.

Wed 15th & Thu 16th (6-9pm) – Event Management with Adam Turkington
The course will cover basic event management, promotion and programming for those wanting to start running their own events.

Thursday 16th Feb (10am – 5pm) – Music Production with Graham Ginty
The course will cover the basics of production of both live and electronic music without the aid of a recording studio

Friday17th – Saturday 18th (10am – 5pm) – Film and Photography with Sean Duncan and Carrie Davenport
This is a two day intensive course that will allow participants to learn how to get the best out of their camera equipment.

All courses are free of charge to people aged 16-25.
For more information Contact 02890961111 or brian.garvey@achieve-concensus.org to book your place.

These training courses are possible through the support of :

The Big Lottery Fund, The Lloyds TSB Foundation for Northern Ireland, Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, DU Dance and Seedhead Arts

DU Dance is currently delivering the first part of a cross generational dance project targeting women and girls across a wide age range in Ballymena, Ballymoney and Belfast.  The programme encourages the sharing and exchange of ideas, skills and knowledge and connections between women of different generations and from diverse communities.  It will include the composition of original and live music, by composer Ruby Colley, and a diverse skills programme and will conclude with the creation of two short films.

Merge is a a dynamic, large scale programme for young people aged 14-24 beginning 5 September and ending with 5 performances at the Belfast Festival at Queen’s 17-19th October 2011.

This project merges urban music, art and dance forms and is aimed mostly – but not exclusively – on young people not in full time training or education.

Why should you get involved?

The project will offer up to 80 participants support and encouragement from cutting edge and experienced professionals to prepare for a unique major performance in Belfast.

Young people will learn about what it takes to prepare, plan and deliver a top class performance, gaining new skills along the way.

To get involved you don’t need previous experience of dance, just the will to get participate!

About the organisations supporting the project
Merge is supported by Dance United NI, YouthAction, New Lodge Arts, Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre and Square Pit Productions.

Partner organisations will support young people through rehearsals towards the performance at T13 – a warehouse in Belfast Titanic’s Quarter which has been transformed into Ireland’s ‘largest urban playground’.

How to get involved

Young people over 16 years of age and not in full time education or employment can contact Unemployed Resource Centre. They will be engaged up to 15 hours a week (5 x half day) 5 Sep-19th October 2011.

There will be an introductory day for anyone interested is at 11am, Thursday 1 September at Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre.

Contact the Brian or Eileen at Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre 028 9096 1111 for more interest or to register.

Young people aged 14 – 18 years of age and in full time employment or education can contact New Lodge Arts. They will be engaged up to 5 hours a week (1 evening + 1 half day @ the weekend) 5 Sep-19th October 2011.

Contact Katrina at New Lodge Arts on 9074 2255 or email katrina@newlodgearts.com for more information or to register.

For general information, please contact the Dance United NI Office at 028 9033 0956 or email info@danceunitedni.com

Project Funders

National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Belfast City Council
The Linbury Trust

Project Sponsor

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

It will be performed by some 50 young people, representing the diverse international communities, now resident in the Dungannon and South Tyrone area. Presented by Dance United NI, the programme will be led by the up-and-coming Dungannon choreographer and dancer, Sheena Kelly.

Sutemos is the Lithuanian word for twilight. This arresting 40-minute piece takes strands of contemporary music from east and western Europe and uses them as the framework for a creative exploration of that mysterious time of day, the time in-between light and dark. An abstract narrative follows the young people as they embark on a series of unique personal journeys from passing strangers to new friendships.

The content of cast and performance piece reflect the rich culturaldiversity that exists within the area, with young dancers from Lithuania,East Timor, Latvia, Portugal, West Africa, Ivory Coast, Ireland and Britain taking part.

Many of the young performers, who range in age from 11 years to 23 years,have had no previous dance experience. In just seven short weeks of intensive rehearsals, they have acquired multiple new skills. They have made a significant contribution towards shaping the production, working in collaboration with the choreographer and one another, to create an innovative and ground-breaking piece containing important, relevant inter-cultural themes.

“As someone who was born and raised in Dungannon, this project is particularly exciting for me to be involved in”, said Sheena Kelly.

“Young people in this area have a considerable wealth of talent, commitment and energy and it is great to have an opportunity to tap into theircreativity. It has been particularly rewarding to see the progress which has been made by those who have never before been involved in dance”.

Mags Byrne, artistic director of Dance United Northern Ireland added:”The company has relished this opportunity to work in South Tyrone, and further the process of dance development in Northern Ireland. We believe a project like Sutemos empowers young people, boosts their self-esteem, forges better community connections and promotes a shared sense of culturalenrichment”.

Gilly Campbell, Dance and Drama Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland said: “As the core funder of Dance United NI, the Arts Council supports initiatives like this that reach out to young people from all communities, helping to develop their creative skills. This dance performance offers the young performers an excellent opportunity to come together and experience each other’s cultures, while entertaining audiences with the best in contemporary dance.”

The performance begins at 7.30 pm. For tickets, please contact CRAIC Theatre, 28 8774 1100 (Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm) or email atcraicartscentre@yahoo.com , tickets are £5 and £3.

Craic Theatre is located at Unit 51, Coalisland Enterprise Centre,Dungannon Road, Coalisland, Co. Tyrone, BT71 4HP.

For additional information please visit CRAIC’s website athttp://www.craicartscentre.co.uk/

* Project partners who helped support the production include:Belong, CRAIC Theatre and Arts Centre, Dungannon and South Tyrone BoroughCouncil, and Southern Education & Library Board.

* Sutemos is supported by Lloyds TSB Foundation for Northern Ireland, Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust and Northern Ireland Community Relations Council. and through sponsorship provided by local businesses: J.Aidan Kelly, Gables Restaurant, and Greiner Packaging Ltd.

*The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the principal funder of Dance United Northern Ireland. Other core funders are the Linbury Trust and Belfast City Council.

DUNI youth dancers will take part in the evening showcase, which starts at 7.45pm, performing “Severed Strings”, a piece specially created for them by the DUNI choreographers, Sheena Kelly and Adib Maani-Hessari. “Severed Strings” was created during a week-long residential dance course in July 2010 and was first performed in the same month at a community dance festival in Detmold, Germany. It explores ideas around control and constriction, and the freedom felt when the binds are cut. For more information, please visit the Crescent Arts Centre website.

Recent Past Events

Dance United Northern Ireland will be taking part in Culture Night Belfast 2010, on September 24th. Culture Night celebrates the broad cultural landscape of Belfast. Please see below for more information on Culture Night.

Dance United NI choreographers/dancers (Adib Maani-Hessari, Sheena Kelly, Michaela Elliott) will present a lively, short piece entitled “261…..Any Time Now”, which will be performed at bus stops and unexpected places throughout the Cathedral quarter.

In addition, DUNI youth dancers will perform “Severed Strings”, at Writers Square, a piece specially created for them by the DUNI choreographers, Sheena Kelly and Adib Maani-Hessari.

Locations: Writers Sq; and bus stops at Custom House Sq, Donegall St (near 35), York St (near Art College) and Bridge St (beside Barnardos).

Times: 6pm to 8pm
Tel: 028 9033 0956 for more information

Culture Night Belfast 2010
Cathedral Quarter Belfast and beyond…

This year, Culture Night Belfast 2010 welcomes even more organisations, in the Cathedral Quarter and in partnering communities across the city who generously programme free events including indoor and outdoor theatre, gigs, exhibits, events, talks and tours for all ages, in an exhilarating, unprecedented celebration of the city of Belfast.

For those of you, who came along last year, welcome to the second instalment of Belfast’s biggest, boldest and brightest cultural showcase. For those of you yet to experience the delights of Culture Night Belfast, join us for an unforgettable evening of adventure and exploration in a city full of surprises.

Culture Night Belfast – All events are free and family friendly. Rain or shine Culture Night is an exhilarating celebration of some of the things we do best.

Sutemos Youth Dance Group, based in Dungannon, was recently one of only two dance groups in Northern Ireland to be awarded a prestigious BBC Performing Arts Fund grant. This talented dance group, composed of twenty young people  (aged 12 to 24), from the South Tyrone area, and representing five different nationalities, premiered their latest piece of work at Craic Theatre on December 9th and at the CityDance Festival at Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast on December 10th .

Sutemos Youth Dance Group, work alongside professional dancer and choreographer, Sheena Kelly to create new dance pieces that reflect the cultural diversity of the group, and challenge preconceptions about contemporary dance. The group was formed out of the large scale intercultural performance project, Sutemos, that took place in March 2011.

Sutemos (Craic Theatre, Coalisland, March 2011)

50 young people were involved in this inter-cultural project.  An extensive workshop programme and four community celebration evenings with over 210 people, led to three public performances.

Dance United NI delivered a performance project and professional training programme in the West Bank, Palestine.  The training programme involved 20 professional dancers from across the West Bank in a ten day development course.  The performance project involved 119 young Christian and Muslim teenagers from four towns working together over a five week period.  the resulting performance toured to Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Zebabdeh.