Dance United

Building Bridges benefits marginalised young people socially segregated due to their special needs, cultural identity, behavioural and/or social difficulties or physical disability.  These young people are often excluded from full participation in society by the organisation of both our physical and social environment. The programme seeks to build connections between different groups, to celebrate difference, engender a change in attitude and facilitate a process of integration into the community through the use of dance.

Performance projects have included and will include:

Youth DU Sutemos
(2010 – ongoing)

Sutemos is a youth dance group involving young people from the Dungannon area. Formed after a full DU Dance performance project, Sutemos, in the area (December 2010-March 2011), the group works inter-culturally, with a high proportion of young people coming from minority cultures and integrates young people with learning difficulties. The initiative encourages young people to be actively involved in the planning and devising of work, engages them physically and creatively together and provides a powerful forum for cultural sharing.

Last year the group was one of only two dance groups in Northern Ireland to be awarded a  BBC Performing Arts Fund grant. There are twenty young people  (aged 12 to 24)  in the group, representing  five different nationalities.

Lost Honesty
(Detmold, Germany, July 2012)

Performers – 12 members of the Youth DU Sutemos  Group, performed at the Detmold Residance Youth Festival in Germany.

Sutemos Go Public!
(Oaks Centre, Dungannon, April 2012)

Performers – members of the Sutemos DU Youth Group delivered a short performance.

Abysym of Time
(Craic Arts Centre, Coalisland and Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast, December 2012)

Performers – the Youth DU Sutemos group performed a specially created piece in South Tyrone and at the CityDance festival in Belfast.

I Have Something to Say
(Dugannon Enterprise Centre, June 2011)

Performers – 20 young people from the original Sutemos production took part in Enterprise Centre’s 20th Anniversary.

Sutemos
(Craic Theatre, Coalisland, March 2011)

Performers – 50 young people from the Dungannon and South Tyrone area, involved in an inter-cultural project.  An extensive workshop programme and four community celebration evenings, led to three public performances.

Look For The Me In It
(Clotworthy Arts Centre, Antrim, Dec 2006)

Performers – Post 16 young people from two MLD Special Schools in the North Eastern Education & Library Board

Our Odyssey
(The Courtyard Theatre, Newtownabbey, June 2006)

Performers – Post 16 young people from two MLD Special Schools in the North Eastern Education & Library Board

First They Came & Messages From Ourselves
(Waterfront Hall, Belfast, May 2005)

Performers – young people from Newtownabbey Education Guidance Centre and Loughshore Educational Resource Centre. ‘Messages From Ourselves’ was performed by young people from Tor Bank Special School and Loughshore Educational Resource Centre

Better Is Peace
(Stranmillis Theatre, Belfast, May 2004)

Performers – 23 young people from Cedar Lodge Special School and Loughshore Educational Resource Centre.

Up With The Gods
(Courtyard Theatre, Newtownabbey, April 2003)

Performers – 32 young people and 6 adults from Rosstulla School and Newtownabbey Education Guidance Centre.

Out Of The Rubble
(Coleraine, March 2002)

Performers – pupils and staff from Sandelford Special School (young people with severe learning difficulties, between the ages of 9-13years) and Sunlea Education Guidance Centre (young people excluded from mainstream education, between the ages of 13-16years).