Following successful pilot projects with East London Dance and WAC Performing Arts and Media College, in which boys were asked to invite their older role models to their weekly dance sessions, Jeanefer has now developed the following Tomorrow’s Men projects:
Wiltshire Dancing / Young People’s Support Service / SPLASH
Wiltshire Dancing wanted to set up a boys project in the region and engaged Tomorrow’s Men to develop a project which trained up local artists to work with vulnerable young people and delivered workshops to young men in partnership with the Young People’s Support Service and SPLASH (Schools and Police Liaison Activities for School Holidays). The project started with an initial CPD day for local artists, which Jeanefer delivered alongside a local youth liaison officer. 8 young men were targeted to attend practical workshops where they got the opportunity to work with Jeanefer and other local artists to explore a range of movement styles (Street dance, Capoeira and Lindy Hop).
The outcome of this project has been to establish regular workshops and classes (led by the local artists) with Jeanefer returning to work intensively with this group for 3 days, alongside other groups in the area.
“The best thing about this project so far is the dialogue between dance practitioners and those working in the youth service. Their trust and exchange has given several of the young men participating the support, confidence and encouragement to stick with the workshops. This is now beginning to reflect in other areas of their schooling.” – Rebecca Seymour, Changing Moves project, Wiltshire Dancing
“This is the first time I’ve seen all those kids happy and working together. I just can’t get over it” - Mother of participant
Tomorrow’s Men 2012
In partnership with East London Dance and Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
Building on the success of Jeanefer’s previous projects for the Big Dance (including Bolero Re-mixed, which brought together over 70 community dancers with the New London Orchestra in a performance as part of the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival), Tomorrow’s Men has been invited to deliver a large-scale production working with 8 East London boroughs. Jeanefer will work with a group of local dance artists to deliver workshops and engage vulnerable young men from across the boroughs in dance activity. The project will culminate in an outdoor site-specific performance as part of Greenwich and Docklands International Festival and Big Dance celebrations in June 2012.
