DANCE TOGETHER PROJECT OPENS BRAND NEW STRATHMORE SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL SITE
- STUDENTS FROM ACROSS SOUTH LONDON TO DANCE TOGETHER WITH BALLETBOYZ AND DANCERS FROM THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL IN CELEBRATION OF STRATHMORE SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL’S NEW SITE
- DACEY BUSSELL TO OPEN THE NEW SITE ON WEDNESDAY 5 OCTOBER
Next week, on Wednesday 5 October, the Dance Together project will mark the opening of a brand new Strathmore Special Needs School site and a new, exciting partnership for Strathmore with Grey Court School, a mainstream school that invited Strathmore to share their site. A one-off event, Dance Together will see invited students from White Lodgecome together with students from the two other schools in a celebratory afternoon of integrated and inclusive performances situated in and around the new site. BalletBoyzCompany dancers and dancers from the Royal Ballet School will support the performance and Darcey Bussell will be in attendance to officially declare the building open.
The dance piece, choreographed by Karl Morgan (Movement Warriors), focuses on dancing from the heart. Morgan said: “Dance breaks down barriers – we can all dance. Dance Together is about why we all love to dance.”
All audience members for the event have been sent a small filmed section of basic choreography to learn in advance of the opening so that they too can perform as a collective on the day. Dance Together will feature integrated performances from all the schools involved and audience members will be taken on a journey around the spaces watching ‘dance installation’ type pieces as they go in each of the classrooms.
Strathmore Special Needs School is Richmond’s day special school for learners with complex learning difficulties. Many pupils have an additional diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorders or have additional physical and sensory disabilities.
Ivan Pryce, head teacher at Strathmore School said: “Strathmore is forever grateful to the Headteacher, Governors and staff at Grey Court for inviting us to locate our new school building within their grounds and the enthusiasm with which they and the Grey Court students have welcomed our students. Dance Together is a perfect example of the partnership between Grey Court and Strathmore: groups of students from different schools with different talents coming together to work together on a shared interest. From each other our students will learn and with each other they will demonstrate how everyone can achieve”.
Maggie Bailey, head teacher at Grey Court School said: “Grey Court School is very excited to be involved in Dance Together. The partnership between Grey Court and Strathmore schools has become an integral feature of our learning community and we expect both our teachers and students to benefit from Strathmore’s knowledge, experience and perspective. This is a mutually beneficial partnership which will serve our community for generations to come. The students who are performing in this wonderful project with Balletboyz chose to participate themselves and their hard work in rehearsals has been a credit to our school.”
BalletBoyz Artistic Directors, Michael Nunn OBE and William Trevitt OBE said:“BalletBoyz has always been about introducing more people to dance and it’s brilliant to see our dancers inspiring other young people through this project. It’s great to be working with our local schools and the next step is to take this model out across London.”
Christopher Powney, Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet School, said: “Dance Togetherhas been an incredibly unique and enriching experience for our students. This opportunity has meant that we have had the privilege of working closely with Strathmore School, Grey Court School and our own alumni and BalletBoyz, on this very special collaborative project”.