ESD IN THE COMMUNITY:
Rivers of Newcastle
From September to December 2023, Eliot Smith Dance delivered 24 dance and arts related workshops for a cohort of 20 children at St. Mark's RC Primary School and Westerhope Primary School and for a cohort of 10 adults at Converge based at Northumbria University. The result was Rivers of Newcastle - a short dance film to present family, friends and the wider community an inspiring message about the protection of the Rivers of Newcastle.
This unique project aimed to provide a healthy opportunity for children and adults to be active; be creative; and is a confidence-building experience, with the added benefit of meeting friends and working with supportive professional dance artists in the community.
Kate Dalkin, Year 6 Teacher and PE Leader at Westerhope Primary School said,
"As a school, we were very grateful for expert dance tuition, some of the children who signed up were very shy and lacked confidence when performing. Through ESD's careful nurturing, the children were all able to take part in a videoed performance that was celebrated with parents and carers. All of the children involved certainly gained lots of confidence and by the end of the workshops definitely saw themselves as dancers."
Participants of Rivers of Newcastle at St. Mark's RC Primary School
Participants of Rivers of Newcastle at Converge
Cat Catizone, Engagement Coordinator Northumbria University said,
"The Rivers of Newcastle project has been our latest collaboration with Eliot Smith Dance and it has once again proved to be a wonderfully beneficial course. This course has seen a real range of students taking part, some were returning students from previous courses with Eliot Smith Dance and some were trying it for the first time. As a team, we have seen such a positive change in our students, whether that's their physical fitness and ability, or their wellbeing and confidence. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and it's been an honour to be a part of it."
Eliot Smith Dance acknowledge the support for the Rivers of Newcastle from:
