Move it Dance London 2008

Seminars

For those with a serious passion for dance, for students, professionals and teachers, the MOVE IT 2008 seminar programme will be a one stop shop for expert advice, tricks of the trade and career inspiration. Admission to seminars is free.

Friday 7th March
10.30 - 11.15	Eat smart An essential session on food and nutrition for dancers with Nutritionist Jasmine Challis. This session will cover a variety of areas including techniques like pre-fueling and re-fueling that can help dancers maintain their energy during training, rehearshal and performance, and tackle common issues including portion distortion and sugar cravings. Programmed in association with Dance UK's Healthier Dancer Programme.
11.45 - 12.30	Talent Spotting for Teachers A guide to how to identify talent and potential in your dance students and up to date advice on the training opportunities that might be available to them. It is not always easy to pinpoint what makes a dancer special, but there are some signs to watch out for. The session will include an introduction to a government initiative that has developed a series of 'Centre's for Advanced Training', designed to deliver a national intensive dance programme for 10-18 year olds who display exceptional potential and passion for dance. Presented by Veronica Lewis MBE, Director of London Contemporary Dance School and Veronica Jobbins, Head of Professional and Community Development at Laban.
13.00 - 13.45	Fit to Dance Dr Matthew Wyon, Leader in Performance Science from University of Wolverhampton explains how simple techniques and tricks can prevent injury and keep you dancing body in top condition. The University of Wolverhampton runs a leading Masters course in Dance Sciences and this session is aimed at teachers and dancers looking to learn more about the links between fitness and injury. The seminar will also include a practical demonstration of exercises and techniques for you to try at home, in the studio and exercises for teachers to introduce to their classes. Programmed in association with Dance UK's Healthier Dancer Programme. Matthew is also Company Director of dancewear and shoe company Inspire (stand 86).
14.15 - 15.00	Dance and law As a dancer, choreographer or dance professional, you are increasingly likely to encounter legal issues in your everyday artistic practice. This session will answer some of the most common legal questions the dance sector has to deal with from who owns a dance to what should be in your contract of employment and introduce you to key legal concepts including legal structures, copyright law, branding, charitable status, fundraising and contracts. Presented by Shivaji Shiva, Head of Charity Law, Michelmores LLP
15.30 - 16.15	Intergrated Teaching Practice This seminar will be lead by Charlotte Darbyshire, a founder member of CandoCo Dance Company and independent dance artist/lecturer. She will introduce teachers from different backgrounds to some current issues in dance teaching and disability, offering some advice and guidance on topics such as integrated teaching methodologies and practical techniques and ideas for teachers who might not have had much experience teaching dance in integrated contexts. This introductory session aims to encourage creative or differentiated approaches to teaching and will signpost teachers to useful resources and good practice in this area.
16.45 - 17.30	Auditioning for Dance and Musical Theatre School What to expect and how to prepare for auditions for vocational dance schools and courses.The talk will cover auditioning for musical theatre, ballet and contemporary dance courses and feature advice and experiences directly from students who have been through the process, alongside guidance from panelists including Stephanie Pope, Principle of Urdang Academy and other experts. There will also be a time for the panel answer some of your questions.
18.00 - 18.45	Dance at the Movies Dr Sherril Dodds from the University of Surrey will explore representations of dance on film and television from classic Hollywood musicals through to the latest pop music videos and tv advertisements. She will explore how and why dance is used in some of your favourite screen dance clips from Busby Berkley’s chorus lines to the latest Kylie Minogue video. Dr. Sherril Dodds is a Senior Lecturer in Dance Studies at the University of Surrey and an expert in dance culture, dance on screen and popular dance. She is author of the book Dance on Screen: Genres and Media from Hollywood to Experimental Art.
Saturday 8th March
10.30 - 11.15	Reading Dance: Start learning a new language today Liz Cunliffe and Kendra Johnson introduce you to Benesh Movement Notation, a universal method of dance notation used by dancers, choreographers and scholars across the world. This session will explain how an understanding of notation can enhance your career prospects, help record and preserve dances, help you communicate your ideas more clearly and help you study dance more effectively. It can even help you protect your choreographic copyright and be a useful tool for teachers who need to read examination syllabi and plan classes. The perfect session for anyone interested in finding out more about how notation works and how it can work for you. This session is presented by the Royal Academy of Dance.
11.45 - 12.30	Looking after your dancing body Presented by Kim Pedrick, a freelance Dance Physiotherapist and Senior Physiotherapist at Arts Educational School Tring, this session will explain how to prepare, improve and maintain a healthy dancing body. From your warm up to finding the right exercises to strengthen and increase flexibility and avoiding common technical faults that can lead to injury, taking care of your dancing body needn’t be complicated. This session will show you a range of simple techniques and exercises that will help you be a healthier dancer and keep your body in top condition along with advice and guidance about how to adapt the examples to suit you. Programmed in association with Dance UK's Healthier Dancer Programme.
13.00 - 13.45	Dance in the UK Janet Archer, Director of Dance Strategy at Arts Council England discusses Arts Council's vision for dance in the future. How will dancers and dance companies be effected by the Olympics? What should be the priority areas for investment? How can dance embrace new technologies? Your chance to hear more about how the Arts Council’s national strategy will make a difference to dancers, dance companies and audiences across the UK, with plans to improve conditions for dancers, nurture artistic talent and encourage diversity and innovation. Janet is joined by award winning choreographer Rafael Bonachela who will offer an insight into some of these issues from an artist’s perspective.
14.15 - 15.00	Getting started as a professional performer A panel of experts including an agent, an expert from Spotlight and a successful choreographer present the ultimate toolkit for the professional performer. With advice on networking, promoting yourself, the latest online promotional tools and a guide to getting an agent along with vital do's and don'ts, this session will get you started on the road to a professional career.
15.30 - 16.15	Career Directions in Dance There are many different career options open to those interested in working in the dance profession from performing, teaching in the community, in state schools or independent studios to administration, management, choreography and criticism. This session will introduce you to the range of dance career paths and offer advice on how and where to train, the qualifications you will need to suceed and a guide to resources to help you develop your career in dance. Presented by Sean Williams, Director of The Council for Dance Education and Training.
16.45 - 17.30	Stage Beauty Blake Latin, a professional makeup artist from Bunheads Inc. will demonstrate the application of stage makeup step-by-step. This educational seminar will cover the secrets of highlighting and contouring, proper blending techniques, application of false eyelashes and all the tips any stage performer needs to present classic, beautiful stage makeup. Presented by Bunheads Dance Accessories.
Sunday 9th March
10.30 - 11.15	Dance Fitness Test Dance Science experts from Laban, the UK's contemporary dance conservatoire, discuss the relationship between dance and fitness. Improved fitness can aid your dance training and enhance your dance performance. The session will include the opportunity for some participants to undergo a number of fitness tests including the vertical jump height test and flexibility assessments. Programmed in association with Dance UK's Healthier Dancer Programme.
11.45 - 12.30	Get Recognised! This session will introduce you to a new scheme from the Council for Dance Education and Training designed to assess and assure the quality of pre-vocational dance and musical theatre schools. Whether you want to find out how to get recognised status for your school or you are a student or parent and want to find out more about how recognised status will help you choose the right school for you this seminar will help. Come along to get advice on how schools can benefit from recognised status, how to get it and what it means. The session includes a presentation from Directions Theatre Arts, a recognised school from Chesterfield in Derbyshire. Presented in association with CDET.
13.00 - 13.45	How psychology can make you a better dancer Psychology expert Dr Jennifer Cumming from the University of Birmingham explains how dancers can benefit from a greater understanding of performance psychology. Psychology has an impact on your dancing life in many different ways and this session will explore how your levels of confidence and concentration can enhance your performance in rehearsals and auditions as well as on stage. Whether you are a teacher or a dance student, discover how new strategies informed by psychology can be easily integrated into dance training. Find out more about your own psychological skills and qualities related to dance by contributing to this session interactively. Simply fill in this short online questionnaire and all the responses received will be combined and reported back to you during the session! Click here if you are a dancer and click here if you are a dance teacher.
14.15 - 15.00	Career Profile: Gary Lloyd Top Choreographer Gary Lloyd discusses how he built his career in dance and shares his experiences of choreographing for stage musicals, pop tours and TV shows. Gary has worked with a host of stars including Will Young, Gareth Gates, Robbie Williams, Rachel Stevens, Kelly Clarkson, Westlife, Girls Aloud and Basement Jaxx and also choreographed the American Idol and X Factor tours. Throughout his career he has managed to balance lucrative commercial projects with his passion for teaching, recently launching The Gary Lloyd Studio specialising in the art of performance.
15.15 - 16.00	Audition with confidence Auditions are all about first impressions. From the moment you send off your CV and headshot, to the moment you walk through the door of the audition room and, ultimately, give your performance: how do you make sure you are giving it your best? A leading casting director, choreographer and an expert from Spotlight offer insider tips to getting the most out of the audition process and how to make a lasting impression.
16.15 - 17.00	Developing Creativity in Dance Teaching and Learning This session will focus on how reflecting on and enquiring into your own experiences can enhance your teaching practice, and the creative experiences of your students. Presented by Dr Kerry Chappell, a specialist in creativity research in dance education as well as Laura Hawkey and Vicki Redhead, the session will present a number of studies written by teacher-dance artist partnerships exploring creativity and dance teaching in a range of settings from within the Creativity Action Research Awards 2 initiative, of which Kerry was a research mentor. The session will introduce this kind of professional development as a resource for dance teachers of all backgrounds and experiences. By building a simple professional development plan into your everyday teaching you can refresh your teaching style, discover new teaching techniques to suit you and learn how to unlock your student’s creativity. Dr Chappell is a Research Fellow of the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Exeter, consultant to the Laban Education and Community Programme and Associate of the Centre for Urban and Community Research at Goldsmiths University.

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