Monday Motivation - RISE Youth Dance #ActiveLockleaze
Monday Motivation #ActiveLockleaze Project Spotlight On
As part of our partnership project #ActiveLockleaze we like to feature regular posts for our Monday Motivation or Spotlight On section.
This is just one of the ways we promote physical activities and sports opportunities in Lockleaze. By sharing providers and participants' personal stories we aim to inspire and motivate and encourage all residents to lead more active lives.
This week we focus on RISE Youth Dance
RISE Youth Dance: Homegrown. A spotlight on Dance in Bristol.
In July 2024, RISE Youth Dance, a Bristol-based youth dance company, initiated their Homegrown Alumni Dance Project. The project assembled a range of RISE alumni dancers from different generations for a week of research and development, igniting Bristol’s dance scene with new choreographic ideas and, more importantly, fostering vital discussions about dance in the city. Homegrown not only showcased the incredible talent of dancers from Bristol but also highlighted the importance of community and collaboration in nurturing the future of dance in the region.
The week began with the gathering of various RISE alumni, all of whom are either in vocational dance training or currently working as professional dancers. Throughout the week, the dancers collaborated as a collective, drawing inspiration from each other and the vibrant culture of Bristol. Led by artists Alex Gosmore and Ruby Portus, morning classes were opened to the wider community, giving other Bristol based dancers the chance to connect and share the space under one roof. The week also featured meaningful discussions about growing up as dancers in Bristol. Many participants reflected on the supportive community they found within the youth company and the numerous opportunities for young dancers to develop their skills, while also discussing the challenges they face in returning to Bristol for work due to the lack of a robust professional dance scene.
Surprisingly, despite being a city rich in culture, Bristol unfortunately offers limited professional opportunities, resources, and platforms for young, talented dancers and artists. The alumni expressed a strong desire for more initiatives that bridge the gap between youth training and professional opportunities, allowing dancers to thrive within their local context. The week culminated in a sharing event where dancers presented their work to a diverse audience of industry professionals, local organisations, fellow dancers, and families. This event was not just about showcasing choreography; it was a celebration of community, connection, and the shared passion for dance that unites everyone involved. The sharing emphasised important conversations about the future of dance in Bristol, delivering a powerful message of hope, reflection on the current state of the city's dance scene, and a clear determination to brighten its future.
At the heart of Bristol's vibrant dance community is RISE, a youth dance company dedicated to supporting the next generation of dancers in the city. RISE plays a crucial role in providing accessible dance opportunities, with much of their work taking place in Lockleaze and surrounding areas. RISE works with schools to provide curricular dance education and also runs after school programs, highlighting dance in the local community. RISE has various groups based in Lockleaze, including their Early Risers and RISE Juniors North groups, which run every Saturday at The Hub, Gainsborough Square. They also offer a group for home educated young people every Monday at the Cameron Centre. RISE groups cater to ages 6-19, with older dancers training at Trinity Academy in Lockleaze on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
RISE works closely with Filton Avenue Primary School, offering three after-school dance clubs per week for students from Year 1 to Year 6. They have also collaborated with the school for two consecutive years to provide a day of dance as part of the school's enrichment day. RISE’s work ensures that children and young people can access dance, regardless of their background or experience level, and their work in Lockleaze continues to plant the seeds for Homegrown dancers of Bristol’s future.
You can watch a film about HOMEGROWN here:
