FRESH 2023 APPLICATION GUIDELINES

HOW TO APPLY

Please download and complete an application form by Monday 19 December 2022.

Send all completed application forms to paigekennedy@yorkshiredance.com

Then…

a) Send in film footage of your piece to Yorkshire Dance by Friday 27 January 2023.

OR

b) Perform at a showcase in your area in January/February 2023 (if your group is not selected for a showcase because of capacity you will be asked to send film footage in of your piece)

The showcases only have a limited number of places and so will work on a first come first served basis. The dates of the showcases are as follows:

Crossing Borders (South Yorkshire) – Sunday 29 January 2023

North Lincs – Tuesday 31 January 2023

Hull New Theatre (Hull) – Sunday 26 February 2023

Yorkshire Schools Dance Festival – 12/13 – 19/20 November 2022

Please note that these sub-regional showcases will prioritise groups from their local area. However, if you would like your group to perform as a guest at one of these, please mention this on the application form.

SELECTION

FRESH 2023 is accepting applications for both on stage and on screen performances. We will aim to platform all pieces that apply, but due to limited on stage capacity, we are unable to platform all pieces.

Digital Day – Friday

Leeds venues (to be announced) – Saturday

There is no limit on the amount of pieces a group, school or organisation can submit. However, a maximum of 1 digital piece and 1 live piece can be selected to be showcased per group.

We are looking for dance groups that:

1. Demonstrate excellence in performance

2. Present excellent and engaging choreography

3. Show dancers taking clear ownership of the choreography, which is appropriate for their age and experience

We encourage you to think about the following:

· We are looking for pieces that demonstrate a good understanding from the dancers of the theme or subject, particularly through the application of high quality performance.

· Whatever the dance genre, we are looking for pieces that have elements of originality or moments of risk-taking in trying out new ideas, interesting movement material, exciting use of body/bodies in space and use of the performance space, showing dancers taking clear ownership of the choreography, which is appropriate for their age and experience. How the piece could be staged including; costume, music, lighting, props, etc.

U.DANCE

U.Dance is the national youth dance platform, run by One Dance UK.  All groups performing at FRESH 2023 can be considered to represent Yorkshire at U.Dance 2023. If you do not wish to apply for U.Dance 2023, you can still perform at FRESH.

Criteria for selection at FRESH and U.Dance

During FRESH 2023 a national panel will be looking for the dance group or individual that they wish to represent Yorkshire at U.Dance 2023. The national panel for U.Dance will select dance pieces which:

1. Reflect the diversity of dance styles practiced by young people across the UK

2. Create an interesting and varied performance

3. Showcase excellent and authentic work from a range of youth dance settings

Both U.Dance and FRESH are fully inclusive and so we encourage applications from youth dance groups working with young disabled dancers (up to the age of 25).

We welcome solos / duets / trios through to group pieces, any style from contemporary to urban, commercial to Kathak – anything goes!

CHAPERONE LICENSING

All groups that perform at FRESH 2023 must have supervision from adults with a current DBS check and who are local authority licensed chaperones. If you are a school with teachers chaperoning the group, you are exempt from this if you run the performance as an official school trip.

If you do not have licensed chaperones to accompany your group you must apply to get these as soon as possible (They can take up to 3 months to be processed).

To apply for a chaperone licence the person who needs the license (the responsible adult) must contact the local authority/council of which they live in.

Click here to find more guidance and information on chaperone licensing.