Each year Yorkshire Dance selects three Dance Partner Projects to receive tailored producing and dramaturgy support, seed funding, bespoke professional development workshops and residency space in our studios for the development of new work. Applications open around April/ May each year.

This year 30 artists applied to become a dance partner project. Although only 3 projects could be selected, several artists who applied have accessed Yorkshire Dance’s artist one-to-one advice sessions and residency programme.

The artists selected are: Alicia Meehan, Bakani Pick-Up, Jem Clancy and Charlotte Jones.

Alicia Meehan – What Adult Am I?

Alicia Meehan will begin research on her new work What Adult Am I? A physical, vibrant, chaotic duet, championing queer narratives, devised in collaboration with friend and colleague Patrick Ziza.

Through the lens of pop culture, societal conditioning and their different cultural upbringings What Adult Am I? will be a semi-autobiographical, confessional, unpicking of the complex humans and adults they are today. During their time in residency at Yorkshire Dance they will be bringing their real life friendship and different cultural and queer experiences to the space, to discuss and question how much cultural norms define us as adults.

Bakani Pick-Up – Strange Clouds

Bakani will continue working and developing their duet Strange Clouds, originally made prior to the pandemic in 2019. Strange Clouds explores Existentialism through the lens of Queerness, when our everyday isn’t part of the status quo how do we create meaning for ourselves and others?”

Bakani is a Choreographer, Movement Artist & Improvisation Practitioner. As well as creating their own work they have performed nationally and internationally works by Theo Clinkard, Anthea Hamilton & Fevered Sleep. With Practice as Research at the core of their work, they explore themes of decolonisation through Dance Practice, Haptic Visuality and Choreographic Composition.

‘I am looking forward to having time, space and support from Yorkshire Dance so I can further develop this idea through my lived experiences as a Queer person. ‘ – Bakani Pick-Up

Jem Clancy and Charlotte Jones – “You are enough, just as you are” (working title)

This project uses dance and film with wider application such as identity, self worth/value, communication and collaboration. Jem Clancy and Charlotte Jones are genuinely passionate and want to take their words, ideas and previous experiences into tangible work for children and young people.  

“You are enough, just as you are” is a concept which has interweaved itself throughout Jem and Charlotte’s lives, both personally and professionally.

Jem is interested in movement as communication and expression. She is passionate about dance and art and the ways in which we can reach and involve all. How we can listen and learn and how we can challenge the dominant narrative about who and what dance and art are and can be.

Charlotte is interested in wellbeing, particularly within the arts sector, and how dance can be used as a tool to support this. She is passionate about collaborating with adults and children with multiple and profound learning disabilities, and creating spaces that encourage  movement, autonomy, creativity and self-expression.

They feel very passionate about collaborating on these ideas to create a project that engages and celebrates children, in all their wonderful, creative and inspiring glory!

Images (Top to bottom): Alicia Meehan © Luke Waddington; Jem Clancy, Talent Hub © Camilla Greenwell and Charlotte Jones © Camilla Greenwell