Little Big Dance | 2019-2024
Launched in 2019, Little Big Dance was a national programme pioneering the creation of dance performances for under 5s. It brought dance artists together with 0-5 year-old children, early years specialists and dramaturgs to create new work.
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Our Little Big Dance Cycle Two commission takes flight on a national tour
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About Little Big Dance | 2019-2024
The first stage of Little Big Dance supported the creation and touring of two stunning new works by artists George Fellows and Takeshi Matsumoto, delighting young audiences and receiving critical acclaim.
In the second stage of this pioneering programme, 13 artists received training and mentoring in developing work for young audiences. Artist Xenia Aidonopoulou, received the £30,000 Little Big Dance Cycle Two commission, to work with children under five to create and tour Skydiver, a brand new piece of dance work for under five year olds.
Xenia carried out research and development for the piece with children in nurseries and early years settings in all four Little Big Dance partner locations, including in Leeds with Yorkshire Dance.
In 2023 Skydiver toured nationally as part of the Little Big Dance programme.
Xenia says: “Dance theatre for children under five and their grown ups is an extremely rewarding and unique experience for me. What I enjoy most is bringing the magic of dance to these intergenerational audiences in awe-inspiring moments experienced together.”
Little Big Dance Cycle Two was delivered in partnership with dance organisations South East Dance (Brighton), Dance East (Ipswich) and Take Art (Somerset) – an arts organisation with an early years specialism.
Little Big Dance was funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Arts Council England and was supported by Dance Umbrella, Strike a Light Festival and Imaginate/Edinburgh International Children’s Festival.