Hippodrome Youth Dance

Delivered in partnership with The D Project, Hippodrome Youth Dance classes offer young people in Darlington the opportunity to come together to develop excellent dance skills and techniques, and work towards exciting performance opportunities. Our sessions are fun, welcoming and engaging, and provide a chance for everyone to take part in safe, friendly environment. Young people get to make friends, become part of a team and contribute their individual ideas and creative choreography.
Young people work towards annual performance opportunities at either the Hippodrome or Hullabaloo theatres. Sessions also include opportunities to take part in workshops with professional dance companies and guest choreographers. The young people get to attend dance shows at the Hippodrome and Hullabaloo, to see quality professional work. Young people also take part in external projects, such as the U.Dance Festival, training programmes and performance opportunities, both regionally and nationally, to connect with likeminded young people from across the country and share performance work.

The performances the Youth Dance present are inspired by a range of themes that the young people feel passionate about, that resonate with them and that give them a voice. This has included developing performance work on the refugee crisis, cyber bullying, strength and resilience, barriers, friendship, loneliness and isolation. This contributes to making the Hippodrome’s youth dance offer pioneering and ground-breaking.

Children are more than welcome to attend a no obligation trial session!

Classes are offered over three terms each year in blocks of 10 weeks as follows:

Mix It Up Dance for ages 7-11

Mix It Up introduces children to lots of different dance styles, from musical theatre to street dance, whilst developing a strong technical foundation. It stretches the creative imaginations of the children and encourages them to develop their own choreography. A fantastic class for children new to dance, or those who just can’t stop moving!

Contemporary Dance for ages 11-19

Contemporary dance is a fluid expressive style that can create a variety of performance work – from high octane energy to soft, gentle movement. These fun creative classes equip young people with excellent dance skills and techniques, working towards exciting performances opportunities. Young people are encouraged to develop their own creative ideas and choreography, and regularly have the chance to perform.

Boys Dance

These fun, energetic classes will push your physicality, creativity, stamina, strength and teamwork. Open to young people with previous dance experience and complete beginners. This class is tailored specifically for boys, using explosive movement and themes that engage the imagination!

Foundation Dance Programme for ages 9+

Run in partnership with The D Project, this programme trains young gifted dancers in contemporary and ballet with the long term aim of preparing them to audition for Dance City’s Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) and other dance training routes. The programme consists of a weekly 1 hour ballet, strength and stretch class and a 2 hour contemporary technique and creative class. This class is by invitation and audition only. Please contact debbie@thedproject.co.uk to request an audition or for more information.