PRO GATI Dance and Health Call Out*

Call out for South Asian dance practitioners – training opportunity

*RELEASING 2 FURTHER PLACES ON THIS DANCE LAB*

Deadline to apply – Wed 04 January 2023

SAMPAD South Asian Arts has been at the forefront of and continuously proactive in supporting and developing South Asian dance practice in the UK over the past 3 decades, delivering high quality and well informed development programmes that have raised the profile, quality and diversity within South Asian dance practice.

South Asian dancers, as many others, rose to the challenges created through the pandemic through continued creative practice, performances and teaching online to sustain themselves. There remains however, a pressing need for continuing professional development across the sector to ensure that dancers from different styles and experience of South Asian dance can engage in a range of different settings across other sectors to meet the changing needs of our society.

*This opportunity has been previously advertised for November 2022 and the timetable has been revised following feedback from the previous call out.

PRO – GATI Dance & Health LAB

Saturday 28th January, 4th February and 11th February, 2023
1pm – 7pm
Birmingham

The Dance Lab will focus on supporting participants to develop a better understanding of working in health settings – whether that be about physical or mental health – and of opportunities arising from social prescribing and skills required for South Asian dancers to respond to these.

Delivered over 3 Saturdays by experienced dance and health specialist, and winner of the OneDance Uk Health and Wellbeing in Dance 2022 award, Dr Rosaria Gracia, the Dance Lab will cover specific examples of delivery for specific demographics, which will be delivered by two professional South Asian Dance dancers.

The training will:

  • Increase knowledge and understanding of working in health and mental health settings
  • Develop practical skills in delivering South Asian dance workshops and activities in health and mental health settings
  • Explore co-creation, safeguarding and ethics in a dance and mental health

Day 1 (Saturday 28th January) Working in Ageing in community and residential settings:
The day will focus on the specific issues that affect practitioners working with older adults, paying particular attention to the 60+ demographic. Theoretical and practical information will serve as a background for exploration, reflection and setting up of realistic individual action points.

Day 2 (Saturday 4th February) Dance Interventions with Vulnerable Groups (inc Women and Refugees): The day will focus on the specificities and nuances that affect the delivery and participation in dance interventions with vulnerable groups. Particular attention will be paid to women’s groups as well as refugees. The day will serve as a sharing of theoretical and practical information to deliver nurturing sessions, as well as reflection on issues that may have risen as part of the practitioners own practice.

Day 3 (Saturday 11th February) Challenges of delivering in health related venues – reflections and actions:
The day will focus on the main challenges that practitioners need to consider before, during and after delivering sessions in health related venues. Practical work will include micro-teaches as well as preparing the basics to apply for potential work in the field.

Every day will include a session which will cover self-care issues, which are essential for any practitioner, but in particular, any practitioner working in these settings.

We recommend that dancers attend all three days but if this is not possible, that they attempt to attend Day 1 & 3 OR Day 2 & 3.  However, dancers are invited to apply to attend any combination of days.

We are now releasing 2 FURTHER PLACES on this 3 day intensive. 

You must be:

  • A dancer who performs or practices South Asian dance – this opportunity is open to anyone from ages 18 – 100! We are interested in you whether you dance professionally or teach South Asian dance.

    You must, however:
  • Be interested in developing your practice to deliver participatory South Asian dance activity in health and social care settings
  • Be based in Birmingham or the Birmingham region  (Priority for funded places will be for dancers from this area due to funding from Dance Hub Birmingham)

FUNDED PLACES

To enable dancers to take part in this intensive there are a limited number of funded places for those based in Birmingham and the region – of £100 for each dancer per day they attend to include all costs.  There are a limited number of spaces for those who do not meet the regional criteria but these are unfunded.

As funded places are limited, we anticipate this round will be competitive.  

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your responses to the following 4 questions – maximum of 2 pages of A4 or a short video application of up to 5 minutes.  Please also send CV (max 2 pages) with details of one person who knows your work well.  

Questions:

  1. Tell us about your dance practice and training? What is your connection to South Asian dance and training?
  2. Why do you want to take part in the Dance Lab?
  3. How do you see this training supporting your future practice and ambitions?
  4. Anything further you want us to know?
  5. Which day/s or combination of days you are applying to attend.

Deadline is Wednesday 04th January 2023

Please send submissions to Sabra Khan, Executive Director, sabra@sampad.org.uk

Any questions about this call out should also be addressed to sabra@sampad.org.uk

Applicants will be informed if they have been successful by Wednesday 11th January 2023 at the latest.

  • Apply via application letter ensuring you address all five questions above
  • Video – maximum duration 5 minutes

By South Asian Dance Practitioners we mean those that are practicing South Asian dance to a professional level in performance and/or learning settings.

PRO- GATI Dance and Health Lab is part of our wider PRO-GATI project – find out more here.