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A national programme for young people in areas of need to access dance training and progression.

Ballet Cymru

Duets National Programme

Following the ‘Explore and Test’ phase in 2017-2018, Ballet Cymru presented the new Duets structure to Paul Hamlyn Foundation and to the Arts Council of Wales and was successful in securing further funding for a 3-year Duets National Dance Training Programme, enabling young people to access high quality ballet tuition across the country regardless of economic, social or geographical circumstances.

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About the programme

The programme is specifically designed to identify talent, provide progression pathways and improve aspiration for young people who would not usually have the opportunity to access and engage with dance, particularly those living in deprived areas of Wales.

Duets will be embedded into each of the community dance organisations programme. Duets is not a ‘one-off’ project that ‘parachutes’ into a community, but a programme with real investment and development. Every partner is delighted to be part of a long-term relationship with Ballet Cymru, which will also increase participation in ballet in their own areas whilst upskilling their own workforce.

Duets will work in partnership with:

6 Theatres:

The Torch Theatre
(West Wales)

Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre
(North West Wales)

The Hafren
(Mid Wales)

The Riverfront Arts Centre
(South Wales)

Theatr Clwyd
(North East Wales)

Theatr Brycheiniog
(Mid Wales)

9 Schools:

Gelliwicks Primary School
(West Wales)

Llanllyfni Primary School
(North West Wales)

Welshpool Primary School
(Mid Wales)

Moorland Primary School
(Cardiff, South Wales)

Pillgwenlly Primary School
(Newport, South Wales)

Eveswell Primary School
(Newport, South Wales)

Somerton Primary School
(Newport, South Wales)

Ysgol Ty Ffynnon
(North East Wales)

Ysgol y Cribarth
(Mid Wales)

5 Organisations:

Arts Care Gofal Celf
(West Wales)

Dawns i Bawb
(North West Wales)

Impelo
(Mid Wales)

Jukebox Collective
(South Wales)

Eleni
(North East Wales)

The 3-year Duets programme will include dance residencies, training days for experienced dance practitioners, scholarship programmes and performance opportunities with each partner throughout Wales.

Evaluation and Monitoring of the Duets Programme

Dr. Susanne Burns will continue the journey of Duets and will support Ballet Cymru in terms of evaluation and the monitoring of the programme. Susanne’s role is an important element to the programme, her expertise in evaluation and her knowledge of Duets is invaluable as the programme rolls-out across Wales and now involves many more partners.

An evaluation framework has been developed for Duets National Programme and this will assist Ballet Cymru and each partner in the gathering of evidence and ensuring that the ethos and aims of Duets is not lost throughout the life of the programme.

Evaluation will be embedded into the programme from the beginning and each partner is aware of the relevance and importance of analysing the data gathered to help build a picture of impact which, in turn will help with sustaining the programme beyond the 3 years.

“There is a deeper understanding of how Duets would compliment the existing dance infrastructure in Wales providing progression pathways for young people in ballet, a richer and deeper understanding of how to develop the partnerships that will be required to support delivery across Wales and a deeper understanding of the workforce development implications of a national roll out.”

Dr. Susanne Burns

A ‘base-line’ has been agreed with each community dance organisation on the onset of the programme as a way of measuring the impact of the programme throughout the 3 years and a ‘sharing day’ will be arranged, facilitated by the External Evaluator, which will give the 5 community dance organisations the opportunity to discuss, share and feel part of a Wales wide programme.

Ballet Cymru will work closely with each of the 5 theatres in the locality of the Duets Scholarship programme to encourage and support the development of the relationship between Duets, the community dance organisations and the primary schools. Ballet Cymru will monitor audience figures and measure the outcomes and impact against the Duets programme.

We work with:

Ballet CymruImpeloJukebox CollectiveDanws i BawbArts Care Gofal CelfLottery FundedPaul Hamlyn FoundationSponsored by Welsh GovernmentArts Council of Wales