BBC launches search for UK’s most talented dancers with first ever BBC Young Dancer
The BBC is to turn the spotlight on the UK’s best young dancers with the launch of the first ever BBC Young Dancer 2015. The nationwide award will invite young dancers to submit entries to compete for one of six places in a televised Grand Final to be shown on BBC Two in May 2015.
Published: 2 October 2014
I’ve always believed dance matters and this is the BBC inspiring the next generation of talent.
- BBC Young Dancer launches with four categories: Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop and South Asian Dance
- BBC Young Dancer 2015 Grand Final Judges today announced as: Matthew Bourne, Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, Tamara Rojo, Kenrick Sandy and Alistair Spalding
- Carlos Acosta announced today as an Ambassador
- BBC Young Dancer 2015 will be broadcast on BBC Four and BBC Two
- The BBC Young Dancer 2015 Grand Final will take place at Sadler’s Wells on Saturday 9 May, broadcast on BBC Two
- First Category Judges announced today as David Nixon, Seeta Patel, DJ Renegade and Sharon Watson, further names tba
The BBC is to turn the spotlight on the UK’s best young dancers with the launch of the first ever BBC Young Dancer 2015. The nationwide award will invite young dancers to submit entries to compete for one of six places in a televised Grand Final to be shown on BBC Two in May 2015.
Four programmes featuring highlights from each of the Category Finals with introductions to the respective dance styles and behind-the-scenes content will also be shown on BBC Four in the weeks running up to the Grand Final, giving an insight into the demands and dedication needed to pursue a career in one of the most rigorous and disciplined art-forms.
The first ever BBC Young Dancer will provide a platform for UK dancers aged 16-20 to demonstrate their dancing abilities through three competitive rounds designed to highlight their technical command, creative and expressive ability, as they compete to win the BBC Young Dancer 2015 title.
The BBC’s Director-General Tony Hall said: “There are many tremendously talented young people in our country just looking for a chance - and a platform - to show what they can do.
“That’s why the BBC is working with top names in dance to develop a programme that will not only find the young dance performers of the future, but give them a real break at the very start of their professional careers, and the opportunity to perform in front of the leading experts in their field.
“With broadcasts of the Category Finals on BBC Four, the Grand Final live on BBC Two and special programming on BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and Asian Network, we aim to expose as wide an audience as possible to the wealth of dance talent developing in the UK.
“I’ve always believed dance matters and this is the BBC inspiring the next generation of talent.”
In this first year, entries are open to performers in four categories: Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop and South Asian Dance, with the winners from each category (and two wild card places) earning a position in the Grand Final at Sadler’s Wells, London, on Saturday 9 May which will be televised live on BBC Two.
The Grand Final will be judged by a leading panel of dance experts: Artistic Director of New Adventures, Choreographer and Director Matthew Bourne; Choreographer and Dancer Akram Khan; Choreographer and Director Wayne McGregor; English National Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo; Dancer and Choreographer Kenrick Sandy; and Alistair Spalding, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sadler's Wells.
In the lead up to the Grand Final, the four Category Finals will be broadcast on BBC Four, following the five semi-finalists in each category as they focus and prepare themselves to compete for the title of Category Winner. All of the Category Finalists will receive one-to-one mentoring from some of the UK’s leading dance experts and practitioners.
For the Grand Final, each of the six dancers who’ve been selected will work with a young choreographer who will create a new solo piece for them to premiere as part of their performance on the main stage of Sadler’s Wells alongside a solo from their repertoire and a pas-de-deux or duet. The Grand Final will also feature a new ensemble piece which brings together all of the finalists.
Internationally renowned Ballet star Carlos Acosta has agreed to take on an ambassadorial role for BBC Young Dancer 2015.
BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Asian Network will also broadcast complementary programming around the time of the Grand Final.
The project is part of the BBC’s continuing commitment to the arts and support of new artists joining BBC Young Musician as a showcase for talented and dedicated young performers, and is also a part of BBC Four’s 'Year of Song and Dance', a year of programming exploring the extraordinary power of song and dance across a whole spectrum of eras and styles.
BBC Young Dancer is managed and produced by BBC Cymru Wales. The series producer is Paul Bullock and the commissioning editor Jan Younghusband (Head of Commissions, Music and Events TV) for Controller of BBC Two Kim Shillinglaw, and Editor of BBC Four Cassian Harrison.
Notes to Editors
BBC Young Dancer 2015
BBC Young Dancer requires entrants to submit a video of two solo pieces by 1 November 2014.
Each genre will be judged separately as judges with style specific knowledge will narrow the video submissions down to 80 successful entrants (20 from each category) who will be invited to perform in the second round taking place at the Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham and Northern Ballet, Leeds in December 2014. The second round marks the first of three competitive stages to the award where entrants will be invited to perform in front of an expert panel of judges. Each of these stages is considered to be a performance opportunity for the dancers as they receive feedback from judges about what worked well and how to improve and develop.
The award steps up a notch in the second competitive stage, the Category Finals, scheduled to take place at the Riverfront, Newport in March 2015. Five successful dancers from each category are required to perform two solos and a pas de deux /duet to demonstrate partnering skills. Hip-Hop dancers will perform two solos and a battle against an unknown opponent. One winner from each category will be selected to receive a £1,000 prize to help support further dance studies, and a place in the Grand Final. Two wildcard places will also be awarded to the best dancers who did not win their category. The Category Finals will be filmed for broadcast on BBC Four.
Finalists will be given the opportunity to attend workshops in April with renowned dancers and choreographers from their dance style, to learn new, specially commissioned choreography and perfect their performances before the Grand Final in May 2015. The Grand Final will take place at Sadler’s Wells in London in front of a panel of internationally renowned dance professionals, a live audience, and will be filmed for broadcast on BBC Two.
The six finalists will need to perform a total of four pieces, two solos, one pas de deux / duet / battle, and a group piece, as they dance for the prestigious title of BBC Young Dancer 2015.
Further prizes also include a specially commissioned trophy and a £3,000 cash prize for the winner to help support further dance studies.
Website for entry details and more information: bbc.co.uk/youngdancer
Quotes
AKRAM KHAN
Artistic Director, Akram Khan Company, Choreographer and Dancer
Grand Final Judge
“BBC Young Dancer will be a wonderful chance to celebrate the many good things that young dancers bring with them as they approach the professional dance world: drive, talent, hard work, perseverance and most of all, a fresh and enquiring approach to dance. I know from my experience of working with young people that there are many young dancers prepared to give the hard work and considerable time that is needed to develop their technique, artistry and interpretive skills. I am really looking forward to seeing the young dancers in the competition – they are our future.”
KENRICK ‘H20’ SANDY
Co-Founder/Artistic Director of Boy Blue Entertainment, Choreographer and Dancer
Grand Final Judge
"BBC Young Dancer is an opportunity to inspire young dancers to aim for the highest standards and to share with a wide public not only the creativity, energy, talent and expressiveness in all their respective genres, that they have, but also the rigorous technical requirements and hours of practice required to achieve their excellence.”
DAVID NIXON OBE
Artistic Director of Northern Ballet
Category Final Judge
“The BBC Young Dancer award can be a valuable part of a young dancer’s development. For the dancers involved, the preparation, rehearsing, adapting to different performance environments and focusing under pressure, all offer powerful opportunities to learn and grow artistically and technically.”
SEETA PATEL
Dancer and Choreographer
Category Final Judge
“These young dancers will be at the very start of their journey, it takes patience and perseverance to achieve excellence in dance as this competition will show. The performance element will be a strong learning opportunity for the dancers; there are certain things you can only understand once you are in front of an audience. It will be interesting to see how each dancer reacts to the challenges and opportunities that BBC Young Dancer will present.”
DJ RENEGADE
Category Final Judge
"BBC Young Dancer is a great opportunity to demonstrate that Hip-Hop is a complex and mature dance style including different areas of specialisation requiring dedication and hours of practice. Bringing together the best young dancers from across the country will provide much needed education and inspiration across the youth sector."
SHARON WATSON
Artistic Director, Phoenix Dance Theatre
Category Final Judge
“The BBC Young Musician award has become a prized quality standard; it can only be a good thing for dance to be recognised in the same way and for the public to understand the complex technical and artistic requirements for each of the four styles. BBC Young Dancer can provide a model of excellence for young people across the country to aspire to and encourages a firm foundation for a successful future.”
MC4