SO, you want to support Rubicon…….well this is how you go about it……and how you can see the results…..
rubicon
Sam Kelland’s Final Apprenticeship Report
Please find below extracts from Sam Kelland’s final report on her apprenticeship – an initiative co-ordinated by The Wales Wide Training Programme, Rubicon Dance and Artis Community, and funded by Arts Council Wales.
My journey with Artis Community began in July 2015 when I was given volunteering opportunities as well as chances to train with members of the dance team. This was an excellent opportunity for me to meet the organisation and to see the types of people I may be working with in my post.
This eleven-month apprenticeship came with different responsibilities each term and was tailor made to my individual interests and needs. This timescale was beneficial for me as my role increased in responsibility as the apprenticeship developed which meant I was able to progress steadily throughout each term.
My apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to work with a diversity of different people with vast range in movement ability. I have worked with children, youth and adults with physical and mental disabilities, elderly people with dementia, participants in the pathway dance provision ages 4-21, students in a dance in educational setting, hard to reach groups and people in deprived areas.
Working with such a diversity of different groups and highly skilled dance leader has given me a range of different tools that I can reflect upon. These tools have given me the opportunity to choose how I want to deliver and develop warm ups, dance phrases, creative tasks, structure session and choreograph dance pieces.
I’ve faced many different challenges during my time as a dance apprentice with Artis Community which has allowed me to develop and progress in my career path. One of the biggest challenges during my time as a dance apprentice was being open to improvised thinking and allowing myself to stray from plans. I have learnt how to deal with unpredictability in context to each group and not to panic if things begin to sway away from what I had planned for the session.
At no time in my apprenticeship did I feel unable to manage the amounts of responsibility I was given each term. This was down to the tailor made programme I had discussed and developed with the dance team and the strategic stages of the apprenticeship programme.
My time with Artis Community has resulted in me being offered further work on completion of my apprenticeship with established groups that I have been working with as well as the opportunity to develop potential sessions in my interest areas as mentioned previously.
Well done on the completion of your apprenticeship. Many thanks to all involved in the co-ordination and running of this programme. Sam, we look forward to working with you in the future.
CPD At Rubicon 2016
For the first time, Rubicon ran a three day CPD intensive designed to share skills, gain insight, and network with sector leaders in the fields of Dance for Foundation Phase Children, Hard to Reach Groups, and Dance for Dementia Patients.
It was a really interesting three days with completely different subjects and workshop leaders which seemed to work really well whatever your level of experience. There was new information/methods and ideas and also things we had all done many times but good to have a re fresh with a slightly different approach.
We had about 7-8 organsations and companies attend and several freelance dance leaders so a great mix and people had travelled from west and mid Wales to more local to the south which was great! Community dance organisations linked to the Wales Wide Training Programme really supported the training programme so thank you to thoe people. Many thanks to the freelance leaders who came – I really hope the CPD was affordable for you (we were piloting this with no additional funding).
If you haven’t already given me your feedback could you please do so by e mail – a few lines is absolutely perfect so I can pass feedback on to Anna Daly, Paul Bayes Kitcher and Nicola Jacobson. I may use some of the feedback/quotes on Rubicon’s website or social media – please let me know if you would rather I didn’t use yours. If you could get the feeback to me by Wednesday August 3rd that would be wonderful….thank you!
Best wishes and once again thank you for supporting our Rubicon CPD training programme. We are hoping to do it again next year so if you have any ideas please let me know!
tracey@rubicondance.co.uk
Louise Lloyd Apprenticeship Report
Jobs Growth Wales Funded Rubicon Dance Apprenticeship – Final Report
November 30 2015 – May 27 2016
Please find below extracts from Louise’s report on her apprenticeship:
With the support from Jobs Growth Wales I was able to start my six-month apprenticeship with Rubicon Dance at the end of November 2015. The time scale of six months was perfectly suited to my programme of development as I had previously completed the three-month Paul Hamlyn Funded Professional Placement with Rubicon Dance and Ballet Cymru earlier that year. This had given me the necessary experience of having shadowed community dance leaders in order to take the next step in my training.
Over the six months I have worked with very young children, both with and without learning and physical disabilities, sessions in primary schools, nurseries, adult and toddler sessions and intergenerational family sessions.
I have worked with adults with a vast range of ability throughout my apprenticeship training. The sessions have included dance for those aged 60+, adults with learning and physical disabilities, elderly people in day centre settings, adults undergoing stroke rehabilitation, and adults with dementia in a care home setting.
As well as having had Welsh Language training and gained my First Aid at Work certification whilst being an apprentice, I will be attending three CPD training programmes at Rubicon in July. The training days will be comprised of Foundation Phase Dance Day led by Anna Daly, Working with Challenging and Hard to Reach Groups led by Paul Kitcher, and Dance in Dementia Care led by Nicola Jacobson.
Throughout my apprenticeship I have received constant mentoring and weekly meetings with Tracey to discuss feedback, the problems faced within sessions, and how both the dance leaders and I had overcome these obstacles. The support structure set up within all aspects of my work with Rubicon was very nurturing and enabled me to really develop my skills and take advantage of my strengths when leading.
I am very grateful to Jobs Growth Wales for funding my apprenticeship and giving me such a brilliant opportunity. I am also thankful to the entire team at Rubicon Dance for all the time, wisdom and support they have given me and continue to share with me.
We are so pleased and proud that Louise has had a rewarding experience. Many thanks to all involved, and especially Jobs Growth Wales for their funding. For more information on training and apprenticeships, please contact Tracey at Rubicon Dance – 02920 491477 tracey@rubicondance.co.uk
A Report – Vocational Training Assistant
Please find enclosed extracts from Luke Bafico’s report on his time at Rubicon:
I got involved in British Dance Edition (BDE) 2016, a massive event on the national dance calendar, which hit Wales in mid-march and brought a diverse programme of quality British dance to Cardiff and Newport. Through participating in the event I was able to see what is relevant and current in the contemporary dance scene, which had a hand in shaping my thinking on what kind of an artist I aspire to be and what types of work I am interested in pursuing.
It is always an honour being an advocate for Rubicon and the full-time course and I especially enjoyed our sessions with the Fusion and conFusion groups, from which we had a very positive and engaging reaction from the participants. What a great group of people they are and it was truly a joy getting the chance to work with them on this level.
I have been keeping my training up and continuing with technique classes and fitness sessions which needless to say are important to keep the body fit and in shape so I can be fully prepared for external opportunities. I have also been able to get in the studio by myself and have some solo creative sessions. Mainly, I have been discovering new ways of moving and how music can inform the body.
Another highlight from the past three months was attending Rubicon’s 40th Anniversary lunch with guest of honour Sir Matthew Bourne, where again I was able to act as a spokesperson and representative for Rubicon Dance and further understand the ideals and principles of the community dance industry’s working environment. This was honestly a fantastic afternoon of being able to celebrate everything that is good about Rubicon and I can easily say what a success the event was. It was one of those experiences that made me realise how lucky I am to have Rubicon in my life and how much it has helped me career-wise and how proud I am to be part of such a special organisation.
To sum up, I cannot say how grateful I am that the past six months have happened and how thankful I am for the opportunities that arose within my time as the Vocational Training Assistant.
Many thanks to Luke for all his work. We wish you the best in your future endeavours.
Apprenticeship Report 2016
Louise Lloyd
Jobs Growth Wales funded Community Dance Apprenticeship with Rubicon Dance
Term 1 Evaluation: November 30th 2015 – March 25th 2016
What follows is an extract from Louise’s report:
I began my apprenticeship with Rubicon Dance on the 30th November 2015. The flexibility offered in the start date was hugely beneficial to me as it allowed me to complete the work I was doing with Artis Community as a Dance Support Worker before starting my apprenticeship. This then enabled me to devote full days to sessions with Rubicon.
Prior to the commencement of my apprenticeship I met with my mentor, Tracey Brown, to discuss the background of the apprenticeship scheme offered by Rubicon Dance and the future plan for the programme. We also looked at how this has lead to the Wales Wide Training Programme for apprentices in other community dance organisations across Wales.
Having workshadowed many of the dance leaders before, it was good for me to see them with new groups that I hadn’t been previously worked with to see how they use different approaches tailored to each session. I also began working with some dance leaders whom I had never work shadowed and it was very interesting to see additional methods and styles of managing a group.
Weekly mentoring sessions have really allowed me to reflect on and analyse my findings from the week’s sessions in a safe, supportive and informal setting. I meet Tracey for at least one hour every week as well as having regular conversations and e mail contact regularly and this is when we discuss feedback, my progress and how each session I am involved with was set up and is managed. It became very clear that constant communication with venue and organisation personnel, as well as selecting the appropriate dance leader for the session, were essential to the continued success of weekly sessions.
The apprenticeship with Rubicon Dance has given me a unique opportunity to develop my skills as a dance leader within a positively challenging yet very supportive environment. It has given me the chance to understand where my strengths and interests lie within the community dance sector and gain invaluable experience with a diverse range of groups.
Louise, it’s a pleasure having you around – we wish you continued success….
Rubicon Dance – April 5th 2016
Vocational Training Assistant – A Report
What follows is an extract from a report by Luke Bafico on his experience as a Vocational Training Assistant at Rubicon in the six weeks leading up to the end of 2015.
The main focus for me has been engaging in the inaugural Cardiff Dance Festival. It gave me a great opportunity to get involved with professional projects and was a way for me to start liaising with established people on the contemporary dance scene. Through these opportunities I was able to build upon and develop my organisational and social skills. I felt the biggest achievement was organising four workshops and performance dates from visiting artists by cooperating with Chris Ricketts, the Festival’s programmer and project manager. I also worked with Joanna Young, a home-grown choreographer, on the Cardiff West project, which I enjoyed very much and hope that I can build on my professional relationship with her.
Another personal thing I achieved was putting a proposal together for a residency at the Festival. It was a good exercise because I am aware I am going to have to submit proposals in the future in order to pursue career development. Rubicon was able to support this creative development by pushing me to apply for this proposal to try and further myself.
I also hope I have had some impact on the full-time students. By being in the classroom with them I like to think I am a role model for them, which in turn has raised standards and aspirations amongst the group. By taking part in select classes I am still able to work on my own artistry and improve my technique whilst preparing for my exit strategy after my six month internship is completed, giving me the best chance of finding another industry-related job.
All in all, it has been a crazy but exciting period for me so far, and it’s safe to say I have definitely got a lot out of the position. Moving forward, I need to think about building on some of the things mentioned and what should become a priority for the next month.
Luke, it’s been great having you around. We are all looking forward to the Spring Term.
Sam Kelland’s Apprenticeship at Artis Community
Some highlights from Samantha Kelland’s first half termly report on her experience as an apprentice at Artis Community.
I began working with Artis Community as a dance apprentice on the week commencing 14th September 2015. It began with an initial meeting with Zoe Adcock to discuss timetables, term times, contracts, salary and the types of workshops that the company provide around RCT. We discussed the ethos and practise of Artis Community as a whole as well as the workshops and projects the dance team offer. We looked at Artis’ main aims such as transforming lives, progression for everyone and celebration as well as how the apprenticeship role fits into the company.
Over the last six weeks I have worked alongside several professional and highly skilled dance leaders who have given me a vast range of ways to provide creative dance and community workshops. Each leader has been unique in the ways they deliver each workshop.
My apprenticeship as a whole so far is difficult to summarize due to the diversity of skills and experiences I have attained. I have loved every second and have been inspired by the numerous opportunities I have been given. I am very much looking forward to developing the skills needed to be a community dance leader and to continue working alongside the dance team with Artis Community.
Thanks to the many people involved in creating this opportunity for Samantha. We hope that the apprenticeship continues to be a positive and enlightening experience for all.
Principality Building Society support conFUSION
conFUSION Youth Disability Dance group, a flagship performance group run by Rubicon Dance, has been given new equipment and personalised t-shirts for the dancers to wear during their performances by Principality Building Society.
The support was announced as the youngsters put Principality staff through their paces during an evening of fast-pace routines and dance-offs.
One of the volunteers from Principality Building Society, James Harper, said: “The Confusion Dance group were absolutely fantastic and inspiring. We thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the dance class, although the group were far better than us!
“We are extremely proud to be part of such a worthwhile programme and hope that our support will help the group and their local communities enjoy their wonderful dancing for a long time to come.”
The performance organisation is currently working with the National Inclusive Dance Network of the United Kingdom in order to increase the opportunities available to young disabled dancers to access higher education in dance and performance training.
Kathryn Williams, Director of Rubicon Dance, said: “We were thrilled to welcome the staff at Principality to our class, the group loved teaching them their latest routine and showing them some of their dance moves.
“We can’t thank them enough for the support they have given us as it will make a fantastic difference to our group. We hope to welcome Principality back to our classes again soon.”
Principality Building Society is committed to supporting the Welsh community and provides sponsorship for various organisations across the country. In the last few months Principality has supported Ynystawe Cricket Club with new shirts, Birchgrove Primary School with new football goals after a fire and golf classes in Conwy.
Published: 27/05/2015 – by Prinicpality BS
Photo courtesy of Sian Trenberth
DUETS Project
Here’s a selection of comments from Louise Lloyd following her recent completion of the Payul Hamlyn Foundation funded Professional Placement in partnership with Ballet Cymru:
Paul Hamlyn Scholarship: Shadowing the Paul Hamlyn Scholarship sessions has given me the chance to see how children, many with no previous dance experience, can quickly develop their dance skills with only one lesson a week. This insight has made me realise just how beneficial this programme is to such a group, some of whom would otherwise have no opportunity to take dance lessons. I have a better understanding of what is appropriate for students in their first year of receiving ballet and street lessons and one of the most important things I have witnessed is the need and means to energise and engage this group. The relationship I have developed with the students while working closely with them on a weekly basis and as part of their group has helped me to discover ways of encouraging the best out of them. I am truly grateful for the position I’ve held and to have been part of this programme.
My general experience: My experience of working with different groups within a community dance context has dramatically increased thanks to the possibility for me to have such a diverse programme of shadowing sessions on the Paul Hamlyn Professional Placement scheme. Having witnessed and participated in group sessions for a range of ages and abilities has given me more confidence to be able to approach a variety of different sessions and have a better understanding of how to manage and lead the group. It has also exposed my own strengths, weaknesses and preferences in relation to certain groups, so I have realised which groups I take to more naturally and those which I need to work a little harder to keep control and enjoyment in the session. I am now a lot more relaxed and feel a lot more in command of my own actions and choices within dance sessions.
rubicon dance 