MATRAVERS School’s dance department has been accepted onto a dance programme with London contemporary dance company, Rambert.
Rambert is one of the leading companies for contemporary dance in the UK and is known globally for its choreography.
Students at the school from year 7 – 13 auditioned for the project and 21 dancers were chosen to take part in a project called ‘Rambert Elements’.
‘Rambert Elements’ gives schools and colleges across the UK the chance to create and perform an original dance piece inspired by a leading choreographer associated with Rambert.
Gemma Richards, head of dance at Matravers School said, “We had to submit an application form back in September last year, along with a video that we made with the students explaining why we deserved to be a part of this amazing opportunity.
“The first performance of the piece will be on the 16th March at TR2 Theatre Royal in Plymouth. Two schools will dance a piece by one of the three choreographers assigned to the different schools across the country and the number will be picked to perform in London later on in the year.
“This really is a huge achievement for the school and probably one of the biggest dance events any secondary school could have had the opportunity to take part in, so it’s amazing that a school outside of London, that does not have a huge number of dance opportunities readily available, can be a part of something so amazing.
“As a department, we are incredibly proud of the open minded approach our students have to working with new choreographic concepts. Creative practice is a core value in our teaching throughout the curriculum and we saw this as a way of extending our students’ knowledge of choreography, but also offering our students the opportunity to dance in a professional theatre to an audience of industry professionals.
“We are very lucky to be part of a school that supports the arts and is so proud of this achievement and the successes of its students.
“For me as a dance teacher at the school, it demonstrates just how wonderful and talented our students are at Matravers and proves the quality of the dance education that our students receive.
“I have loved being part of the process and feel so grateful to have had the opportunity myself to work with the company and bring all that I learnt from my experience with the Rambert’s artistic director Mark Baldwin OBE back to the students.
“The work they have produced is absolutely stunning and I’m incredibly proud of all of our dancers and the beautiful work they have created.”
