Rise
For some of our young people, dance becomes much more than a hobby and creative outlet for their experiences - it becomes a passion they want to pursue more seriously. When this happens, we want to grab the opportunity to harness that motivation and drive, particularly when care leavers are, on average, ten times less likely to be in education, employment or training than their peers. ​​
But dance schools are highly competitive, high pressure environments which are often challenging for the most resilient of students, let alone for care-experienced young people. Combined with a lack of pastoral and trauma-informed support, the risk to young people’s mental health and wellbeing are likely to mean this setting, and therefore a career in dance, significantly less viable.
“Through Rise, I have built my teamwork, confidence, and have become a better and stronger dancer.
I am now exploring additional opportunities to develop my musical theatre skills and performance opportunities."
Rise is an intensive training programme designed to prepare young people for this environment and help them get one step ahead. We focus on technique, choreography and fitness, and level up their skills across multiple genres so they have the strongest foundations possible.
We connect them with the dance industry and give them a taste of professional dance classes. And we focus on building their mental resilience, self-belief and ability to overcome challenges to give them the best shot at getting as far as they can.