Looking back and moving forward
Photo credit David Wilson Clarke
50+ Contemporary Dance Sheffield & Third Bite Dance 2022- 2023
Well, what a year that was!
We’ve changed, been challenged, survived and thrived.
Following our successful An Evening with Third Bite Dance at the Drama Studio last June, we recreated street versions of the show for Bakewell’s Day of Dance and the Crucible’s Together in the Square Festival, our lovely AD Lucy went off climbing mountains, tandem biking round Europe and generally taking back some time and space for herself after the Covid years.
Funding from the National Lottery Community Fund enabled us to maintain and develop the programme in Lucy’s absence. We were delighted to welcome Tara Baker, Nisha Lall and Karla Jones as teachers and commissioned Gus Watcham to develop a new performance piece for which Karla Jones also acted as Rehearsal Director.
Gus’ piece, I was, I am, I will be, was conceived as a short performance piece accompanied by a workshop. We kicked off the community tour for this in the Showroom as part of the University of Sheffield’s Healthy Lifespan Institute Festival and ended at Leeds Playhouse as part of Performance Ensemble’s Moments of Joyevent. In between we played to Dance to Health groups in Sheffield & Nottingham, our old friends Meadows Extra Care Housing, Victoria Hall’s Conversation Club and Fabric in Nottingham.
Photo credit David Wilson Clarke
The ongoing impact of Covid meant some members being more susceptible to illness and longer recovery times, so what started out as a piece created on 11 bodies had an ever-changing cast of fewer performers with only 4 on 2 different occasions – and yes, they were a different 4 each time! Coping with changes- on one memorable occasion re choreographing the piece for 4 while driving down the M1- proved how well Third Bite now works as an ensemble.
The continuing support of The University of Sheffield’s Enable Us programme gave us not just great rehearsal space at the Drama Studio and access to performances there but also workshops with professional dancers from Joss Arnott’s Emergence, Erica Mulkern and Glitterbomb. The latter two covered historic ballroom and vogueing on the same afternoon; from the sublime to the sassy in three hours. This year we’ve experimented in inviting our 50+ open class members to join Third Bite in these sessions and this has proved very popular.
A residency in March led by Lucy recruited two new members of Third Bite Dance who joined in the creation of a new piece Rest & Roll premiered as a curtain raiser at the Drama Studio and as the opening act of this year’s Chance to Dance. 50+ class members also showed off their creative skills in the Winter Gardens as part of Chance to Dance and we’re pleased to have a solid core of members.
We’re grateful to Liz Hall who has stepped back from her role as secretary and grateful to Jane Mellor, Pam Marshall, Chris Pyke and Steve Holmes who have all taken on new roles as Friends of the Committee.
Look out for news of our next activities in September.
Clare McManus Chair