National Dance Company Wales’ Youth Ensemble, the Associates, has been chosen from a number of young international talented groups to perform at the Aberdeen Youth International Festival this August. This is the first time the Associates have been asked to perform at the festival, but they need the public’s support to get them there to represent Wales. This is where you come in.

NDC Wales’ Associates programme

For over 20 years, NDC Wales’ Associates has been supporting and developing Welsh dance talent for the national and international stage. Many have gone on to dance professionally with companies such as Wayne McGregor, Rambert and also National Dance Company Wales. The Associates programme for 14-19-year-olds is held at the home of National Dance Company Wales, The Dance House in Cardiff, and the programme focuses on improving creative and technical dance skills, along with performances which take place throughout the year.

The Aberdeen Youth International Festival is held from 29 July to 6 August. Over the years, the AIYF has hosted more than 27,500 young people, making it one of the biggest and most successful gatherings of youth talent held anywhere in the world today.

NDCWales Artistic Director Caroline Finn said; “We are incredibly proud of our Associates programme and especially of the latest piece created for them by one of our own professional dancers Mathieu Geffré. His work, ‘Le Bal‘ really serves to show the quality of dance that is coming out of Wales at the moment. The Festival is a unique opportunity for these young dancers to have an extraordinary learning opportunity through workshops, networking, exchanging ideas and performing, but we very much need the public’s support to help them get there.”

To help raise the funds needed to send the Associates to the Aberdeen Youth International Festival this year, National Dance Company Wales, with the Associates’ friends and families, is organising a number of events for the public to gain support from the public including a sponsored Bike Ride from Merthyr Tydfil to the Dance House in Cardiff Bay and a spectacular Associates Gala.

You’re invited to a spectacular Associates Gala @ WMC!

The Dance House will be transformed into a venue for a spectacular Gala, where supporters will be greeted by the professional NDCWales dancers. They will then be treated to a performance of NDCWales’ new piece, ‘Folk’, followed by a special performance by the young Associates and their chosen piece for the Aberdeen International Youth Arts Festival, ‘Le Bal’. There will be fabulous raffle prizes and all proceeds will be going to help the Associates get to Aberdeen.

Chief Executive, Paul Kaynes said, “This will be a special evening where your support can really make a difference. It will be a wonderful event celebrating our talented young Associates and a chance to see them perform before their trip to Aberdeen. If you are unable to make this special evening there are many other ways you can support the Associates. Donations can now be taken through Just Giving. We really need your support and donations to help make their dreams come true.”

The Associates Gala Extravaganza will be held at the Dance House, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff on Saturday 7 May at 6.30pm. Tickets are £25 each plus booking fee. Tickets must be purchased in advance through www.ndcwales.co.uk / 029 2063 6464. 

Other ways you can help

You can donate via the Just Giving page here, if you wish: https://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/ndc-wales/aiyf

If you wish, you can donate this way too: Text NDCW00 £10 to 70070 (change the amount, if you’d like!).

Photo credit: Sian Trenberth