Following the County Council decision in Feb 2010 to withdraw funding from the Arts in Education Service over two years starting in April 2011, the various elements within the service were reviewed.  Significant work on costing the Dance element of the service to see if it could be run at full cost (it is currently subsidised 65% by council funding) demonstrated that although a few programmes might be cost neutral, overall it would not be financially viable.  

As it was recognised that many of the Dance programmes could be “bought in” by schools, the exit strategy for the closure of the service includes support and help for the Dance staff to set up on a freelance / small business basis after their redundancy on April 30^th 2011, to offer their services to schools and parents for the benefit of the children and young people of Leicestershire and Leicester City.  

Through this route, staff will offer dance and drama advisory support, including CPD, teaching and festival support for individual or groups of schools on a consultancy basis.  Indian Dance support for schools will also be offered.

The large central training schemes (Dance Activate, Schools Ballet Scheme and Youth Ballet) will be also continued from May 2011 by Graham Fletcher on a private basis – please see below for Graham’s contact details).

The list below gives brief details of the staff and the work that they will offer to schools after May 1^st 2011:

Nilima Devi is one of the leading exponents of South Asian Dance in the UK and has been a pioneering and experienced artist of Indian dance in Leicester and Leicestershire schools for the past 25 years.  As the artistic Director of the Centre for Indian Classical dance, she will be delivering Indian dance and music as part of schools’ RE Curriculum, Diwali festivals on the theme of Ramayan, projects on India, Bollywood dance, demonstrations for assembly, workshops leading to performance and CPD support to teachers on various aspects of Indian dance covering Key stages 1 and 2.

Tel: 0116 2552862

ndevi@cicd.org.uk or info@cicd.org.uk

Graham Fletcher will continue the excellent work and service that has been provided by Leicester-Shire Arts in Education through his exciting new dance enterprise called LADA. This ensures that all Dance Activate, Schools Ballet Scheme and Youth Ballet classes will continue to be offered at all current venues. Dance Activate workshops will also continue to be offered to city and county schools free of charge. Graham would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support, especially in the exciting times ahead.

Tel: 07717721916.

Debbie Hartley is a specialist teacher of Dance with 26 years experience.

Debbie is a member of the Senior Examining Team for AQA GCSE Dance and is Principal Moderator for Unit 4 : Choreography.

Main areas of expertise:

CPD for newly qualified, returners to teaching or teachers wishing to refresh their dance ideas.

Dance curriculum planning and delivering from Early Years to Key Stage 4.

Resource based teaching incorporating performance, choreography and appreciation.

Planning and teaching AQA GCSE Dance.

Tel: 07967217782

Email: hartleytoocool@btinternet.com

Kate Hutchon is a manager and teacher with a wealth of experience of leading and directing dance and cross arts projects for schools.  She can support schools to stage and deliver both local area based Arts Festivals and productions at professional theatres.  As a dance specialist she can also offer CPD support to teachers and dance work directly with children, both within and beyond the curriculum at KS1 & 2.

to follow.

We hope that you will want to continue to use the services of these experienced and committed professionals in your school/group of schools