Schools and Colleges
Workshops for Schools and Colleges
VDT has worked with young people aged 11- 19 in mainstream schools and colleges, in special schools, pupil referral units and alternative education provision over three decades.
VDT currently delivers bespoke creative workshops, developed in partnership with secondary schools and colleges, for students aged 11-19 studying GCSE, B-Tec Extended Diplomas and A-Level Dance, Performing Arts and PSHE / RSE. These can be movement and performance skill based and/or focus on themes within VDT’s productions particularly relevant to young people. We also deliver workshops for East Sussex County Council’s Open Doors initiative offering insight into careers in the performing arts.
Movement and Performance Skills Based Workshops
These workshops for dance, theatre and performing arts students introduce students to VDT’s dance and choreographic practice, encouraging participants to find their own creative voice. Following introductions and agreeing ground rules, a physical warm up flows into playful group games, partnering and pair work, structured improvisations and creative tasks that generate meaningful movement. Work created by participants is shared with the group and facilitators offer critical feedback and host reflective discussions with the group. Simple evaluation and a check out closes every session.
The levels of collaborative, creative, engagement achieved by both girls and boys was amazing. Big thanks to the Vincent Dance Theatre team whose detailed planning made the whole experience – particularly delivery for the staff – easy.
Deputy Headteacher, The Norwood School, London
Issue Based Workshops
Issue based creative workshops foster an interest and understanding of socially engaged art, encourage creative thinking, individual growth and encourage participants to become creative agents, making their own work in response to agreed themes. Workshops inspire young people to engage with personal and political issues to affect positive social change.
Excerpts from VDT’s Virgin Territory and Shut Down are screened to kickstart creative explorations of themes affecting young people today. Using student centred creative engagement activities using paper, movement, mark making, craft or text, workshops explore issues including identity, gender stereotypes, bullying, mental health, the impact of pornography, care experience, toxic masculinity and online safety.
Outcomes from these workshops can be mapped against PSHE as well as Performing Arts, Film, Art, Digital Media & Photography and Speaking, Listening and Writing objectives.
I wish all our PSHE lessons were like this.
Yr 10 Participant, Cardinal Newman Catholic School, Brighton
One of the most thought-provoking experiences that I have seen in a school: our students benefited greatly.
Headteacher, Bedales School, Hampshire
To discuss or book a school/college workshop contact participation@vincentdt.com or call 01273 911616
Open Doors Workplace Sessions
VDT delivers OPEN DOORS for East Sussex County Council: an initiative that enables students between Years 8 and 13 to visit East Sussex organisations to gain meaningful experiences of the workplace. VDT Open Doors sessions offer young people insight into how a small, regularly funded arts organisation operates and the range of job roles and possible careers pathways in dance and the performing arts, as well as watching excerpts of VDT’s high-quality dance theatre work on film and gaining an introduction to how the company facilitates participation work in a variety of settings.
Interesting to learn about what goes on behind the scenes.
Participant Open Doors
For further information or to book an OPEN DOORS WORKSHOP for your school or college, contact participation@vincentdt.com or contact East Sussex Careers Hub directly via OpenDoors@eastsussex.gov.uk and complete the sign-up form here
Higher Education
Workshops, facilitated screenings and licensing agreements for VDT productions in arts and non-arts Higher Education Institutions
Our Communities
Special projects, workshops and collaborations with and in our local communities
