CAT Contemporary

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CAT balances technical training with creative workshops, ensuring students reach their potential and experience a varied dance training programme.

The curriculum for the programme is delivered through weekly training sessions on Saturdays during term time at our studios here at FABRIC. Students will get the opportunity to be taught by leading professional artists and companies in both technique sessions and creative workshops. Dance Generation is led by interim Artistic Associate, Sandrine Monin.

Training Days

A usual training day consists of a warm-up, usually Yoga or Pilates, a Ballet technique class, a Contemporary technique class and a creative workshop or choreographic session. Sometimes students will get the opportunity to learn different genres, collaborate with other students from our Yuva Gati (South Asian) strand and learn about anatomy and health. We try to find a balanced and varied programme where possible.

WANT TO JOIN CAT?

Students hoping to be part of our CAT programme are encouraged to attend a Dance Generation OPEN DAY

Click here to apply for Dance Generation

Ballet and Contemporary technique: Young people receive a regular Contemporary and Ballet class at each training session where they develop their technique, body awareness, approach to dance and safe practice.
Creative workshops: Students have worked with a number of national and international artists for creative sessions such as Gary Clarke, Alexander Whitley, Monique Jones, Mthuthuzeli November.
Performance opportunities:Students will get the opportunity to perform 2 – 3 times a year to enhance their performance experience and complement their training. In addition to this, there is a summer intensive, which culminates in an exciting performance in a professional venue.
Theatre visits: We arrange a theatre trip to broaden our students’ awareness of the diverse range of contemporary dance companies and styles. Theatre trips are normally complemented by a workshop given by dancers from the performing company.

Individual Training Plans

Each participant has an Individual Training Plan devised in consultation with parents/ guardian and local dance teacher to support the student’s learning, and ensure a balance is maintained between the demands of school work and dance studies. This also allows dancers to reach their potential throughout their time on the programme.

Hear from CAT Dance Generation students

Being in CAT has been an amazing experience for the past year. It has pushed me in all areas and given me the confidence I thought I never had. I started the year having not done ballet before and now I feel like I could perform ballet on stage! The staff are the loveliest and you can tell they really care about your growth as a dancer. The opportunities are amazing and broad, they have pushed me both as a dancer and person. Overall, I can’t wait for the next year in CAT!

Lorien Peters

I have done 2 years of CAT and I have loved every minute of it so far. It has given me so many unique experiences like working with professional dancers and companies including Ballet Black, Wayne Parsons, Kerry Nicholls and Rosie Kay to create challenging and high-level pieces and improve on my technique. CAT has also made me a much more versatile dancer as it provides such a range of opportunities and teachers which has made me very rounded as a dancer. CAT has also given me so many amazing friends as everyone here is so lovely and we all have a common goal to improve as dancers. Everyone was really welcoming when I first came and now I have so many amazing friends that give me super hugs. I really look forward to going every Sunday and I miss going in the holidays!

Nina L

CAT is an amazing experience for anyone who loves dance. I always look forward to Sundays because every day is unique. You meet amazing students, role models and teachers that inspire you to dance. You will improve so much and will step into the world of dance!

Martha

CAT is an amazing programme that pushes you to improve as a dancer as a whole; creativity, technique, performance. It has given me access to many opportunities to work with a range of artists within the training day as well as outside. For example, working with artists such as Kerry Nicholls and Wayne Parsons; two very different artists that gave us tools to use now and in the future. The programme has also lead me to opportunities to work with 2Faced Dance artistic director Tamsin Fitzgerald on Cubes for IDFB and BBC Young Dancer, which were two big moments for me in my CAT experience. Over the 4 years, I have met both staff and peers who I hope will be lifelong friends. I have been fully prepared for full time training next year through the intensity of the days and range of contemporary styles within contemporary. CAT has also prepared me for auditions with one to one sessions as well as generally improving on picking up choreography. One of my favourite things about CAT is the summer intensive.

Dylan

I had one year of dance prior to CAT, so my experience was limited. I went into the CAT audition for a free dance lesson with no expectations of a place. But to my surprise CAT saw potential I hadn’t seen in myself and over my years at CAT, they’ve helped me realise that potential opening an abundance of pathways for me. The choreographers, the shows, the people who have become lifelong friends are all I owe it to. I’d like to say thank you to all of them. And I look forward to the years of CAT to come.

Tristan Aplin