We're still collecting donations
On the 31st December 2022 we'd raised £1,471 with 42 supporters in 68 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
We are launching the TPD Scholarship Programme to ensure that all children regardless of financial backgrounds can have access to dance!
by Thomas Page Dances in Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
On the 31st December 2022 we'd raised £1,471 with 42 supporters in 68 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
TPD Scholarship Programme
This yearly programme will provide 4 scholarship places to young dancers in Oxfordshire to support in their dance training and engagement with the local dance community. Each scholarship place will provide the funds for the holder to:
-Cover all tuition fees for an academic year on the TPD Training Programme and TPD Young Artists.
-Take part in theatre trips to increase access to the arts.
-Cover the cost of dance clothes to ensure they have access to appropriate clothes to move in.
-Have free lunches on the days they are training with TPD.
-Support their access to school supplies to allow them to focus on both their mainstream education and dance training.
As part of the TPD Training Programme the scholarship students will benefit from regular advanced contemporary dance technique classes, trips to see world leading dance companies performing, and learn from some of the best practitioners working in the contemporary dance sector through our Guest Workshop series.
Previous guest teachers have include:
-Richard Chappell of Richard Chappell Dance
-Jasper Narvaez (Akram Khan Dance Company)
-Emergence (Joss Arnott Dance)
-Monique Jonas (Richard Alston and Matthew Bourne's New Adventures)
-John-William Watson (BBC Young Dancer)
-James Pett (Company Wayne McGregor and Richard Alston Dance)
Guest artists left-right then top-bottom: James Pett, Amy Foskett, April Gunawardena, Bakni Pick-Up, Clara Cowen, Rirchard Chappell, Jasmine Chiu, Hannah Thomas, Jasper Narvaez, Taylor Han, Llewelyn Lewis, and John-William Watson.
"TPD YA helps me focus on my technique and gives me a focus that isn't school work and is very different to the other dance that I do during the week because it is so much more creative and is an awesome atmosphere to be in." - Current Student, Aged 17.
The TPD Training Programme and TPD Young Artists began in 2018 with the support of Arts at The Old Fire Station and Studio Wayne McGregor.
"The training programme is an amazing place where you can express yourself through dance. One of the best things about it is that there is no need to stress about school and [I] can just focus on dance." - Current student, aged 14.
Image: Richard Chappell in action during his guest workshop in 2019.
Starting our journey with 4 incredibly talented young dancers living in Oxfordshire as part of 6-week pilot we had no idea what this project would develop into but we knew it had lots of potential...4 years later we have seen the students and the programmes blossom into more than we could have ever imagined!
With alumni now training at Central School of Ballet, Italia Conti, University of Chichester, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance we are continuing to see our TPD Community grow and expand into the wider dance sector allowing us to build upon the provisions we provide for young dancers aged 10-18 in Oxfordshire.
"TPD YA helps me get my mind off stressful things that might happen at school, home or even with people. So I feel better mentally and physically" - Current Student, Aged 12.
For our next stage of these programmes we want to go BIG in the support we are able to offer and therefore we want to launch our fully realised TPD Scholarship Programme. With your support we aim to continue creating high quality experiences for young dancers in Oxfordshire, remove financial access barriers to dance without comprising the value of training, and ensure that every young person, who wants to dance, can do so!
This project offered rewards