Birmingham Hippodrome Aims to Raise More Than £5000 in 5 Days

Birmingham Hippodrome has today announced details of a new fundraising campaign which aims to raise over £5,000 to put a spring in the step of local young dancers.

Running from 1-5 May, The Spring Steps Challenge will seek to raise £5,000 in 5 days in support of youth dance participation opportunities on the Hippodrome stages, in schools and throughout the wider West Midlands community.

From providing free, first-time dance workshops to nurturing the gifted and talented dancers of the future, the 2017 Spring Steps campaign aims to provide over 500 young dancers with the opportunity to experience the thrill of live dance, working alongside industry professionals to perfect their technique, grow their skills and develop confidence thereby inspiring a new generation of young dance talent on our stages.

Where does YOUR £5,000 go?

First Steps: We offer regular opportunities to try dance for the first time - from family workshops to dance sessions in schools across the region.

Stepping Up: We offer a range of regular classes to develop dance skills, in schools, community and theatre settings creating future pathways into dance for young performers.

Creating Steps: There are relatively few opportunities for young people to choreograph their own work. Each year we work with Matthew Bourne's New Adventures to devise, rehearse and produce a curtain raiser performance on our Main Stage, helping to grow a new generation of young chorographers. Click here to see an example of our work with young dancers.

Perfecting Steps: We support and develop young dance talent, from Hip Hop to Contemporary dance by offering a range of master-classes with world-renowned dance companies and choreographers throughout the year.

Performing Steps: Performing in front of an audience - in our Patrick Centre studio, at a festival or on our main stage - offers a fantastic opportunity for local young people, one which will stay with them for a lifetime.

Graham Callister, Director of Creative Programmes at Birmingham Hippodrome, said: "Birmingham Hippodrome has a long-standing reputation as a home for world-class dance. Through the work of Hippodrome CREATIVE, we are working equally hard to nurture and develop the dance talent of the future. By delivering a range of dance experiences to our communities, we aim to give even more young people the chance to embrace dance in its many forms and, in many cases, ignite a passion that will last a lifetime. Birmingham is brimming with young creative talent, something we see all the time in our work with schools, colleges and in the community. Whether through dance classes, in-school workshops, performances in our foyers, on our stages and at our festivals or through professional talent development schemes, your support will prove a vital stepping stone towards our goal of giving young people from across the region the opportunity to express themselves through dance."?

To help Birmingham Hippodrome raise £5,000 in 5 days, call the Fundraising Team on 0121 689 3068.

For more information about our Spring Steps Campaign, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/giveandjoin/help-us-fundraise/springsteps.