Marlowe Dance Company to Perform at Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

THE NEW Year sees a new term of dance classes for young people run by The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury.

The Marlowe Dance Company is the legacy of the Canterbury venue's collaboration last year with Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, in which boys and young men worked with the world-renowned choreographer and performed The Lord Of The Flies with professional dancers.

The classes are lead by practitioners James Middleton and Chloe Challis, who were involved in the New Adventures project. Open to boys and girls, there are sessions for those aged 10 to 14 and 15 to 20.

The Marlowe's Learning and Participation Officer, Paul Ainsworth, said The Marlowe Dance Company offers exciting performance opportunities for members, working with innovative local choreographers: "This term the company produced a response piece to the ThinkNation event which took place at the Gulbenkian on 5 December. The event allowed members to engage, explore and create a response piece to how young people interact with technology. Next term the company will once again create an exciting dance production lead by an ensemble ethos. "

As well as the end-of-term showcase, participants will have the chance to get involved with professional dance companies and appear in community productions. Some of the dancers who worked with New Adventures took part in The Rights Of Others, The Marlowe Theatre's community production last summer.

The new 10-week term of workshops starts on Thursday 14 January. They run from 5pm to 6.30pm (10 to 14 years) and 6.45pm-8.15pm (15 to 20 years). Sessions cost £59 and take place at Canterbury Christ Church University Sports Centre. To book a place, call the Box Office on 01227 787787.

The Marlowe Dance Company is one of several creative classes run by the theatre.