Join Fertile Ground as a dancer

Fertile Ground research 2023 Audition

Newcastle-based company Fertile Ground is looking for dancers to research two exciting, new projects with choreographers Patricia Okenwa and Jamaal Burkmar. Funding dependent, selected dancers will be required for a maximum of four weeks of research from June 19 to July 15 with the potential to join the company for the production and tour of its new season at a later stage.

To apply, you must:

• Be an emerging professional dancer. Fertile Ground offers paid engagement to dancers at an early stage of their professional career.

• Have a meaningful connection to the North East of England - candidates would be born, trained or have lived for a significant amount of time in the NE in the last few years.

• Have an interest in collaborative practice and in working with children and young people, as an important part of the company’s activity consists of delivering workshops to students at primary, secondary, FE and HE levels.

To be considered for the position please send the following information to audition@fertileground.org.uk using FG audition 2023 as subject title:

• A recent CV including your date of birth, your training history and any performance experience to date

• A motivation letter stating your interest in the company and your relation to the North East of England

• A video link of you dancing - maximum 10 minutes long. If the footage shows you dancing in a group, please, identify yourself clearly in the recording.

The deadline to apply for the audition is midday on the 8th April 2023.

The positions are paid. If selected, an in-person audition will take place on April 15 2023 at Dance City, Newcastle.

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During our audition, we will also consider offering positions to join Fertile Ground’s 360 professional development programme.

The 360 programme will support a number of newly trained dancers aged 18-25. It is aimed at recent graduates who might be struggling to obtain their first professional job in the sector. Running alongside our professional artistic programme, it offers mentoring and practical sessions with Fertile Ground staff and collaborators, support with managing self-employment, audition preparation, maintaining and improving dance technique through regular training with the Company. It is designed to increase performance and broaden professional capabilities with the aim of enhancing confidence and skills amongst talented dancers who face difficulties in achieving their goals due to personal or environmental circumstances.

Beyond the free professional development opportunity, Fertile Ground will offer bursaries to support the costs of participation in this programme.

Time frame: Selected participants will be offered professional opportunities with the Company during the period of June 19, 2023 - December 15, 2023.

To be considered for our 360 programme, you must:

• Be a newly trained dancer aged 18-25.

• Have a meaningful connection to the North East of England - candidates would be born, trained or have lived for a significant amount of time in the NE in the last few years.

Please, do specify in your motivation letter whether you are applying to our audition to join us as 360 professional development programme participants, company dancers or both.

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Fertile Ground 2022-23 programmes are funded by Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, Garrick Charitable Trust. The 360 professional development programme bursaries 2022-23 were made possible with support from the LGA Foundation.