1. Connect Main Stage Programme 2011
‘London’s heartbeat has changed.
Within that heartbeat lies a feeling, a collective consciousness,
the uniting hum of disparate voices waiting to be heard’
Nitin Sawhney

2. • 200 participants
• 135 performers
• Ages 9 to 90
• Six Sadler’s Wells Associate
Companies
• Writer, Animator, Costume
designer, Lighting designer.
• Five month development
time
• Professional production
values

3. Connect Objectives
• Working with Older People
• Engaging the community
• Performing in the
community
• Challenging assumptions of who can
dance and where dance can happen
• Youth Dance Initiatives & Activities
• Developing opportunities in formal
education, from Primary through to
Higher Education

4. Connect Objectives
• Access – leading the way
for access and accessibility
in theatre and dance
• Continuing professional
development
• Interpretation and enrichment
• Measuring and evaluating for
best practice
• Scope and reach

5. Sum of Parts: Artists & Participants
Strand of work Participants Associates
Over 60s Co. of Elders Hofesh Shechter
Schools Hugh Myddelton Primary
Youth London Youth Wayne McGregor l Random Dance
Youth Dance England
Estates Project ZooNation
Integrated Corali
Community Sadler’s Wells Local New Adventures
Big Dance
Emerging Artists Laban Russell Maliphant Company
The Place (CATS)
Central School of Ballet Jasmin Vardimon Company
London Contemp. DS
London Studio Centre

7. Participant feedback
“It would be great if everyone at least once in their lives were exposed to an
experience like Sum of Parts”.
I don’t often get the opportunity to be creative as an older person, but this
project opened up realms of possibilities, not just for aspiring dancers, but for
non-professionals discovering new skills and talents. For example, I discovered
I was good at writing and have since joined a creative writing group.”

8. Research
Framework: Five Ways to Wellbeing (New Economics Foundation)
Connect: With people around: building connections supports and
enriches people’s lives
Be Active: Exercising lowers anxiety and reduces depression
Take Notice: Be curious and remarking on the unusual followed by
reflection helps people to appreciate
what matters to them
Keep Learning: Being set a challenge, learning something new
encourages confidence in people as well as
being fun
Give: Neuroscience shows that social cooperation is intrinsically
rewarding and increases a sense of
purpose in community

9. Participant feedback
“I have worked with
people of different
backgrounds and
ages before, but
never on anything
like this! It's
particularly
complex, and on a
big scale, and very
physical, which
emphasises our
diversity I think.”

10. Outcomes for Sadler’s Wells
Strategic partnership with Associates:
•Developing relationships with associate artists. Providing a vehicle for them
to develop new ways of working, develop the skills and practice of their
choreographers and giving them a stage to present their work.
Unique opportunity for performers:
•Nurture and support a new generation of dance professionals, providing
professional development at a stage where ordinarily they may not have
gained experience in the real world.

11. Outcomes for Sadler’s Wells
Project design and strategy:
•The development of an in-house model of practice that can be applied to
future projects (Compass – 23 April 1012)
•Identifying and working with new artistic talent for cross-disciplinary
collaborations / productions. For example, working with emerging artists and
writers to produce new, artistically challenging work.
•Reinforce and develop the skills of the Connect Team - refine and challenge
their working practice.
Engaging the community/audience development:
•Develop new audiences for contemporary dance through the participants,
their friends and family and wider network.

12. Outcomes for Sadler’s Wells
Impact and profile raising:
• Beneficial to the brand of Sadler’s Wells & the confidence to show a
piece of community dance as part of the main programme on the
main stage.
• Mainstream press recognition of the work of the Creative Learning
Programme.
• Raised the profile of the Creative Learning Programme: internally and
externally.
• Evaluation report been vital for evidencing our work. Useful for
Learning dept and Development/Fundraising dept.