Rise Youth Dance is a Bristol based company founded in Sept 2008, with young people entering through an audition process. We see it as a stepping stone, giving young people an experience of what the professional dance world may be like from a performance, teaching and company perspective. It gives valuable experience and training to those who may go onto further education. We try to give the young people as much experience as possible in other skills and styles as well as maintaining the foundation of contemporary technique.

Rise builds and strengthens dance skills but also self-esteem, motivation, teamwork and communication skills. Members are not taken for dance skills alone and many show strengths in leadership, teaching and management. Through Rise, some young members have assisted Rise teachers on other teaching work as work experience going on to do their arts award in dance leadership.

Rise’s Main objectives are:
To gain contemporary technique and experience in other dance styles.
To give its members professional dance experience through performances, teaching and seeing professional work.
To develop other skills, i.e leadership, teaching, communication, creative and administrative skills.

RISE is well known in Bristol and has performed at many events including:
Stages and the Stages Gala 2009, 2010 and 2011
BBC Blast at Bristol Harbourside Festival 2009
Bristol School Festival of Sport 2009 and 2010
Cystic Fybrosis charity event @ Filton College 2009
Fairfield school shows 2008, 2009, 2010
Performance alongside Neshima Dance Company 2010 (Professional project funded by ACE and BCC)
Bristol Habourside Festival Dance stage 2010
On your Marks, Bristol Big screen 2010 (collaboration with professional dancers) Inquiring Minds @ The Paviilion in Bournemouth 2011

Rise is supported by Fairfield high School, who let us use their dance studio, and a lot of Rise members attend the school.