everythingon a plate

staminaflexibility

strength movement

energy

PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

Through Fit Fresh Start, Union Dance has

developed a unique, integrated

programme of dance, health, fitness &

nutrition sessions for young people aged

12-18, with the purpose of preventing

and reducing the prevalence of obesity

by encouraging and enabling them to

live a healthy and active lifestyle.

AIM OF THE PROJECT

To challenge obesity by encouraging

young people to participate in the Fit

Fresh Start project and be part of an

innovative, inspiring and engaging

programme of demonstration,

workshops and seminars incorporating

dance, fitness, healthy eating, and well

being. To achieve this aim, Union Dance

has incorporated martial arts and street /

dance techniques into this live action

programme.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Through the National Healthy Schools

initiative, we identify two schools in each

London Borough to work in partnership with,

in order to:

• Establish a Physical Café, with a follow-up

programme of intensive weekly dance/

fitness days held in school time, delivered by

experienced instructors in dance, fitness &

movement exercise.

• Provide nutritional advice from a qualified

dietician supported by a fitness and healthy

eating programme to include cooking

sessions, additional advice and mentoring.

• Provide DVD/booklet resource package

with accessible exercise programme and

dietary information to support this

programme for young people, their parents

and families, with interactive website online

facilities and distribution as a portal provided

by Union Dance.

PROJECT DELIVER & BENEFICIARIES

• PPhhaassee 11:: The launch of the programme

through ‘Physical Cafés’ includes a demon-

stration delivered by the team comprising

Dance Artists, professional qualified dietician

and gym Instructor, to the entire school or

specific year groups, potentially reaching all

young people in each school

• PPhhaassee 22:: Union Dance deliver 2-hour

“taster” sessions to a maximum of 12 young

people aged 12 / 14 years in each session.

Max two sessions (24 YP in each school). The

young people will be selected by the schools

within the age group, to participate in the

taster and intensive series of sessions.

• PPhhaassee 33:: Intensive period – maximum of 15

young people as selected referrals in school

and after school session – targeting hard to

reach groups who are inactive, at higher risk

of obesity (i.e. with obese parents, or in low

income or black and ethnic minority groups),

•• PPhhaassee 44:: Parents, schools and participants

to receive DVD/booklet package to continue

and sustain involvement in an accessible way

and to address perceived barriers to healthy

eating and physical activity.

everythingon a plate

WHAT WE DO

Working with young people to encour-

age their physical development, Union

Dance has developed a unique pro-

gramme which builds stamina, flexibility,

strength, movement and energy, which

incorporates dance fitness and healthy

eating sessions including practical food

tasting.

KEY HEALTH BENEFITS

Fit Fresh Start benefits young people by

providing an inspiring, supportive and

effective programme of activities that are

measurable and observable and com-

pleted by each student. The development

outcomes at the end of the programme

mainly relate to realistic healthy and well-

being targets in terms of:

• positive behaviour change

• advancing skills, and knowledge

• constructive attitude at an intraper-

sonal level

• higher energy in performance level.

WHAT WE AIM TO ACHIEVE -

MEASURABLE OUTCOMES

The following outcomes are recorded

and monitored during the project, with

results included in the final evaluation

report:

• Changes in fitness and weekly activity

levels

• Changes in reported dietary habits

• Changes in Body Mass Index and waist

circumference

• Changes to self esteem and confi-

dence

PARTICIPANTS MAINTAIN A FIT FRESH

START PORTFOLIO TO INCLUDE:

•• PPeerrffoorrmmaannccee ddiiaarryy - with Tasks and

Record of activities

•• TThhee FFoooodd TToo GGoo PPrrooggrraammmmee - incor-

porating young peoples own food

ideas that includes different tasks

such as:

-- IIddeennttiiffyyiinngg ffaavvoouurriittee rreecciippeess that can

be simply produced and therefore

give a sense of self sufficiency and

practical competence

- IIddeennttiiffyyiinngg aa nneeww ttaassttee in foods eat

more fibre, eat less saturated fats, less

salt, less sugar. Avoid fats in diet, eat

more fish, , avoidance of carbonated

and caffeinated drinks and processed

foods

-- kkeeeeppiinngg aa rreefflleeccttiivvee wweeeekkllyy ddiiaarryy

that analyses the process and sum-

marises thoughts

•• DDVVDD aanndd BBooookklleett - package to sup-

port participants, parents and schools

•• QQuueessttiioonnnnaaiirreess - for evaluation with

schools, participants and parents

•• FFoollllooww uupp - contact and information

on our website to maintain post-proj-

ect interest and motivation, with links

to other useful sites.

everythingon a plate

AArrtt DDiirreeccttoorr

CCoorrrriinnee BBoouuggaaaarrdd MA (PG Certs in Education,

Communication, Art and Teaching)

Artistic Director, Union Dance

Born in South Africa, Corrine’s distinguished

career at Ballet Rambert preceded her role as

founder member, choreographer, teacher and

Associate Director of Extemporary Dance Theatre.

Corrine went on to found Union Dance in 1986.

Awarded the first Arts Council England bursary

for an Artistic Director of Dance, Corrine was also

a recipient of the Winston Churchill Fellowship;

the first British choreographer to research con-

temporary dance in Cuba. Corrine has choreo-

graphed for many Union Dance productions,

including a commission for The Henley Festival of

Music & the Arts. Former senior lecturer of MA

design at Central St Martins and has devised

many major education projects.

TTaarraa WWhhyyaanndd - Registered Dietitian

M.Sc Human Nutrition and Dietetics:The

University of Chester

B.Sc Human Biology: Loughborough University

Tara is experienced in treating a wide range of

patient conditions within the NHS. She has also

presented at weight management groups for a

Breast Cancer charity and for a personal training

company.

PPrroojjeecctt MMaannaaggeerrss::

CCoorrrriinnee BBoouuggaaaarrdd aanndd CCaarraa AAnnddeerrssoonn

DDaannccee AArrttiissttss

VVaanneessssaa AAbbrreeuu Having completed an MA

Choreography from Laban, Vanessa has been develop-

ing her work alongside composer Matthew Orange

and video artist Andrej Gubanov, directing, choreo-

graphing and performing mainly solo works. She has

performed and taught for Union Dance in 2008.

DDaamm VVaann HHuuyynnhh Dam was a Bloomberg Prize Finalist

in 2008 as choreographer. He has worked with Merce

Cunningham, Portugals CeDeCe, Richared Alston

Dance Company and Phoenix Dance Theatre as per-

former and teacher.

GGeerrrraarrdd MMaarrttiinn Born in Northampton, Gerrard studied

at De Montfort University, (BA Hons in English

Literature and Performing Arts), and at the Northern

School of Contemporary Dance. He has performed in

the West End cast of the Lion King, toured nationally

with the Phoenix Dance, Union Dance, Bawren

Tavaziva, and danced for the NT, ENO, ROH and Don

Giovanni. Gerrard has enjoyed dancing commercially

for artists such as Lionel Ritchie, Eternal, Shola Ama,

and Shaggy. Gerrard danced for Nelson Mandela on

his Celebrate Africa state visit.

CCoorraall MMeessssaamm Working as a performing artist for over

13 years in a multi faceted fashion as a dancer and

actor, Coral trained at the Northern School Of

Contemporary Dance', Leeds, working then with artis-

tic director, Jonzi D in the production 'Aeroplane Man'

moving on to musical theatre, in Walt Disney 'The Lion

King’ and working commercially as a backing dancer

for Kylie Minogue. Coral recently completed an inter-

national tour with DV8 Physical Theatre on the pro-

duction 'To Be Straight With You' performed at The

National theatre. Working as a workshop leader and

performing artist.

NNaaoommii DDeeiirraa (Apprentice Choreographer & dance per-

former / teacher). Naomi is an experienced dance

teacher, who is graduating from the Amsterdam

School of the Arts. She has studied at the Alvin Ailey in

New York and danced at the Fall Festival with her own

choreographic work. Naomi is a qualified teacher of

dance in education.

the team

educational shakerscross cultural activatorsdancescape pioneersunion:DANCE

Formed in 1985 by Artistic Director, Corrine

Bougaard, Union Dance pioneers culturally

diverse dance in the UK.

Union Dance’s imaginative mix of Contemporary

Dance, Street Dance and Martial Arts forms the

basis of the company’s educational provision. We

offer innovative education activities that promote

cultural diversity through integrating dance and

movement with digital technology, music and

video.

Delivered by company dancers and education

practitioners, the Union Dance Training &

Creativity Programme provides opportunities for

young people to learn new and relevant skills,

which reflect their environment, cultural experi-

ences and identity.

Union Too is a springboard for young people

wanting to develop their dance skills, or consider-

ing a career in dance or performance. Members

often go on to study full time at dance colleges

and some are now dancing professionally. Union

Too meets regularly on Wednesday evenings

(6.30-8.00pm) at the Boys Club, St Gabriels Hall,

Pimlico, in Westminster, London, with rehearsals

leading to live performance opportunities.

RECENT MAJOR PROJECTS

Union Dance has always believed in working with

other partners collaboratively. Recent education

projects have involved collaborative partnerships

with The Serpentine Gallery, National Portrait

Gallery, Royal Opera House, and The Tower Of

London.

2007-2008

OOnnee BBlloooodd, a science and arts project funded by

The Wellcome Trust culminated in young people

focussing on their idea of the body as a positive

force, incorporating dance, music, science, and

visual art, in performance at Rich Mix. The London

East End Partnership included St Paul’s

Community School, working in collaboration with

two scientists, Bromley By Bow Creative Arts

Programme, Bow Arts trust, with also Union

Dance additionally mentoring Streets Of Growth

(a dance social enterprise group in the area). A

DVD of the whole project was produced in June

2008 on completion of the project.

TThhee TToowweerr ooff AAttoonneemmeenntt, at The Tower Of

London, funded by Trusthouse was a joint ven-

ture between Historic Royal Palaces and Harpley

School, Union Dance, Tower Hamlets Inclusion

Support Centre and Pupil Referral Unit. In the

autumn term 2007, using The Tower of London as

an inspiration, the participants explore move-

ment and dance intensively as a group of 14 from

the age of 12 – 15 year old, with a DVD video pro-

duced by Union Dance at the completion of proj-

ect. The video of The Tower Of Atonement was

screened to the public in The Tower of London in

December 2007.

GGrriioott, an innovative youth production to open

and launch the new Bernie Grant Centre in

London, was aimed at postgraduate students,

emerging poets, actors, dancers, rappers and

musicians. The project involved developmental

opportunities through workshops exploring rela-

tionships between live performance and digital

genres through collaborative processes. The pro-

duction choreographed with 50 young people

and premiered in September 2007.

DDaannccee AAccaaddeemmyy PPrrooggrraammmmee,, 22000077, a year-long

project in collaboration with Dagenham Park

Community School and Barking Abbey School.

A performance group was established at each

school to create dance choreography that

Academy fringe groups presented at the March

performance at Stratford Circus in London East

End. The programme of work included: technical

and choreographic workshops, visits to profes-

sional Union Dance performance at Linbury

Studios, Royal Opera House, with the opportunity

to perform alongside a professional company

Union Dance, and a video of the project.

staminaflexibility

strength movement

energy

For more information or to book a

programme contact

Cara Anderson

(General Manger)

Union Dance

6 Charing Cross Road

London WC2H 0HG

Mobile: 0796 194 1828

Union Dance builds

a bridge across the

dance of the studio

and the dance of the

streets. The Guardian

Email: cara.anderson@uniondance.co.uk

everythingon a plate

Design: Peter Bonnici

Front cover dancer image: Naomi Deira