The Dance Movement is a registered charity that exists to help people connect through participating in dance. Thrive Youth Dance Company was established in January 2019 as a weekly dance class for graduates from their Thrive Dance Academy Programme in order to provide them with an opportunity to engage in dance and have a place to belong. Their work is motivated by the belief that, when people come together to create, perform, watch and be involved in dance, their lives are enriched and changed for the better.

The project uses dance as an intervention method to help young people develop their life skills, build trust, learn how to make positive choices and find stability and routine in their lives enabling them, where necessary, to re-enter mainstream education or build relationships with parents and adults. During the programme the young people work with a professional choreographer and dance artists. They experience working as a company of professional dancers, develop their fitness and build dance skills and confidence.

When presenting the HSYA certificate to Programme Director, Rachel Deadman, the High Sheriff declared that the entire team at the Dance Movement charity, based at Farnham Maltings, deserve huge credit for this successful pilot project which has clearly provided inspiration to the young dancers.

Thrive Youth
Dance Company

Awarded 2018-2019