Northants Dance has a membership scheme for all professional dancers, dance artists/practitioners, and dance teachers in Northamptonshire.

Benefits of membership include:

• Discounted rates on all classes and workshops
• Priority Booking
• Careers advice/consultations with professionals
• A monthly newsletter listing work opportunities, training etc

All for an annual fee of £25/£20 (concessions). Please contact the northantsDance team on 01604 233122 for more information.

Youth Works in association with the Beatmaking Academy and Northampshire County Council are hosting an Urban Arts seminar on Saturday 17th July 2010, at the William Knibb Centre, Kettering. A series of urban arts workshops have been put together, comprising dance (breaking, street dance), music (beatmaking, songwriting, MC, Dj), visual arts (grafitti, photography, videography), and the music business (PR , Radio & Advice). The programme has been developed by young people for young people, and most of the confirmed facilitators were hand picked by the them.

If you are available and would like to be a part of this event or would like more information then please contact Allen Daura – Beatmaking Academy Project Co-ordinator on allen@beatmakingacademy.co.uk

All secondary schools in the Northants region are invited to participate in the fantastic experience that is TruSkool 2011. TruSkool is the only national breakdance challenge for school crews in the UK, and is about to enter its 4th exciting year. Run by Pro-Create, ArtsPool and the massive Sony Ericsson UK BBoy Championships and supported by Northants Dance, the project encourages secondary schools to get a crew together and train up in breakdance and popping & locking skills with some of the UK's top BBoys and BGirls, for national competition.

You will need a crew of between 6 and 12 members from any secondary year group, a showcase routine of between 2.5 and 5 minutes in length, and dance battle skills and strategies. There is no entry fee and all qualifiers are free to attend too.

5 regional qualifiers will be held through January –March 2011, one of which in Northampton at Thomas Becket Catholic School. Between 2-4 crews will qualify from this heat, going through to the London Finals in April...

Progress 2 is a one-year business support programme for small and emerging arts organisations in the East Midlands. It enables tailored support for newly-emerging arts organisations and arts organisations which have begun to tackle their organisational development.

We are able to support 7 arts organisations in Northamptonshire.

What will you get from Progress 2?

Meeting with a business advisor, up to three sessions and a tailored written action plan Two networking meetings, combined with a talk on an industry related topic or a Go & See visit. These will promote best practice and peer learning among participating organisations 8 seminars/ training days. Participants to identify a training topic at the end of each session with a business advisor which is used to inform the programme of training topics A regional symposium at the conclusion of the year of the Progress II programme A website e-learning resource Bespoke training or support to a maximum of £500...

Naturally lit first floor artist's studio in a large Victorian warehouse, available for immediate use. Situated just off the centre of Wellingborough town centre, to share with two other artists. Costs £66.50 per month inclusive of business rates and amenities, possibly to be reduced to £50 per month after September 2010.

Please contact Daxa Parmar on 07960 140316 if you would like to know more.