As part of our Reconnect digital platform, we’re delighted to present the first of our panel discussions, Young People’s Pathways into Dance, on Wednesday 16th June at 7pm on the YDanceScotland Facebook page.
In this discussion our panel of four young people will share their experience and journey of how they got into dance, where they are now, their ambitions for the future and what skills, experiences and attributes they believe are helpful for pursuing a career in dance.
Meet our panel below:
Emily Briggs
Emily is a 20-year-old dance artist from Shetland, soon to graduate from her BA(Hons) Dance and Drama at Performing Arts Studio Scotland. She has performed across Scotland at venues including the Edinburgh Playhouse, King’s Theatre Edinburgh, Tramway, The Lemon Tree and The Space, as well as at New York City’s Altman Building.
Outside of college, she has trained with YDance this year as a member of the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland, and was a resident artist for Making Space Festival through Scottish Youth Theatre. Emily is fascinated by dance’s relationship to other art mediums such as text and music, and aspires to perform and create more interdisciplinary work in the future.
Aimee Friel
In 2018, Aimee graduated from Edinburgh College with a first-class BA (hons) Degree in Dance. Immediately after graduating, she secured a full-time position with YDance as a Trainee Dance Artist. This experience developed Aimee into the well-rounded practitioner that she is today and earned her a permanent Dance Artist position with the organisation.
Aimee works mainly across the Participation strand at YDance. She teaches a range of young people, some of which include young offenders at HMYOI Polmont, young parents and their babies, and primary/secondary school pupils. She also teaches weekly YCreate classes. Aimee also works for Indepen-dance on a part time basis, where she teaches inclusive dance sessions for adults of all ages and abilities.
Prior to Aimee achieving her first-class honours degree, in 2017, she graduated from Dance Studio Scotland, securing A grades for both HND and HNC Dance Artist Qualifications. A highlight of Aimee’s college experience was when her HND graded unit piece of choreography was selected to be performed in the department’s end of year showcase at the Mitchell Theatre. During her final year Aimee visited New York City where she learned from some of the industry’s leading professional dancers at Broadway Dance Center and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Fallon Robertson
Fallon trained at Dance Studio Scotland before moving to London for a further year of training at London Studio Centre. She has performed in pantomimes across the UK and performed onboard Costa Cruises Lines as part of their production ensemble and as dance captain. Fallon used this prior year to obtain a BA honours in dance and drama and worked with YDance to upskill her knowledge in delivering dance lessons to young people.
Jemma Stein
Jemma is a Scottish artist starting her professional training at the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance before gaining her degree from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She dived head first in the youth dance scene in Scotland being a member of Fusion Youth Dance Company, Horizons Youth Dance Company and The National Youth Dance Company of Scotland, performing internationally within these companies for a number of years. She was also a young creative and youth ambassador with One Dance UK.
Most recently she was commissioned by CREATE Paisley to direct the 10,000 miles project with Right2Dance and Yellow Wheel, connecting the two companies for a number of months to create a final dance film encompassing their time together.
