The Company (2022 – 2023)
The members of the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland.
Marcus Burns
Marcus (19) is from Aberdeen and is studying for a BA (Hons) in contemporary dance at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. This is his third year with the Company. He started dancing when he was 13 and was part of Fusion Youth Dance Company in Aberdeen for 2 years and Danscentre.
“I dance to open up and express parts of myself that I feel are silenced or discouraged in everyday life. Dance gives me a world where I can explore and express myself in any way I see fit.” .”Maura Armstrong
Introducing Maura Armstrong. Maura is a 20 year old dancer from Glasgow. Maura has grown up with dance since she was born. It’s a big part of her family. She started learning flamenco at three and branched out into other styles as she got older. Maura has been a part of many of @indepen_dance performances, including her first experience at YDance’s Destinations as part of Young 1z. Maura is currently studying for her HND Dance Artist qualification at Glasgow Clyde College.
“What I love most about dancing is feeling proud of what I have created as part of a team and when performing and how dance can captivate an audience without words and can affect every person differently as the piece dance be interpreted in many ways. Also, what I love most about dance is I loved being challenged by different choreographers and seeing how differently each one has a creative process to create their own dance piece.”
Deanna Canny-Armitt
Deanna (19) is from Kinghorn. Deanna started dancing at 17 and has previously participated in YDance’s Project Y Evolution in 2022.
Deanna is currently studying the BA Contemporary Dance at @dance_thespace_danda .
We asked Deanna what she loves most about dancing, “I love the feeling of taking up/moving through space with my body.”
Erin Currie
Erin (18) is from Dundee, and is a student at The Scottish School of Contemporary Dance studying an HND in Contemporary Dance. .
Hannah Dunn
Hannah (18) is from from Bearsden in Glasgow Hannah is currently in her sixth year at Bearsden Academy.
Hannah began dancing at the age of 3 by attending ballet classes. She has since taken part in many dance shows, musicals, and Merchant City Festival with her theatre school.
“I love the freedom dance provides to be creative, where there are no right or wrong answers, and you are able just to feel the music and express yourself through movement.”
Aoife Henderson
19 year old Aoife is from Aberdeen and is studying for a BA Honours degree in Contemporary Dance at Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She began ballet lessons at age 13, and contemporary at 14, joining Fusion Youth Contemporary Dance Company at Citymoves. Aoife took part in Project Y in 2020, and the Hothouse young choreographers programme in 2019-20 with YDance. This is her second year with the company
We asked Aoife what she loves most about dancing… “I love dancing because it’s a way to express my opinions and feelings without saying them or trying to explain them to people to make them understand. It’s a very free way of expressing who I am.”
Lily Kerek
Lily is 18 and comes from Cupar in Fife. She is studying for an HNC in Contemporary Dance at the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance (The Space) in Dundee. Lily started ballet classes aged 3 and growing up she learned 9 different styles of dance, taking part in dance competitions across the UK.
Lily is returning for her second year as a member of NYDCS.
“I love how dance is forever adapting, and even though I’ve been doing it years, I will always find something new to try and find a different meaning and quality in everything I do.”
Ciara Hannon
Ciara Hannon, a 20 year old dancer from Castlebar, Mayo, Ireland. Ciara started ballet at age five and was hooked after a few lessons. In recent years she has been a member of @dublinyouthdancecompany, where she had the opportunity to tour and work with a range of choreographers.
Ciara is currently studying the BA Contemporary Dance at @dance_thespace_danda
“I love dance because sometimes it can be really difficult to express yourself through words, but through dance, it seems simple to me. Dance is something I love and has also been an element in my life that has moulded and shaped how I have developed. It has guided and inspired me throughout all the different pathways of life. It has helped me develop my confidence and inspired the attack and determination I now have for life. I also love that dance provides the opportunity to get to know lots of people and to work with them creatively.”
Emma Read
21 year old Emma is from Aberdeen, and is studying BA Honours in Contemporary Dance Performance at The Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Emma began dancing when she was 4, and has performed in many different venues in Scotland and further afield. One highlight for her was performing at the Southbank Centre in London with Fusion Youth Dance Company as part of U.Dance in 2019.
This is Emma’s third year with NYDCS, the first being almost entirely online. She is looking forward to her second year in person.
“Being a member of NYDCS through the year of the pandemic kept a light burning at the end of the tunnel. It gave me something to strive for, knowing that at some point we would be able to dance together, and allowed me to hold on to that feeling. Together we created a new way of working through not just our movement but also our surroundings and how we could all be connected in this way. This creative, unique approach benefitted my training, and also changed me as a dancer, and now the way I view dance.”
Erin Mared
Meet Erin Mared, a 23 year old dance from Aberystwyth, Wales. Erin is currently studying Spanish and German at Glasgow University.
Erin grew up training at her local dance school in Aberystwyth Arts Centre. She then moved to Munich to study at the Iwanson International School of Contemporary Dance. She is now a member of National Youth Dance Wales, alongside being a member of NYDCS.
“I love that dance is a common language for people worldwide. If you can’t communicate with someone through words, you can always find a connection through dance.”
Rosie Robertson
Rosie (20) is from Dunblane Rosie is currently studying dance at Glasgow Clyde College.
Rosie started dancing at age 3, initially taking ballet and tap classes before moving on to highland dancing a few years later. Rosie has taken part in performances and exchanges as well as being a participant in YDance’s Hothouse choreography course in 2020.
When asked what her favourite thing about dance is, she said: “Getting to share a little bit of myself with whoever is watching or dancing with me.”
Josie Sellwood
Josie (19) is from East Lothian. Josie is currently studying the BA Contemporary Dance at @dance_thespace_danda
Josie started dancing at age 3 when her mum took her to her first ballet class. She has completed various ballet and jazz exams and participated in YDance’s Hothouse choreography course.
“I love being able to express myself through movement. As someone who finds it hard to use their words, dance is a way for me to express myself and just shut out my problems and enjoy what I love to do.”
