020 8290 6633 Chief Executive General ... - Magpie Dance · TIGER BAY DESIGN Chair of Trustees Mark Dempsey Artistic and Executive Director ... Magpie Dance The Churchill Theatre

Registered Charity No. 1062185 Co Limited by Guarantee No. 3292609

Patron: Richard Wilson OBE Youth Group patron: Kellie Shirley

Photos by Alicia Clarke, Phil Polglaze, Tim Smith

Designed & produced by TIGER BAY DESIGN www.tigerbaydesign.co.uk

Chair of Trustees Mark Dempsey

Artistic and Executive Director Avril Hitman [email protected]

Chief Executive Thalie Martini [email protected]

General Manager Laura Graham [email protected]

Finance Manager Sally Atkinson [email protected]

Head of Development & Partnerships Sarah Cobley [email protected]

Operations Co-ordinator Jessica Richards [email protected]

Magpie DanceThe Churchill TheatreHigh StreetBromleyKent BR1 1HA

020 8290 [email protected]

www.magpiedance.org.uk

Unlocking individual potential

and ability, at the forefront of dance for people with

learning disabilities

Annual Review

April 2016 - M

arch 2017

This Annual Review was brought to you with contributions from: Avril Hitman, Artistic and Executive Director; Laura Graham, General Manager and Sarah Cobley, Head of Development and Partnerships

This year has been marked by a number of celebrations and changes within the organisation. I have taken the very difficult decision to retire at the end of July 2017. The decision was not taken lightly as it has been a huge part of my life for over 30 years. I’ve had an incredible journey, however I felt the time was right to retire. This comes at a time when I was privileged to be recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours with a British Empire Medal in recognition of my work with Magpie Dance over 32 years. Attending the Tower of London for the investiture and the Queen’s Garden Party were celebrations that I will remember for a very long time with pride. I was also delighted to have been shortlisted for two Lifetime Achievement awards – the inaugural One Dance UK Teachers Awards and The National Diversity Awards Lifetime Achiever Award. Magpie Dance’s weekly sessions continue to be at capacity, with 20 members of the adult group, we raised additional funds to establish a new group, from September there will be sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The youth group has five weekly sessions including new technique sessions for juniors and seniors to

Artistic and Executive Director’s introduction

access. Our Easter and summer schools continue to be busy with young people accessing our holiday sessions and we have introduced Arts Awards for our youth group participants to develop their skills further.Magpie Dance’s profile continues to be raised through public performances, this year Highfliers performed in Leeds, Canterbury, Lilian Baylis, Greenwich Dance, Rambert Studios and the Unlimited Festival at the Southbank Centre. The Adult Group performed at the Churchill Theatre; Barclays Bank in Piccadilly as part of a disability awareness campaign and the youth group performed at Trinity Laban, Catford Broadway and the Hilton Kensington.This year has seen us secure further support from The Big Lottery with three years of Reaching Community Lottery funding of £300K; this underpins our vital work with people with learning disabilities of all ages. The funding constitutes 30% of our annual investment requirements to deliver our programmes across our youth and adult sessions.I must pay tribute to my wonderful team who work so tirelessly to ensure the success of Magpie Dance’s varied programmes; the dancers who continue to inspire the work; our many parents and carers who support our participants to access sessions and performances.

Although this review is to March 2017, I must mention the amazing leaving party the team produced in my honour. The performance at Lilian Baylis Studio was truly extraordinary, showcasing all of Magpie Dance’s programmes. It is an afternoon I will remember forever, one with several tissue moments where I was also delighted to have been invited to be an Honorary Life Patron of Magpie Dance. I am very proud of all Magpie Dance’s achievements which would not have been possible without the dedication, loyalty and passion for the work demonstrated by everyone in the team; staff, freelancers, volunteers and trustees.This brings me to say at time this review went to print, the board have appointed Thalie Martini as the new CEO; Thalie comes from a public sector and charity background and has worked in public policy before running a major project for the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney. Thalie will be working alongside Alison Ferrao and Natasha Britton who will be Co – Artistic Directors to maintain the artistic and dance legacy of Magpie Dance’s work.

3Annual Review April 2016 - March 20172 Annual Review April 2016 - March 2017

I wish Thalie and the new leadership team the very best of luck in the future and look forward to seeing how Magpie Dance continues its journey reaching the lives of thousands of people with learning disabilities. Avril Hitman Founder, Artistic and Executive Director

ContentsIntroduction 2A Summary of our Impact 4Magpie Dance’s Statistics 5

PARTICIPATION 6PERFORMANCE 10TRAINING 12

Work Placements & Interns 16Magpie Dance Out and About 17Awards 18Our Funders and Volunteers 19A tribute to Magpie Dance’s Founder 20Contact Back Cover

Adult and Community Groups: 1. To be healthy (100%) 2. To make friends (95%) 3. To build confidence (90%) 4. To gain independence (85%) 5. To get out of the house (85%) 6. To grow skills (70%)

Magpie Dance’s work is currently delivered in community, healthcare, dance, and education settings. Magpie Dance works primarily to: « Develop life skills and wellbeing

improvements specifically in communication, confidence, and co-operation

« Develop dance ability and provide progression routes both inside and outside of dance

« Provide a regular physical activity for people who may otherwise not have the chance to actively participate and learn in creative settings

« Change perceptions of care networks through training and professional development

Based on our monitoring and evaluation reports this year, Magpie Dance impacted:« 121 adults with learning

disabilities and their support workers who participated in open and accessible dance classes

« 163 young people aged 8-25 who participated in our Youth Group programme

« 20 adults with learning disabilities who developed choreographic skills in our Adult Group

« 23 adults with learning disabilities on the autistic spectrum and older adults (with some dementia) who took part in a Magpie Dance programme delivered in a healthcare setting for Oxleas NHS Trust

« 65 people with learning disabilities aged 8 to 50+ performed in mainstream venues for community, peer and professional audiences

Moving forward we aim to continue challenging public, parental and participant pre-conceptions about who can dance, why and how. The Highfliers programme will further challenge assumptions and pre-conceptions about aspiring to be a professional dancer with learning disabilities. This review will highlight the strands of our work: PARTICIPATION PERFORMANCE TRAINING

Magpie Dance’s Statistics


Youth Group: 1. To build confidence (78%) 2. To make friends (78%) 3. To grow their skills (72%) 4. To be healthy (67%) 5. To gain independence (67%)

At its heart, Magpie Dance supports people with learning disabilities to gain skills and to take part in the life of the community through dance.We asked participants the main reasons they attended Magpie sessions, the results were:

“Magpie Dance keeps me healthy and helps me to make friends. I wouldn’t have as much confidence as I have without Magpie. Nothing else I do is as fun as Magpie” Community Class participant

Don’t Yes No Maybe knowYouth Group Seniors 86% 0% 9% 5%Adult Group (AG) 83.3% 0% 8.3% 8.3%

Health improvements

We asked participants if they felt Magpie Dance had improved their health.

A summary of our Impact

Amelia Moore from Care UK Wellbeing Foundation presenting a cheque to our Youth Group dancers

Open Adult Community classes

Themes: taking part in regular physical activity, participating, building confidence and self-esteem.Classes take place in Bromley and Orpington, 30 weeks per year x 2 weekly sessions for up to 30 participants (including support workers) per class. Magpie Dance aims to reach those most in need, providing them with a continuous healthy activity to improve their training and skills. It also shows the participants’ ongoing commitment to these programmes of activity. “It is truly amazing what Magpie Dance does in helping develop confidence and life skills in their dancers. The team shows nothing but dedication and should be recognised for this”Parent of a Thursday Community Class participant

Adult Group (AG): for 25 years and older

Themes: choreography, skill development, performances, leadership, peer to peer learning.Classes take place in Bromley, 30 weeks per year for up to 20 participants. This group has increased in numbers due to the high retention of dancers and Youth Group participants moving up when they turn 26, we will be increasing the AG to 2 classes per week as from the Summer term. Established as the first Magpie Dance Group some 30 years ago, the AG meets weekly and focuses on technique (with dancers creating and leading exercises), choreography and creative skills.

We run programmes for adults and young people with learning disabilities, in both community and healthcare settings. During this year, we’ve attracted new people to attend and have enabled over 300 people to access regular dance activity through over 350 sessions. Highly skilled musicians accompany each session with live music, which adds to the dynamic atmosphere and is an integral part of Magpie Dance’s ethos.

Community Programmes

PARTICIPATION


Community Class Lead Facilitators: Alison Ferrao, Natasha Britton, Annie WallerCommunity Class Assistant Facilitators: Willow Pearce, Annie Waller, Katharine Le Roux and Sophie HookerAdult Group Director: Alison FerraoAssistant Facilitator: Sophie Hooker

This year, the AG performed ‘Gimme A Break’ at the Churchill Theatre in July (Big Dance 2016). Created in collaboration with Bea Pemberton (Complicite Theatre Company), the piece fused dance, physical theatre, video, sound effects, pre-recorded and live music. From Autumn the focus on technique / choreography led to four dancers performing their work at Orion School (Mill Hill) and Barclays bank (Piccaddilly Circus) for ‘Disabled Access Day’ (Spring 2017).

“I love the opportunity to express myself in the Adult Group and be with my friends” Adult Group participant

Left: Our Adult Group dancers with paralympian Sophie Christiansen at Barclays Disabled Access Day.

A partnership programme with the Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

We delivered a weekly dance programme to 23 participants with a range of complex learning disabilities including autism, dementia and mental health needs, over 20 weeks. The programme was supported by the Big Lottery Fund, Oxleas and Dunhill Medical Trust.Three main objectives for the programme were determined to discover the impacts on the participants in terms of the following:« Personal development - confidence,

self-esteem, communication« Improved wellbeing « Increased participation

Healthcare: Day Services Programmes“Due to medication side effects (within mental health) the patients can suffer weight gain and difficulty in movement (stiffness restricted movement), for this reason the Magpie Dance approach to exercise and movement is highly valued and successful in prompting activity and assisting movement. The level of patient’s learning disability and communication can vary greatly between the patients… Magpie Dance has shown that it is accessible to all patients.”

Speech and Language Therapist, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

PARTICIPATION

Youth Group (YG): for 8-25 year olds

Themes: taking part, choreography, skill development, performances, leadership, peer to peer learning.Classes take place in Bromley and Beckenham, 30 weeks per year x 5 weekly sessions for up to 20 participants per class, plus seven full days of holiday workshops and rehearsals for performances. The YG continues to deliver ground-breaking inclusive dance tailored to meet individual needs. Senior YG sessions are still very popular; we are building up the junior sessions on a Saturday as the word spreads through the community. After the Wednesday senior session and prior to the Saturday Junior and Senior sessions, an hour dance technique session takes place. These classes have been created to meet a growing demand from our participants for more formal contemporary dance technique training. The Wednesday session focuses on beginners level and the Saturday session is for those with more experience. Dancers from across the classes have the opportunity to perform, work towards Bronze Arts Awards and be nominated for Jack Petchey Achievement Awards.

Greenwich Dance drop-in class

Magpie Dance started a new ‘Inclusive Contemporary Beginners’ drop in session at Greenwich, this was set up in response to a gap in provision from Magpie Dance’s community led work and the Highfliers professional training programme (further details under training). The session is marketed for non–disabled and disabled participants. Greenwich Dance gives the space in kind as a partnership, and Magpie Dance supplies the delivery team, which includes live music. The session has proved a popular addition to Greenwich Dance’s weekly programme. Accompanied by live music, these sessions are a chance to strengthen contemporary dance skills in an inclusive setting for people with and without disabilities in a creative and professional setting.

Youth Group Director: Natasha Britton Junior Lead Facilitator: Annie WallerYouth Group Assistants (Junior / Senior): Sophie Hooker / Annie Waller / Erica MoshmanGreenwich Dance Co-Lead Facilitators: Elaine Foley and Erica Moshman


“It has made an increasing impact on the staff and clients, both physically and mentally.”

Senior Support Worker, Tall Trees day service

Atlas House / Tall Trees: Lead Facilitator: Alison Ferrao Assistant Facilitator: Nikki Webb

TOPS (The Older People’s Service): Lead Facilitator: Sophie Hooker Assistant Facilitator: Erica Moshman

PERFORMANCE Big Dance On the 8th July 2016 Highfliers performed at the Lilian Baylis, Sadler’s Wells as part of this national event to encourage people to get into dance. They performed ‘There Were Definitely Swans’.

Magpie Dance’s Adult Group also performed, the following night on the 9th July, in the Big Dance platform at The Churchill Theatre in Bromley. They premiered ‘Gimme a Break!’ which was a piece made in collaboration with Bea Pemberton from Complicite Theatre Company.

Positive Vibez This was a new youth platform which took place on the 23rd July 2016 at the Broadway Theatre, Catford. Our Saturday technique Youth Group performed ‘Tilt’.

Unlimited Festival This took place at The Southbank Centre on the 11th September 2016 and Highfliers performed ‘There Were Definitely Swans’.

Barclay’s Disabled Access event We were proud to be invited to perform at this prestigious event on the 10th March 2017 at Barclay’s Piccadilly Circus branch (attended by VIPs including a paralympic gold medallist); 4 of our Adult Group dancers performed.

DM Thomas Foundation Awards Ceremony at On the 17th March 2017 some of our Youth Group technique dancers performed at this event at the Hilton London Kensington.

Orion School This was a project that Magpie Dance was involved in weekly which culminated in a performance by the students of the school as well as 4 of our Adult Group Dancers on the 21st March 2017.

Audience feedback from Highfliers

“There Were Definitely Swans”“Where to begin? A humorous, moving, happy, sad slice of love, magic and passion - very very good” “I love it. Just incredible performers, choreography such strength and power in the dancers. Could watch them all day” “Humour, sadness fun and enjoyment portrayed beautifully and expressed so well controlled. The mix of dance and movement was stunning. Excellent performers.”


Candoco Anniversary PerformanceIn June 2016 Highfliers premiered their first performance of the full work, by choreographer Ben Duke (from Lost Dog) of ‘There Were Definitely Swans’ at Greenwich Dance.‘It was so great to share the stage with these amazing and talented people @MagpieDance #Highfliers’ @CandocoYD

Expressions This was an inclusive programme of work at the Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre at Northern Ballet, Leeds where Highfliers performed ‘There Were Definitely Swans’. Our Highflier dancers (and their professionalism) inspired other dancers to continue with their professional training.

Inclusive Dance double bill with Highfliers and Confidance Held at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Canterbury on the 24th June 2016, Highfliers performed ‘There Were Definitely Swans’ as part of this double bill to a packed audience and received a standing ovation. Highfliers also performed this piece on the 1st July at Rambert in a sharing of work.

This past year, Magpie Dance’s youth and adult groups performed at a number of prestigious venues.

Highfliers

Established in September 2014, and now into its third year, Highfliers is a unique and exciting training company for exceptional dancers with learning disabilities, carving the way to a professional career in dance. This is our only group under the Magpie Dance umbrella that needs to be auditioned for. In the Summer of 2016 Highfliers toured Ben Duke’s work entitled ‘There Were Definitely Swans’. The mini tour launched with a performance at Candoco’s Anniversary show in Greenwich, followed by a run of shows at Northern Ballet’s Expressions 2016 in Leeds, an Inclusive Dance Double Bill with Confidance at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Canterbury and Sadler’s Wells Big Dance at the Baylis to celebrate 10 years of Big Dance. ‘It was so great to share the stage with these amazing and talented people @MagpieDance #Highfliers’ @CandocoYD

The mini-tour ended with a personal performance at Rambert studios for staff and other guests. In Spring 2017 the dancers continued to rehearse this piece as another tour is planned.“Highfliers has brought [my daughter] out of herself. It’s broadened her friendships and she’s become more organised and responsible for herself. She’s become more independent and gained maturity. The exercise and discipline have been very positive and she’s become more accepting of other people’s disabilities and difference.” Parent of Highfliers dancer

Peer mentoring

Our Peer Mentoring programme continues to thrive as 4 adults with learning disabilities have successfully completed the 3-module course over the past year in Magpie Dance’s regular weekly youth and adult group sessions.The peer mentors are monitored as trainees and their skill development is recorded. The progression for them as dance participants to peer mentors is evidence of their learning and development during Magpie Dance. Furthermore, there are opportunities beyond peer mentoring roles, for people who respond well to this training. For example, volunteering in other Magpie Dance sessions. These roles have now

TRAINING Magpie Dance continues as a recognised school of CDET dance provision this year. We are also delighted to now be an affiliate member of CDET. Magpie Dance’s training has breadth and depth to it, crossing sectors in dance, education and health.


Highfliers internal assessor Jemima HoadleyHighfliers external assessors Charlotte Darbyshire & Rachel Krische Highfliers Assistant Facilitator Melissa Spiccia

been formally acknowledged and each mentor has an agreement in place with their responsibilities outlined and training is provided.

External training provision

Magpie Dance’s ethos and work focus is on inclusion and achievement. Our values and working methods inform all the training we offer. Our programme of training includes a number of packages delivered by experienced Magpie Dance practitioners and musicians in a variety of settings ranging from workshops in schools to professional development days for corporations.

Over the period of this review we have delivered training to:« Charlton Athletic; a workshop

for young people with learning disabilities

« Grays Farm Primary School; workshops for young people with learning disabilities from their school and a local special school

« Bradfields Academy; Mentoring for teachers; they took part in six days of mentoring to guide the teachers to confidently deliver dance to pupils with learning disabilities

« Central School of Ballet; Professional Development training for ballet teachers

« Royal Academy of Dance (RAD); Professional Development training for year two students – a session on Magpie Dance’s methods and approaches to working inclusively. Two Magpie dancers were role models for the RAD students so they had first hand experience of working with individuals with learning disabilities

« Orion School; they took part in dance workshops weekly for ten weeks and then held two performances at the school to showcase their work, with a guest appearance from some of the AG dancers

« East Thames Group; a taster session for adults with learning disabilities

« Professional development at Trinity Laban; LINKED partnership is an ambitious initiative that brings together Candoco, Trinity Laban, Greenwich Dance and Magpie Dance and their considerable expertise to substantially increase dance participation and opportunities for learning and physically disabled children and young people (CYP) and their families across South East London. Magpie Dance delivered a PD day for students on the DDTAL course at Trinity Laban with our LINKED partners. Over 20 students took part in the day which included practical sessions from each company along with time for discussions and questions and answers.

« Canterbury Christ Church University (CCU); the fourth time that Magpie Dance delivered this training to 20 CCU students as part of their dance education degree course. Students undertook a day of professional development, learning about Magpie Dance methods and a practical day at St Nicholas special school

« Inclusive Dance Practice Training (IDPT); Sian Kenrick and Megan Clements undertook the IDPT intensive training within Magpie Dance youth group and community class sessions

“It has been a wonderful and challenging course. I never thought I would get the opportunity to train in Inclusive Dance. You have taught me so much, that to try and list it all it would take many emails. Thank you for a your fantastic teaching, mentoring and encouragement.” Sian Kenrick feedback – IDPT


« Winnie Lee - studying Psychology at the University of Buffalo, Singapore who took part in a CAPA internship with Magpie Dance and supported all dance sessions. Winnie helped to assist on the organisation of a number of exciting performances and projects as well as supported the early stages of our CRM system data upload. She circulated marketing materials, manned stalls and advocated for Magpie Dance throughout her placement.

« Hannah Edwards – a student in her final year BA Dance degree student from the University of Kingston and undertook a placement at Magpie Dance to complete her work placement module Access to Dance.

Work Placements & Interns


Magpie Dance is dedicated to helping others acquire knowledge about learning disability and is passionate about providing opportunities for students to gain experience in the dance and charity sectors.

Magpie Dance Out and AboutMagpie Dance delivered workshops at the following places:

« Bromley Parent Voice fun day (youth) at Trinity Church of England School, Bromley.

« Bromley and Orpington Gateway Club (adult) at Crofton Halls, Orpington.

« Family fun day at Bexleyheath Sports Club.

« Liberty Festival at The Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic Park, London.

Demonstrations

« Highfliers demonstrated a warm up session and class at Move it 2016 at the London Excel Centre, London.

Magpie Dance attended the following conferences:

« Avril Hitman attended the British Association of Arts Therapists conference.

« Jessica Richards attended the ITC Managing Uncertainty conference at the Lyric Hammersmith, London.

Events

« Nash College open day in Bromley« Sevenoaks School Dance Show – all

proceeds donated to Magpie Dance « Bromley College Transition Event

« The Tate Exchange event hosted by Trinity Laban discussing ‘What is participatory art?’ at the Tate London.

In the past year, we welcomed: « Rachel Sew - studying Applied

Developmental Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh and took part in a CAPA summer internship. Rachel helped with marketing regular sessions, volunteered for classes, uploaded news content on to the website and helped assist with the logistics for the Highfliers Summer Tour 2016.

« Sophie Ashwood - a student at Bishop Challoner School on a week’s placement helping in the office and in classes. Sophie commented:

“I found it really insightful to help people with learning disabilities within a dance environment. I feel I have gained a lot of skills in various ways regarding social interactions. I have also thoroughly enjoyed working in the office and would like to thank you for making me feel so welcome”

« Poppy French - a student at Darrick Wood Secondary School on a week’s placement as above.

Magpie Dance Friends Scheme

Friends play a vital role in securing Magpie Dance’s future as we do not receive core long-term funding. We have four levels of membership from Bronze (at £5 per month) to Associate Friends (at £50 per month). Memberships are paid monthly and you can join at any point during the year, by post or over the phone. Enjoy great benefits while helping Magpie Dance achieve success each year.For further information on becoming a Friend and to join, please contact us on [email protected]

Magpie Dance in the Media

Magpie Dance has featured in several articles across our areas of expertise; including dance (London Dance, Arts Professional, One – the One Dance UK Magazine, People Dancing Foundation for Community Dance), health, disability (Disability Arts Online) as well as featured prominently in the local press (Daily Record, Bromley Times, New Shopper, Biggin Hill & Orpington today, Sevenoaks Chronicle) and nationally (Mencap, ET Now, Bright Shadow).

“I had an amazing time at Magpie Dance” Winnie Lee (Right)

Awards


Jack Petchey Achievers Award

The following Youth Group members gained a Jack Petchey Achievers Award: Katie Morgan, Olivia Spencer and James Bowers. Each winner was invited to a medal presentation at The Churchill Theatre. Our Jack Petchey Grants Officer visited us at the end of the Spring term and was so impressed with how well the scheme is running, that we have been promoted from Bronze to Silver. This means that we will now be able to recognize the achievements of six winners a year instead of three.

One Dance UK Inaugural Dance Teaching Awards 2017

The One Dance UK (the national body for dance) Dance Teaching Awards champion the fantastic work of the many talented and committed people and organisations who provide dance opportunities for children and young people right across the UK. Magpie Dance’s Artistic & Executive Director, Avril Hitman BEM, was shortlisted down to the final 3 for The Lifetime Achievers Award.

New Years Honours 2017

The British Empire Medal (BEM) is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the British monarchy. Her Majesty the Queen approved Magpie Dance’s Artistic & Executive Director, Avril Hitman, be awarded a BEM in the New Year 2017 Honours List. Avril received this at the Tower of London on the 21st April (see picture on page 23) and attended the Queens Garden party on the 1st June.The Chair of Magpie Dance, Mark Dempsey, commented:“This award is a fantastic recognition of the inspirational work that Avril has undertaken in founding Magpie Dance and contributing hugely to its success over 30+ years. It also reflects the dedication, professionalism, and commitment of all of those who have been inspired by Avril at Magpie Dance, through her journey in making it the award winning charity that it is. I am delighted that Avril has been recognised in this prestigious award which is thoroughly deserved.”

Thank you to all of Magpie Dance’s staff, freelancers,

trustees, volunteers, individual supporters, friends,

participants and carers for their continued support.

Our Funders – grateful thanks…

« Arts Council England« Awards for All« Barchester Healthcare Foundation« Brian Murtagh Charitable Trust« Bromley Adult Education College« Bromley Community Fund« Care UK Wellbeing Foundation« City Bridge Trust « Douglas Arter Foundation« Dunhill Medical Trust « Emerton Christy Charity« Esmee Fairbairn Foundation « Foyle Foundation« Garfield Weston Foundation« Local Sustainability Fund« London Catalyst« People's Postcode Trust « The Big Lottery Fund« Sir Jules Foundation« St James Place Foundation« The Cutler Trust« True and Fair Foundation

VolunteersWe are very grateful to all our volunteers who have supported Magpie participants on projects and performances this past year.

Our volunteers were: • Megan Clements• Zee Rizvi• Erica Moshman • Hannah Dempsey• Lydia Cowcher• Ella Fleetwood• Rosie Dixon• Rachel Baggarley • Soraya Mitchell • Heather Blee• Hannah Dempsey• Amy Lovelock • Lorena Shackleford• Eden Seabourne• Mike Turner – Lee• Sian Kenrick• Eleanor Roberts

A tribute to Magpie Dance’s Founding Artistic Director

Avril founded Magpie in 1985 after graduating and working for 10 years teaching ballet, modern and tap to a range of young people and adults. Avril was looking for a new challenge in her work, so she approached SHAPE to see if they could put her in touch with any practitioners working with learning disabled people. They introduced her to Wolfgang Stange, founder of AMICI, and as soon as she joined in with one of the sessions he was leading, she knew that this was what she wanted to do; to work with, and provide opportunities for people with learning disabilities. Avril began delivering creative dance sessions for adults with learning disabilities who were all new to dance at the Astley Day Centre in Bromley for just 45 minutes each week. She worked pretty much alone for the first seven years with two very good volunteers. Following a successful first residency with the London Contemporary Dance Trust in 1992, she then secured a £40,000 grant for one year to kick-start Magpie Dance’s work. In 1996 Magpie Dance was established as a

During the last period of this review Magpie Dance’s Artistic & Executive Director and Founder, Avril Hitman, gave notice of her retirement with effect of July 2017.

Company Limited by Guarantee and in 1997 it became a registered charity.As time went on Avril knew that she needed to bring more people on board if Magpie Dance was to stand a chance of growing, flourishing and becoming more sustainable. Now in 2017 we have 3 members of staff, a board of 10 trustees and 20+ freelancers, including facilitators and professional musicians delivering over 350 sessions for over 300 participants aged 8 upwards through high quality dance participation, performance and training both nationally and internationally.


22 Annual Review April 2016 - March 2017 23Annual Review April 2016 - March 2017

Avril’s work has been recognised by the British monarchy as she was awarded with a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the New Year 2017 Honors List. Avril received this at the Tower of London on the 21st April and attended the Queens Garden party on the 1st June (as already mentioned under the ‘Awards’ section of this review). She has also been shortlisted for 2 Lifetime Achievers Awards with One Dance UK and the National Diversity Awards 2017.

Avril is an inspirational organization head with an unwavering dedication to her job and to the continued development of inclusive dance, the community and dance industry. The Magpie Dance team, from trustees to staff, to the dancers and their families, would like to wish Avril a wonderful retirement, spending time with her husband and family (including six grandchildren!) and from behalf of all of us...

...a warm hearted thank you.

“Avril Hitman has shone a light on learning disability through her visionary creativity and determination that dance be open to all.” Magpie Dance parent

Documents

020 8290 6633 Chief Executive General ... - Magpie Dance · TIGER BAY DESIGN Chair of Trustees Mark Dempsey Artistic and Executive Director ... Magpie Dance The Churchill Theatre