What is the Aspire Dance Mentoring Scheme about?

• The Aspire Dance Mentoring Scheme is a joint initiative by the Council for Dance Education and Training and London Youth Dance. It is a three tiered mentoring scheme which partners up a young person showing particular promise and ambition with a vocational dance student, in turn matched with a professional mentor.

Why is it important?

• The Aspire Dance Mentoring Scheme is designed to open up communication between aspiring young dancers and those in professional training.
• The participants are encouraged to communicate regularly of their own accord and meet up outside of the scheme whenever they can.

What are the opportunities and benefits for the young people, students and professionals involved in Aspire?

• A number of workshops and theatre visits are scheduled throughout the scheme's duration in order to both stimulate conversation and also to expose young people, students and professionals to the facilities and services provided by Londons' dance agencies and venues.
• Group visits have included in the past: The Place to see 'Fresh', The Southbank Centre to see 'Into the Hoods', Greenwich Dance Agency to attend the GDA Cabaret, Sadler's Well's to see Swan Lake.

• Each young person will also have the opportunity to visit their vocational mentors' school and shadow them for a day — getting a valuable and sometimes shock-inducing insight into the life of a full time dance student.

• A package of resources is offered as thanks to the Aspire professional mentors.
• If you are a young person (aged 13 - 16) that would like more information about the Aspire scheme please contact Connect at London Youth Dance on connect@sadlerswells.com.
• If you are a vocational student and would like more information about the scheme please contact CDET on info@cdet.org.uk. Please note that only vocational students who attend one of CDET's accredited vocational schools will be eligible to apply. Students should have notification of the scheme through their school and can only apply if they are nominated by their Principal.
• If you are a professional within the dance industry and are interested in getting involved with the scheme please contact CDET on info@cdet.org.uk or call 020 7240 5703 for further information.

Please visit the London Youth Dance website for current photos, updates and news on this year's participants.