A talented teenage dancer from Hexham will perform at Dance City in Newcastle next month as part of a prestigious national tour by the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC).

Daisy Dancer,18, will be on stage performing in “MADHEAD” which will tour across the country from April 20 taking it to Ipswich, Plymouth, Newcastle, Essex, Brighton, Birmingham before a final performance at Sadler’s Wells in July.

Now in its seventh year, NYDC brings together the brightest talent from across the country, and this year’s company of 38 young dancers, once again includes Northumberland youngster Daisy Dancer. Two performances will take place at Dance City in Newcastle on 29 June at 2pm and 7:30pm.

Daisy is currently studying for her A‘Levels at Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham and also participates in the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) Programme at Dance City which she joined in 2012 and where she now studies contemporary dance and ballet.

Madhead is a newly commissioned work choreographed by Olivier Award winning 2018/2019 guest Artistic Director Botis Seva. MADHEAD draws on the robust, exuberant, impulsive energy of youth culture to embrace that as its identity. Botis Seva’s unique movement language of physical theatre and hip hop, along with the youthful energy of the NYDC dancers, drawn from across the country, illustrates the influence and creativity that emerging dance artists can bring to a professional dance collaboration.

Daisy said: “I really enjoyed the experience of performing with NYDC last year and am thrilled to be part of this prestigious show once again. It’s great being a part of and performing with NYDC on their national tour and being with all of these talented dancers back at Dance City will just be incredible. I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Spending two years with NYDC, on top of my CAT training at Dance City has really helped me to improve my confidence inside and outside of the studio, and that I feel very grateful to be a part of something so exciting and new in the world of dance! I am really looking forward to seeing how my own style and technique can develop over the next few years training at the London Contemporary Dance School!”

The Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) at Dance City is part of the DfE Music & Dance scheme offering a contemporary dance training programme for northeast youngsters aged between 10 and 16, who demonstrate an exceptional talent or potential in contemporary dance.

The CAT programme is part of The Training Academy at Dance City which offers formal, professional dance training at all levels from children aged 10 to postgraduate level, all uniquely offered within a dance house where professionals, students and the wider community mingle together, offering a totally different learning environment and experience to other dance courses.

“Seeing dancers from the North East on exceptional national tours always makes Dance City proud,” said Anthony Baker, CEO and artistic director. “Many professional dance careers start here at Dance City and one of our aims is to support the region in retaining its talent.

“Our future plans are all about ensuring that people in the North East have the same or even better cultural opportunities as the rest of the country. And that applies to students, performers and the audience.”

NYDC has established a reputation for producing high quality performances from a company of talented young dancers who are courageous, diverse and keen to make their mark on the dance world. The new line up of NYDC dancers are given the opportunity to engage with dance through working at the highest level, alongside an artistic team with exceptional standards and artistic integrity.

Botis Seva, NYDC Guest Artistic Director, said: “My time with NYDC has been humbling to say the least. The dancers of NYDC have a strong and unique drive, determination and work ethic which is teaching me that we have a bigger responsibility as artists to lead the future generation.”

Joce Giles, Sadler’s Wells’ Director of Learning & Engagement, said: “NYDC champions the important role that dance can play in the lives of young people and celebrates the exceptional talent that exists in this country. The company has a strong track record of nurturing young dancers from a whole range of dance styles and connecting them with some of the most exciting choreographers making work today. Botis Seva is an artist working at the cutting edge of choreography and his work will inspire the NYDC company members as well as the hundreds of other young people who will engage with the company this year.”

To find out more about NYDC’s performances of ‘MADHEAD’ at Dance City and book your tickets click here.