Muckle LLP helps Dance City reach new special festive audience
Over 100 young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their carers enjoyed an exclusive relaxed performance of The Little Prince at Dance City last week with the support from us.
The ‘especially relaxed’ matinee performance was organised to ensure that as many people as possible got the chance to enjoy a dance show this year. Sponsored by ourselves this is the first time that Dance City has put on an exclusive relaxed performance which enabled 104 young people and their carers from across the North East, to watch a world class dance performance in Newcastle.
Jill Donabie, partner said: “It was a really lovely event. The children who attended really seemed to enjoy it a lot and were clearly thrilled to meet the dancers at the end. It was a privilege to play a part in making it possible for the children to have that experience and to give something back to our local community at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed the show too!”
Dance City has staged a number of relaxed performances, which are open to all but especially those that would benefit from a relaxed performance including people with an Autism Spectrum Condition, sensory and communication disorders or a learning disability.
At these performances, the usual theatre ‘rules’ don’t apply and the audience is enabled to explore the theatre before the show, shown where to go if they need a break out zone, given lots of information about what to expect, and sensory adjustments including lower volume of sound, and lights remaining on during the performance.
Caroline Greener, Head of Communications, Dance City said “It is great to see new audiences enjoying world class performances at Dance City. Earlier this year we crowdfunded new seats for our theatre which offer much greater accessible access, along with the support from Muckle this has enabled many people who wouldn’t ordinarily get the chance to enjoy live dance on stage to come along this Christmas. We are hoping that this will open up a new world of cultural experience for many of the teachers, pupils and carers at the schools we already work with, in our community activities.”
The Little Prince show is based on the well-loved and world-famous story by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. One of the most-translated books in the world, The Little Prince has been voted the best book of the 20th century in France, translated into 300 languages and dialects, and sold nearly two million copies annually. It has become one of the best-selling books ever published.
Each year we give 1% of our profits to the Muckle Fund at the Community Foundation and we've now donated over £500,000 in grants to local charitable causes since it started its fund. Everyone who works at Muckle receives two days’ annual volunteering leave to support North East community projects they care about, and the firm regularly provides its services to small North East charities for free – giving away up to £100,000 of legal advice each year.
Dance City is the North East’s leading development organisation for dance biggest dance employer in the north of England. Last year ticket sales grew by 12%, with 10,000 tickets sold for performances. There were 45,000 attendances at dance classes across the year; and it also works with 20,000 people in the community.
For more information, help or advice please contact Jill Donabie on 0191 211 7919 or email [email protected].