Move makes dance dream a reality
Local
The sight and sound of children playing in the schoolyard may have ceased but there is plenty of action happening on the site of the former St Teresa’s Catholic School at Brighton which is now home to Tutti Arts.
With students from St Teresa’s moving across to McAuley Community School at Hove at the beginning of the school year, the former school buildings were transformed into a venue for performing and visual arts programs for people with a disability.
After COVID-19 delayed the commencement of programs on the new site, a staggered reopening took place with the first classes resuming on June 9.
Tutti Arts CEO and artistic director Pat Rix said everyone was delighted to be in the new studios.
“It’s like a whole new world is opening up,” she said.
“We have space, we can easily collaborate across art forms, and it makes possible those little conversations that might spark wonderful projects.
“We’re right at the beginning of this lovely journey and we’re really looking forward to getting to know the local community and creating opportunities for cultural participation.”
Moving to the new and larger premises also has enabled Tutti Arts to add to its suite of offerings with a contemporary dance program for adults with a disability commencing last month.
Pat said artists had been asking for a dance program for years and there were 12 people on the waiting list.
“Now that we have this wonderful new performing arts centre with a Tarkett dance floor, we can make it a reality,” she said.
Led by former principal dancer with the Finnish National Ballet Juha Vanhakartano, experienced dancer-choreographer Juliette Griffin, and recent musical theatre graduate Brenton Shaw, each morning session explores elements of contemporary dance through stretch, balance, body conditioning, and dance class.
In the afternoon, the focus is on the evolution of scenic choreography in dance and music theatre, and the development of new and original work.
For more information on the contemporary dance class and other programs, contact Tutti Arts on 8166 6430.
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