What to expect at a DCD EVOLVE digital workshop

At the outbreak of the pandemic last year, we acted quickly to make sure that dancers could continue to access our EVOLVE workshops, especially at a time when DCD’s work supporting dancers through professional and personal change has never been more essential.

Our EVOLVE workshops were reformatted for the digital space, becoming EVOLVE Digital – a series of free, online career development workshops for all dancers in the UK, facilitated by DCD Director of Coaching, Isabel Mortimer.

Here’s what you can expect:

Attending DCD’s EVOLVE workshop can be a really powerful experience, wherever you are in your dance career. You will meet dancers from different backgrounds and at different stages of their career.

You will hear from inspirational speakers about their own personal experience of career transition and we share some tools and models that help you to understand a bit more about the emotions, reactions and mindsets that can occur during transition.

The session is a mixture of group discussion, sharing, listening, personal reflection, visioning exercises and break out rooms.

They are 3.5 hour workshops held over zoom and include a 20 minute break.

The sessions are totally confidential and Isabel creates a non-judgemental and supportive space for all.

We encourage interaction, while also respecting individuals’ right to observe and limit their engagement as they need to. There is no expectation for you to say, contribute or do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. You may choose to turn your camera on or off – you are encouraged to look after your wellbeing and to let the facilitator or DCD staff member know if you have any needs we can support you with both before, during or after the session e.g. if you’d rather not be put into breakout rooms.

As part of our commitment to making our workshops accessible to all, the workshops have summary notes that are shared with participants afterwards. This should allow you the space to be present in the session, safe in the knowledge that comprehensive notes are being made for you.  We are happy to also accommodate any other accessibility needs any dancer might have.

Participants have said they found the workshops “very inspiring, insightful – I felt connected and heard again. Super important to lift our spirits up collectively, given all the uncertainty around us” and “an incredibly fulfilling and energising afternoon. I gained a clarity I didn’t even think was possible.”

Look out for the next EVOLVE Digital workshop on Friday 9th July: ‘Anything is possible, dreaming big’, which explores how, as dancers, we can embrace our resourcefulness and continue to dream big.

Book your place by clicking here or click here to find out more.

This programme is kindly supported by the Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund and DCD Partner Companies.