At Ben Rydoding, a full hall at St. John's Church, we gathered for a special preview event for the new dance documentary, “Joy O'Dance,” to explore that question.
Directed by local filmmaker Dawn Feather, the 20-minute film appeared last year when Dawn was asked to prepare for his latest production at Kings Hall to create a short promotional film for Light Theatre Arts (WTA). Dawn was impressed by how confident, resilient and happy the younger students were, and had the idea of exploring in detail how they became so comfortable in their skin and as a dance family.
Those who participated in the film, along with their families, crew and supporters of the film, made up much of the audience, and representatives from local schools were also warmly welcomed to support their students.
The key theme of this film was the physical and mental health benefits of dance, the way students could find a community, and it was appropriate that the efforts were supported by the wider community. The WTA is particularly pleased to welcome representatives of the Ilkley Town Council, Mayor of Deputy Council Jane Gibson and Councillor Amanda Simmons, as the event was made possible through the grant awarded to the WTA by the Ilkley Town Council, through the urban culture of Bradford 2025 Culture.
Before the documentary screening, WTA dance students performed a series of powerful choreographies that shared their experiences in how dance becomes a safe and welcoming outlet. The work showed that dance can provide students with a rest from social media and other pressures they face. Dance showed the importance of finding like-minded friends and the place to express yourself. While dance sets the tone and explains the world that some children face, they also gave hints about how important dance is to these students, through the quality of their performance. How does the dance make you feel when the audience is perfectly featured in the opening question of the documentary?
The film used the background of the show to cleverly ties the story together, exploring the themes of self-esteem, boy dancing, self-expression, and 18-year-old twin senior dancers Lois and Darcy Bagnal.
Dawn said: “Dance is more than movement – it's belonging, expression, strength. Joy of Dance follows the young Yorkshire performers, preparing for a milestone show, embracing traditional ballet discipline in the spirit of Yorkshire.”
Through the documentary, we show how the dance and dance community created by the WTA have supported the physical and important mental health of these young people, especially during periods of hardship, stress, exams and heart-warming during COVID.
WTA Principal Lynn Wright said, “Quaranty took the lives of students. When lockdown ended and the kids returned to dancing directly rather than on screen, it was difficult for them to communicate or lift their heads. The power of dance, we never broke York at the performing arts school.”
The preview audience was moved by laughter and tears. The film is lyrically beautiful, showing the excitement, calmness and joy that dance brings to performers, bringing the children's positive views to the face, as opposed to what is often portrayed in the media. The documentary had its own score, complementing the dance, story and energy of the work, especially suited to the appearance of Ilkley's landscapes as characters.
The audience was then treated to a Q&A hosted by Smiller, director Dawnfeather and WTA principal Lynn Wright. This gave Dawn an insight into the filmmaking process and the stories that inspired him to make the film. Dawn explained that he wanted to show the story through the voices of children talking about their experiences. It's not an adult-created version. Therefore, there are very few adult voices in the film.
The event also helped solidify the bonds students have as dance families. They talked about how proud they were to see themselves on screen, how exciting it was, and it was clear that both students and parents would see the emotional stuff they found. Again they had a living experience of payoffs of hard work and commitment over a very enjoyable evening.
Joy O'Dance will have a premiere soon, and Dawn hopes it will be shown at national and international film festivals. The WTA was fortunate to keep previews of the cast and crew. And the transformative joys of dancing were experienced at Ben Rideding this weekend. First question – “How do dance feel?” – Answered: Dance means community, creativity, self-expression, laughter, joy.
For those interested in the future of the documentary, or who want to use it in an educational environment after its release, Dawn Feather can be found at Yorkshireedit.co.uk.
The WTA is accepting freshmen in their classes after Easter. There are already many boys in the dance school, but they are even more welcome! Please come and seek out a free trial class. wtadance.academy has timetables and contact information.
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