My London: Dance & Social Action Project

My London engages young people in social action; developing awareness of social issues, enabling young people to investigate and express ideas about these issues through dance, and act to make change. The project builds young people’s agency, voice and power to positively impact participants’ well-being.

Trinity Laban is one of five organisations in the My London: Enabling Youth Social Action Greenwich and Lewisham Partnership. We are working in partnership with METRO Charity, Charlton Athletic Community Trust, Tramshed, and Lewisham Youth Theatre. Young people working with each organisation come together to plan and lead joint social action activities over a two-year period through a Youth Steering Group, alongside activities within each organisation.

Together, we have looked at different ways that dance can address social issues and call for change. We’re reaching beyond traditional approaches to campaigning, considering what role dance can play and how it has the power to effect change for both audiences and participants. 

Young people learn and express in different ways. Dance facilitates a space for young people to feel comfortable in expressing themselves.

          My London Participant

So far, this has included investigating how choreography that confronts a social issue can communicate to audiences in deep, visceral ways. Dancers worked with Choreographer Joseph Toonga to understand his approach to creating professional dance work ‘Born to Protest’, which challenges racial stigma through dance that celebrates Black joy and shares the trauma of racism. Young dancers’ experiences of Joseph’s approach informed their ideas about working with dance in this way. 

Young people sought to communicate their concerns with gender stereotypes through the creation of new dance performance and film. This was informed by their work with Choreographer Sarah Blanc and her performance piece Punk Alley, which seeks to communicate that no matter how loud or soft their voice is – what you have to say is important.  

Young dancers have created Dance for Film. Normality uses dance and spoken word to ask audiences to question their acceptance of the status quo and bring change to the world around them. 

To reach participants, as well as audiences, young dancers have designed and created a workshop for their peers to experience their learning and approaches to working with dance to call for action on the issues that matter to them.  These practical insights seek to galvanise more young people to engage with dance as a vehicle for social change. Young People led the workshop at a My London Super Summit and a Youth Dance Day at Trinity Laban. 

Our latest film documents our learning across the My London project. The film was screened at City Hall in February 2024. 

Dance evokes expression in those who are watching and can create a shift in us.

           My London Participant

To learn more about My London project visit: https://mylondonsocialaction.com/

Contact: youthprogramme@trinitylaban.ac.uk