The Grey Panthers supporting the next generation of NT dancers

Grey Panthers Youth Development Fund

In 2018 The Grey Panthers launch their Youth Development Fund and performed on stage at Fresh Tracks with the inaugural recipient Will Nery.

Darryl Butler has danced with the Grey Panthers for seven year’s and in 2017 suggested to the Troupe that by making weekly donations of spare change they could raise funds to support a new generation of NT dancers. The whole group got behind the idea and the Grey Panther Youth Development Fund was born.

Darryl described his motivation as: ‘Tracks has given us so many opportunities to do things we wouldn’t otherwise do and we want to give back and give something to younger dancers, offer a helping hand.’

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Leah Cato, Drew Holloway & Taylah Anderson (2019)

This year the Grey Panthers decided to support 3 exceptional young dancers from the NT to travel down for the Australian Youth Dance Festival where they would be immersed in workshops, classes, performances, discussions and networking with young dancers and their leaders from across the country and internationally.

Successful applicants Drew Holloway, Taylah Anderson and Leah Cato all expressed that dance is an integral aspect of their lives and future aspirations, and the Grey Panthers were impressed with their dedication to dance in their communities. Drew and Taylah will be travelling to the Festival from Darwin, and Leah from Alice Springs.

Taylah said in her application video, “I can’t help but dance, so to be with other people like that and to learn so many different techniques and ways to do it would just be so eye opening. It will benefit me to improve my skills from now where I want to take my dancing from a hobby into a career.”

Listen: ABC Radio interview with Marge, Jenni and Drew speaking about the 2019 recipients going to the Austraian Youth Dance Festival

Will Nery (2018)

The inaugural recipient of the Grey Panthers Youth Development Fund.

With no tertiary dance education in Darwin, Tracks Choreographic Intensive is the NT’s flagship annual development program for emerging choreographers. Will Nery’s participation in the program was supported through the Youth Development Fund.

Will has been passionate about dance since he was five years old when his sibling brought home a DVD of a world champion break dancing crew. Since that time he has been driven to perfect his head spin and break dancing style.

“To be involved in the Choreographic Intensive program [and Fresh Tracks] for me, means to represent young people in the dance community here in Darwin, especially male dancers”, said Will Nery who went on to say “The message I wanna convey [through my dance] is that dance can connect anyone and everyone.”

Darryl described Will’s motivation to connect people through dance as ‘a big tick for the Grey Panthers.’

Watch: Darryl and Will speaking about the 2018 Grey Panthers Youth Development Fund

 

 

02/08/2018