Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

1. Executive Summary

2. Project Overview

An outline of the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project

3. Project Activity

4. Project Aims and Outcomes

An overview of the aims and outcomes set for Dance Factor

27

and how this will inform the future development of the project

7. Sustainability

22

A summary of feedback received about Dance Factor Lincolnshire 2015

6. Project Evaluation
An outline of learning gained from Dance Factor Lincolnshire 2015

17

Lincolnshire 2015 and a review of the evidence gained to highlight

how these have been achieved

5. Project Feedback

A description of Dance Factor Lincolnshire 2015

29

A summary of actions taken post the Dance Factor Lincolnshire 2015 project

8. Conclusion

30

9. Appendices

31

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire is a county wide youth dance project, which offers 10 weeks of free street
dance sessions to young people aged 11-18, targeting those who live in either deprived and/or
isolated areas of Lincolnshire

Following the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project:

89.33% of young people said that taking part has inspired them to join more clubs within their
community

In 2015, 29 Dance Factor Lincolnshire sites were selected in areas across Lincolnshire, where street
dance sessions were delivered

100% of young people said that the project had helped them get to know more young people in
their area

To promote the project, free street dance taster sessions were delivered to 256 young people in local
schools across Lincolnshire

98% of young people said that the project had helped them to make new friends

24 dance artists were employed from the county to deliver Dance Factor Lincolnshire sessions

82.55% of young people felt more connected/part of their local area after taking part in the project

427 young people attended Dance Factor Lincolnshire sessions across the ten weeks, leading to a
district Semi Final event held in a professional theatre venue

92.62% of young people stated that the project had helped prevent them feeling bored or lonely

88% of young people said that the project had helped improve their confidence when meeting
new people

73.65% of young people said that the project had improved their ability to communicate their
thoughts, feelings and ideas to each other

The Dance Factor Lincolnshire Semi Finals created 5 new performance opportunities for young people
and attracted a total of 770 audience members
5 professional theatre venues from the Lincolnshire One Venues (LOV) network hosted the Dance
Factor Lincolnshire Semi Finals, with events featuring performances by local musicians from the LOV
Young Peoples Programme
A number of local dance organisations, companies and schools were invited to perform at each Dance
Factor Lincolnshire Semi Final event, increasing young peoples awareness of dance activity in their area
2 crews from each Dance Factor Lincolnshire Semi Final were selected by a panel of dance industry
judges to go on to perform at the Dance Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final

The Dance Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final, held at the Engine Shed in Lincoln, saw 14 groups
compete with over 700 audience members attending

On the Grand Final day, the 15 runner up groups all received free tickets to watch the show and a day
of free workshops with professional dance artists

Professional dance company Impact Dance were commissioned to create a new dance piece for the
Dance Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final, with the event compered by Hakeem Onibudo, a red carpet
event host

Dance industry judges crowned 3 winning groups under the categories Overall Dance Factor
Champions, Best Newcomer and Best Choreography

These 3 groups were given the opportunity to go on to perform at Lincoln Castles Magna Party
alongside professional dance troupe Diversity and in front of an audience of 4,000 people

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Since the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project has finished:

8 Dance Factor sessions have continued to run in the local community

10 young people who took part in Dance Factor Lincolnshire have successfully auditioned for
redXco, Lincolnshires Hip Hop Youth Dance Company

2 young people who took part in Dance Factor Lincolnshire have successfully gained places on the
professionally led Summer School programme run by Chantry Dance Company

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire is a

county wide youth dance project,
which offers ten weeks of free
street dance sessions to young
people aged 11-18. Brand new
street dance crews are formed
across Lincolnshire and rehearsals
are led by a professional dance
teacher. Sessions are free and
open to young people of all levels
of ability and dance experience.
All crews then compete in a
district semi final event held at
a professional theatre venue,
with two crews from each district
selected to perform at the Dance
Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final for
the chance to be crowned Dance
Factor Lincolnshire Champions.

Dance Factor Sessions

Twenty nine Dance Factor sites were chosen across Lincolnshire for the delivery of street dance sessions.
Four sites were selected in each of the following districts: Boston Borough, South Holland, South
Kesteven, North Kesteven, West Lindsey, East Lindsey, and five were chosen in the City of Lincoln. Areas
were chosen through consultation, both with project partners and the local communities themselves. This
allowed the identification of locations where antisocial behaviour/deprivation or isolation is a significant
issue facing young people and thus where Dance Factor Lincolnshire sessions would be most beneficial.
In order to deliver sessions in the twenty nine Dance Factor Lincolnshire sites, twenty four dance artists were
recruited from within the county. This gave the opportunity for local dance artists to engage further with
young people in their community, provided opportunities for University students and graduates from the
area to gain further teaching experience, and allowed existing dance teachers to connect and network with
each other. Prior to commencing teaching on Dance Factor Lincolnshire, all teachers attended a training
and vision session in which the expectations, ethos and purpose of the project were outlined, as well as
receiving some additional training in the fundamentals of street dance and hip hop movement.

Dance Factor Lincolnshire gives young people the opportunity to access dance in their local area,
removing barriers associated with rural isolation, which is particularly prevalent across the county. As a
free project, Dance Factor Lincolnshire further enables dance to be enjoyed by young people in deprived
regions of the county, and evening sessions allow young people to engage in a positive diversionary
activity. Through participation in street dance sessions, Dance Factor Lincolnshire allows young people to
meet new individuals and integrate further within their local community, whilst also developing, not only
street dance techniques, but many personal skills such as confidence and creativity. Furthermore, Dance
Factor Lincolnshire provides young people with the experience of performing in front of a full theatre
audience, and also the opportunity to represent their local area in a competitive environment.
Dance Factor Lincolnshire is led by voluntary group InspireDance, with support from a number of
partners. For the 2015 project, artsNK acted as the main delivery partner with additional support
provided by 1Life, Transported, Boston Borough Council, City of Lincoln Council, Leisure in the
Community, North Kesteven District Council, North Hykeham Town Council, Positive Futures, South
Holland District Council, The Big Society Fund and Sportivate. Dance Factor Lincolnshire is an expansion
of a previous project Dance Factor which was delivered on a smaller scale to ten sites in the City of
Lincoln and North Kesteven districts. The development of Dance Factor into a county wide project for
Lincolnshire during 2015 was possible after securing nearly 50,000 of funding from the Big Lottery
through their The Peoples Millions programme, following a funding campaign involving a public vote
and coverage on ITV regional news.

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

The [training and vision] session was really good for our
own personal CPD as well as the project and developing
the skills of the dancers. The practical workshop
was awesome, inspired all of us taking part,
and gave us teachers a good basis and idea
of what the judges wanted to see in the
[dance] pieces
The recruitment of young people for
Dance Factor Lincolnshire sessions was
primarily achieved via social media,
press releases into local and regional
publications, mailing lists, databases,
and local contacts within each of the
chosen Dance Factor areas. Project
partners supported the advertisement
of sessions through circulating the
information through their personal
networks and to young people with
whom they engaged. Flyers were also
distributed around local schools, as well
as a number of free street dance taster
sessions delivered to secondary school
pupils, which saw a further 256 young
people enjoy access to street dance through
the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project.

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

The following provides a district by district breakdown of

each Dance Factor Lincolnshire site.

Monks Road

Birchwood

St Giles

Moorlands

Ermine

North Hykeham

Ruskington

Sleaford

Branston

City of Lincoln

Grantham

The City of Lincoln features within the top 1000 areas in England
for deprivation, with a total of 29.8% of the population living in
deprived areas. Dance Factor sessions were therefore based in five
of the Citys most disadvantaged wards. In these areas, levels of
child poverty are also deemed to be high. Dance Factor sites were
identified with support from project partners the City of Lincoln
Council and Positive Futures, who work with young people who are
at risk of engaging in antisocial behaviour.
Dance Factor sessions based on the Ermine estate had an average of
thirteen young people attending across the ten weeks; the Birchwood
estate an average of twenty nine young people, the St Giles estate an
average of nineteen young people, the Monks Road area an average
of nine young people, and the Moorlands area an average of eleven
young people attending sessions. Sessions in the City of Lincoln were
also supported by two local volunteers in the Monks Road area and
one volunteer at the Moorlands site.

Grantham

The Deepings

Stamford

Fenside

Peter Paine

North Kesteven
The location for Dance Factor sessions within the North Kesteven
district were chosen following consultation work completed by
InspireDance, in collaboration with project partners artsNK. This
consultation enabled us to talk to local residents and understand
specifically the issues facing young people and their communities.
Consultation results highlighted the need for more youth activity in
many of the districts villages.
Dance Factor sessions based in North Hykeham had an average of
twenty nine young people attending across the ten weeks; Sleaford
an average of eighteen young people, Branston an average of
sixteen young people, and Ruskington an average of four young
people attending sessions.

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Kirton

Geoff Moulder

South Kesteven
Within the South Kesteven district, it had been identified by the
local council that community cohesion and childhood obesity are
key priorities. Dance Factor sessions thus aimed to connect young
people with their local area by using a form of physical activity, whilst
sessions targeted the main towns in the district which are linked to
many rural villages.
Dance Factor sessions based in The Deepings had an average of
twenty six young people attending across the ten weeks; Grantham
had an average of six and eighteen young people attending the
respective sessions, and Stamford an average of nineteen young
people attending sessions.

Boston Borough
The Boston Borough district has a number of areas within the
top 5000 areas for deprivation in England and a total of 16.7%
of the population lives in deprivation. Dance Factor areas were
thus selected alongside the Positive Futures team based in Boston
and were based from locations where young people are at risk of
engaging in anti social behaviour. Project partner Transported, an
Arts Council England Creative People and Places funded project
which focuses on improving access to the arts and culture within the
Boston and South Holland region, also provided guidance on the
communities where sessions should be based.
Dance Factor sessions based at Peter Paine had an average of ten
young people attending across the ten weeks; Fenside an average of
ten young people; Kirton an average of eleven young people, and
Geoff Moulder an average of sixteen young people attending sessions.

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Gosberton

South Holland

Holbeach

The locations for Dance Factor sessions in the South Holland district
were chosen in collaboration with project partners Transported and
South Holland District Council. Sessions focused on targeting smaller
villages within the district where access to both the arts and youth
activity is minimal.

Long Sutton

Spalding

Horncastle

Skegness

Louth

Saxilby

Dance Factor sessions based in Holbeach had an average of

eighteen young people attending across the ten weeks; Long Sutton
an average of thirteen young people; Gosberton an average of
fifteen young people, and Spalding an average of eighteen young
people attending sessions.

East Lindsey
The East Lindsey District features a number of significantly deprived
costal wards which are reported to have numerous social and
economic problems. The district also covers a large geographical
area which means that travel is a significant barrier to young people.
Dance Factor sessions thus aimed to improve young peoples access
to dance by being held in the after school time period, meaning
reliance on transport was reduced.

Market Rasen

Cherry Willingham

Caistor

West Lindsey
Like the majority of Lincolnshires districts, West Lindsey is a
predominantly rural area. Although the overall level of deprivation
across the district is low, there are several wards that are among the
most deprived in the country. Dance Factor sessions thus sought to target
areas where the opportunity to engage in positive activity for young
people may be restricted through either rural or economic factors.
Dance Factor sessions based in Saxilby had an average of fifteen
young people attending across the ten weeks; Cherry Willingham
an average of thirteen young people; Market Rasen an average of
fourteen young people, and Caistor an average of sixteen young
people attending sessions.

To conclude, across all districts of

Lincolnshire an average total of 683
young people were engaged in Dance
Factor Lincolnshire through free taster
sessions and also the ten week block of
Dance Factor sessions.

Dance Factor sessions based in Skegness had an average of ten

young people attending across the ten weeks; Horncastle an average
of twenty seven young people, and Louth an average of four young
people attending sessions. Sessions based in Alford were however
attended by no young people and after four weeks were removed
from the project.

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

11

Dance Factor Semi Final Events

The Dance Factor Lincolnshire semi final events created five new performance opportunities for young
people at professional theatre venues and also engaged a total of 770 audience members. Semi finals
were held in theatres which were part of the Lincolnshire One Venues (LOV) network, and saw events
take place at Trinity Arts Centre, South Holland Centre, Guildhall Arts Centre, Terry OToole Theatre and
Lincoln Drill Hall. Working alongside the LOV Young Peoples Programme, the events were supported
by young local musicians who provided pre-show entertainment to audience members. Audience
participation was highly encouraged in the Semi Final events, with opportunities between performances
for the audience to try their own street dance movement, including waacking and popping.

In addition to the performing Dance Factor crews from each district, local dance organisations,
companies and schools were invited to perform at each semi final event. This enabled
young people from the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project to witness, and gain an increased
awareness of, potential dance activity in which they could get involved after the Dance
Factor Lincolnshire project had finished. To support continued dance activity, all young
people who took part in the semi final events also received an Exit
Route Pack containing relevant information about further dance
opportunities in their local area.

The atmosphere at all semi finals

was great! This really helped with
the informal, fun atmosphere
that was created. It also was
great having the audience
participation, which made
them feel a part of it. It was
really good having the guest
groups performing too.
I know from speaking to
some of the young people
how effective this was in
inspiring them to keep
dancing

From the competing Dance Factor crews, two were chosen from each district to go through to the
Dance Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final. The judging panel was formed from a mix of dance industry
professionals with hip hop/street dance backgrounds, project funders/partners, and local council
representatives, all of whom had positive reflections about the project, including the following:
I was delighted to be involved in the Lincoln semi final. I think the event encapsulated perfectly the
power of the arts in developing young people, both in terms of their confidence, but also in terms of
their aspiration. One of the major positives from our point of view were the groups that came from
low engagement areas of the city [of Lincoln] such as the St Giles and Monks Road areas. I would
suspect that for a number of the families involved from those areas this might have been
their first visit or a rare visit to the venue. Chris Kirkwood, Chief Executive of Lincoln
Drill Hall and Dance Factor Judge
We really enjoyed having you at Trinity Arts Centre and thought the evening
was fantastic. It was great to see how the groups had progressed and there
was a real feeling of achievement in the air. I loved being a judge and all the
participants were so enthusiastic and had obviously really enjoyed being part
of Dance Factor. We always struggle to get a younger audience at Trinity Arts
Centre so it was so fantastic to see the venue so full Karen Whitfield, Leisure
and Cultural Services Team Manager at West Lindsey District Council and
Dance Factor Judge
It has been fantastic to have Dance Factor in South Holland this year. I was
really pleased with the attendance at all the sessions and the geographical
spread of the locations made it accessible across the district. It was an absolute
pleasure to be a judge at the semi-final in Spalding, there was a brilliant atmosphere
and it was wonderful to see first-hand what a great experience the young people had.
The whole process from start to finish went very smoothly and the Dance Factor team were
extremely helpful with any queries I had and easy to work with. Thank you for a fantastic project!
Rachel Rowett, Arts and Culture Development Officer at South Holland District Council and Dance
Factor Judge
At each semi final the Dance Factor Lincolnshire teachers were also given the opportunity to present the
award of Most Improved Dancer to a member of their group to recognise both personal and dance
development across the ten weeks of sessions.
The best part of Dance Factor was seeing my mates improve throughout the weeks and the look on
my friends face when she won the award [of most improved dancer] Young Person

Dance Factor Teacher

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

13

Dance Factor Grand Final

The Dance Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final was held at the Engine Shed in Lincoln, a large music and
entertainment venue, and attracted 650 audience members plus 60 VIP guests. All young people who
took part in the project were invited to attend throughout the day, with a separate programme of activity
being created for the successful groups from the Semi Final events, and those groups who were runners
up. All young people were provided with free transport from their local area to the Engine Shed, and
those not performing were also given a free ticket to watch the show.

The final day was wonderful as it involved all of the kids not just the
ones that got through. So many young people were involved which was
great! It also gave opportunities to those in rural areas to get to the
centre of Lincoln as transport was provided. Dance Factor Teacher

The results of the Dance Factor

Lincolnshire Grand Final were
as follows:
Overall Dance Factor Champions:
Game Over from North Hykeham
Best Newcomer:
Resuss from Caistor
Best Choreography:
D-Feet from Holbeach

For the runner up groups, the Grand Final day consisted of a number of free dance workshops with
professional dance artists, which gave young people a further chance to learn new street dance styles,
and also allowed them to mix with fellow dancers from across Lincolnshire. In one of these workshops
the young people learnt a routine which they performed as a flash mob from within the audience to kick
start the Grand Final.
For successful groups, the Grand Final day involved technical rehearsals at the Engine Shed and
preparations for the evening performance. All young people were also able to watch the rehearsals
of Impact Dances Fully Functioning Individuals, a professional dance company from London who
were commissioned to create a dance piece specifically for the Grand Final. Dancers from this
company also led the earlier dance workshops, and thus were able to provide a real source of
inspiration to the young people. The event was additionally compered by Hakeem Onibudo,
director of Impact Dance and a red carpet event host, which added to the professional feel of
the occasion.
Fourteen groups competed in the Grand Final and judges were able
to award three prizes: Overall Dance Factor Champions, Best
Newcomer (presented to a crew from an area of the county which
had not previously taken part in a Dance Factor project), and Best
Choreography. These three groups would then be provided with the
opportunity to perform as support acts to dance troupe Diversity
(who won TV reality show Britains Got Talent in 2009) who were
performing at Lincoln Castles Magna Party as part of the City of
Lincolns 800 years of the Magna Carta celebrations.

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

15

Magna Party at Lincoln Castle

The three winning groups from the Dance Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final Game Over, D-Feet and
Resuss - performed their successful dance pieces at the City of Lincolns Magna Party, which was part
of the celebrations marking 800 years since the signing of the Magna Carta. The event took place
at Lincoln Castle and attracted 4,000 audience members. Headlining the event was dance troupe
Diversity (who won TV reality show Britains Got Talent in 2009), and the young people from the Dance
Factor groups were able exclusively to watch Diversitys rehearsal during the day as well as their final
performance that evening. Being able to watch Diversity and perform on the same stage as the group
had a clear impact on the young people, as their following comments highlight:
The Magna Party day was amazing even though it was wet we had fun, it was amazing dancing
on the same stage as Diversity and it is something I will remember for a long timeThe Diversity
performance was just mind blowing, now I look up to them and hope that one day I would be able
to be in a group as good as themwith all honesty their performance was
just out of this world...they are the kind of group that
shows that if you want something all you have to do is
dream about it and then believe that you can do it
Monica Law, Young Person
Dancing with everyone at Diversity was
absolutely amazing! Theyre all like a family
to me now, I enjoyed every second of it it
was also amazing to watch Diversity and just
knowing that we all worked hard to get to where
we were and that what we achieved was recognised
in this way just makes me more determined to carry
on dancing! The whole day was absolutely brilliant, I
loved every second of it Abi Lobb, Young Person
The Magna Carta party day was amazing, it was a
once in a life time opportunity for our dance group
Diversity were fantastic, it was interesting to see how they
practiced as well and to see how they danced. The party itself
was awesome! I cant believe we were sharing the stage with
professional performers and of course Diversity! Narisse Cluett,

Young Person

Overview
Dance Factor Lincolnshires overarching aim was to improve the lives of people within our community.
We therefore wanted to use the medium of dance to achieve this, specifically focusing on directly
benefitting young people, with secondary beneficiaries being their families/support networks, and the
wider community itself.
Before beginning the project, we took the time to consider carefully the needs and issues facing young
people across Lincolnshire, in order to gain an understanding of their current lives. This was achieved
through various stages of consultation, from attending community events to meeting with relevant groups
and organisations working in the county. This consultation process ensured we were able to confidently
highlight areas and locations across Lincolnshire in which the delivery of Dance Factor Lincolnshire would
be most beneficial. Consultation and research furthermore enabled us to understand fully the problems
facing young people and their communities through talking directly to them, as opposed to making
assumptions and predictions. It is from truly understanding what matters to young people that we were able
to offer a project which sought to improve their lives and those of others within their community.
Through Dance Factor Lincolnshire, we aimed to provide immediate lifestyle enhancements as well
as long term gains for young people, meaning that the project was able to facilitate sustained lifestyle
improvements as opposed to solely producing short term impacts. Through the provision of free, local
dance activity Dance Factor Lincolnshire sought to provide a positive form of activity with which young
people could engage in, breaking down the barriers associated with both rural isolation and deprivation
in the county. By bringing young people together to participate in dance, we also wanted to present them
with the opportunity to mix with other young people within their community, make friends and promote
cohesion. The performance opportunities inherent in Dance Factor Lincolnshire would be the platform for
young people to showcase their talent, build self confidence and realise their potential, whilst dance as
an activity would enable young people to develop many transferable skills which could be taken into their
academic studies and future employment.
Dance Factor Lincolnshires aim of improving the lives of young people within the community was broken
down into a number of measurable outcomes. Evidence was gathered throughout the project to highlight
the impact that involvement in Dance Factor Lincolnshire was having on young peoples lives. The
subsequent pages outline the outcomes and indicators set for the project, followed by a summary of the
evidence gathered.

I had a great day and enjoyed being part of the Magna Carta party at the castle. After watching
Diversity it has really made me want to carry on dancing as Ive never danced before until I joined
Dance Factor. Naomi Bell, Young Person

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

17

Outcomes and Indicators

Project Outcome

Pre Project Survey Results

Qualitative responses provided by all young people were coded to produce the following headline results:

Indicator
Increase in the number of young people who feel more
connected to other young people in their community

Deprived and/or isolated young people

will reengage with their community
through participating in dance/arts
activity

Improved behaviour and attitude of session participants

observed by dance teachers
Increased number of young people who feel they have
enhanced their social skills through engaging in dance/arts
activity

In order to assess how the above project outcomes and indicators were met, pre and post project surveys
were distributed to all young people involved in Dance Factor Lincolnshire. An example of these surveys
and the questions used can be found in Appendices A and B. Weekly attendance was also tracked
through the use of registers, with the behaviour of young people being scored on a weekly basis.

25.35% of young people did not engage in any form of club in their local area before taking part in
Dance Factor Lincolnshire

51.08% of young people stated that the greatest barriers to getting involved in other community clubs
were cost and travel

27.54% of young people did not feel they had many or any friends in their local area

36.97% of young people felt bored or isolated where they live, commonly attributed to having nothing
to do or no one to do anything with

67.78% of young people felt that there was not enough for young people to do where they live

46.02% of young people did not feel part of their local area, stating a lack of things to do and not
knowing anyone as the principal reasons for this

28.42% of young people did not feel confident about dance/performing at the start of the project

37.10% did not feel confident meeting new people/making new friends

The aspects which young people were looking forward to most about Dance Factor Lincolnshire were
the competition, being giving the chance to perform, meeting new people, and learning new skills.

The results of the pre project survey emphasised the rural and economic barriers facing young people
within Lincolnshire, with over half stating cost and travel to be the main reasons preventing them from
engaging in community clubs or activities. There was also a strong feeling of boredom and isolation
amongst young people, with a lack of things to do for young people being responsible for this. Without
anything to do in their local area, young people did not feel a part of their community, with over a third
also stating they did not feel they had many friends in their community.

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

19

Post Project Survey Results

Qualitative responses provided by all young people were coded to produce the following headline results:

89.33% of young people said that taking part in Dance Factor had inspired them to join more clubs
within their community

100% of young people said that Dance Factor had helped them get to know more young people in
their area by bringing young people together

98% of young people said that Dance Factor had helped them to make new friends

82.55% of young people felt more connected/part of their local area after taking part in Dance Factor,
predominantly through being able to represent their area and also through meeting new people

92.62% of young people stated that Dance Factor had helped prevent them feeling bored or lonely
by providing them with something to do, getting them out of the house, and enabling them to meet
new people

If they had not taken part in Dance Factor, young people generally stated they would be sitting at
home, bored, playing on their phone/X-Box/iPad or sleeping.

88% of young people said that Dance Factor had helped improve their confidence when meeting
new people

73.65% of young people said that Dance Factor had enhanced their ability to communicate their
thoughts, feelings and ideas to each other

Young people stated that Dance Factor had helped them improve their personal skills, including:
self confidence (65.31%), social skills (12.24%) and dance specific knowledge (12.24%).

Young people stated that the best parts of taking part in Dance Factor were meeting new people
(46%), performing (22%) and learning to dance (16%)

Factor Lincolnshire will also be able to benefit young peoples personal development in the long term.
Considering that two of the projects objectives were: to increase the number of young people who feel
more connected with other young people in their community, and to increase the number of young
people who feel they have enhanced their social skills through engaging in dance/arts activity; from the
post project survey results it is apparent that these have been met.

Young Peoples Attitudes and Behaviour

The last objective set for the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project was to see improved behaviour and
attitudes of young people throughout the ten weeks of dance sessions. Dance teachers were asked to
observe this, giving each young person a score from 1 (excellent) to 5 (unacceptable) after each session.
The average rating across all twenty nine Dance Factor sessions during the first week was 2.5, which by
the midway point had risen to 1.5. At the end of the ten weeks of sessions the average score across all
sites was 1, indicating excellent behaviour and attitude. This highlights how the relationships constructed
between young people within a session and the bond formed between young people and their dance
teacher can influence a young persons actions positively. As sessions progressed, it also became evident
that young people became more engaged in dance, focusing on the forthcoming performances and
wanting to represent their group and local area with confidence and pride.

Post project survey results strongly emphasise the role Dance Factor Lincolnshire has had in bringing young
people together from their local area, with all young people recognising this fact. A very high percentage of
young people feel that Dance Factor Lincolnshire has helped them make new friends, whilst over 80% now
feel they belong more to their community having been given the chance to represent their local area. Young
people also widely recognised how Dance Factor Lincolnshire has provided them with something positive to
do and has helped develop their confidence levels, social skills and dance knowledge.
With reference to the overall project aim of improving the lives of young people within the community,
the above results emphasise how Dance Factor Lincolnshire has been able to achieve this significantly,
both through providing a valuable experience for young people, and also through connecting young
people to each other and their community. The skills young people have developed through Dance

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

21

In order to inform future development of Dance Factor Lincolnshire and gain further insight into the
impact of the project, feedback was sought about the 2015 project from a range of individuals and
through a variety of means. The following provides a summary of some of the opinions gained.

Social Media Feedback

Throughout the Dance Factor Lincolnshire Semi Final events and the Grand Final, the audience and
young people were encouraged to share their thoughts about Dance Factor via Twitter using the
#DanceFactor15 hashtag. A selection of tweets which were sent are displayed.

KeaveyLamming iv had an amazing time with this team and

being apart of unique freaks
Sadie_angel #dancefactor15 - This is our 3rd year with DF
& this is the best one yet! Massive well done to all & thanks for
letting us be part of it!
Rosiecosy I am really looking forward to the @Dance_Factor
final this Sunday. It is fantastic to see so many young people
involved in dance

jane_glasby @Dance_Factor Thanks for the show last night! Daughter was
in #uniquefreaks and loved it. Plans for next year already started!
SusannahCCC Waiting for #dancefactor15 to start - the Engine Shed is fit
to burst! Dance Factor Final fabulous
RoweJayjay Couldnt of asked for a better dance group @Dance_Factor
even though we didnt get through it was awesome
Susansm69077400 @Dance_Factor What a wonderful night of pure
entertainment, well chosen judges, GAME OVER! WOW!
Lennynumber7 #dancefactor2015 #dancefactor15 thank you for a
fantastic night guys. Massive congratulations to the 3 winners game over,
d-feet and resuss

28Greggle @Dance_Factor thanks you for last night.I

performed in Manouver I was overwhelmed by the crowd
cheering and the atmosphere of it all Thanks!
cerysworldie @Dance_Factor Im still really exited for the
work shops and go see the other dancers outside of Lincoln
perform
ChrisK1906 Great night #dancefactor15 @lincdrillhall last
night. Testament to power of arts to inspire young people to
achieve. #100smilingfaces
PBDLINCOLN #dancefactor15 All the Acts together, great
evening for the county of Lincolnshire. Well done on the lottery
funding
jasmineMeccles #dancefactor15 Big up Dance Factor
boosting the Lincolnshire dance scene!!!
CluettNarisse @Dance_Factor #dancefactor15 we have just
performed! IT WAS AMAZING! #GAMEOVER!
Sammac_22 Amazing evening @SHCentre tonight for semi
finals @Dance_Factor very talented youngsters #proud
#dancefactor15
Raegr Such a great night @Dance_Factor well done to all the
groups, fantastic performances. #DanceFactor15

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

23

Engagement with the Dance Factor Facebook page was also high throughout the project. From
the project start date through to the Grand Final event, the page saw a total of 37537 individual
engagements with the page, with content posted reaching 253165 individuals.

Feedback from Young People

Aside from formalised surveys completed about the project, young people were given the opportunity to
share their thoughts about Dance Factor Lincolnshire through a feedback wall at the Grand Final event.
Some comments included:
I have enjoyed learning new dances and learning different styles of dance. Dance Factor keeps me
off the streets and out of trouble and so I have something to do and look forward to.
I had the best time ever performing! Im so glad Im here, thank you!
I have had an amazing time with Game Over [Dance Factor group]. They are my family and I love
them! Going from ballet to street dance opens up my options.
Dance Factor is fun and a great experience as you learn new moves and meet new people. I enjoy
it because its a good laugh and I can have fun with my friends whilst doing something I enjoy.
Dance is a way for youth to express their emotions so Dance Factor is the perfect chance for us to
do that.
The whole experience is amazing, we are not a crew, we are a family
Through doing Dance Factor I have made new friendships and old friendships have been made
stronger. When you are part of a team like we are in Dance Factor you feel valuable. It gives young
people something positive to do and keeps us out of trouble, there is not a lot we can do out of
school that is as good as Dance Factor and is free.
Dance Factor rules, I have met amazing people and made awesome friends

Feedback from Dance Teachers

At the end of the project the Dance Factor teachers were able
to share their thoughts on their involvement with Dance Factor
Lincolnshire, as well as being able to highlight the impact they
felt the project has had on themselves and the young people
they had been working with.
The image below displays a selection of words the dance
teachers used to describe the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project.

overwhelming
creative memorable

enjoyable fab

proud encouraging

fun

challenge engaging amazing

provoking inspiring
rewarding
exciting

insightful
Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

pleasing

fantastic

unforgettable meaningful

powerful

24

funky

nervous

confidence

electric building

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

interesting

professional
25

Dance Factor Lincolnshire Project Management:

Hats off to the management team. The logistics of a project this big must have been very complex,
but everything ran smoothly. All information was provided in good time, and through a number of
channels, making it impossible to not be on the ball!
The whole of the project had slick transitions from all aspects, from one semi-final to the other, the
production of the shows, the venue arrangement, paperwork, travel arrangements. You can tell a lot
of thought and hard work had gone into this years Dance Factor, and how much the teachers and
the participants enjoyed taking part just shows that
Professional Development:
Ive gained great experience teaching in a village and found it very different to see the difference
in the attitude of the kids in the village to the inner city where I usually teach
I have gained valuable knowledge of the dance ecology in the further county, but most of all I
have had my faith renewed in young people. So many young people passionate about dance, all
taking part and coming together cannot be wrong. I hope the local government sit up and notice
how important access to the arts really is!
Overall Comments:
It was the best the project has ever been. No quality
was compromised, even with the large scale of
the project. All the partnering companies and
venues were supportive and responsive, and the
support from outside the county was fantastic

When young people were asked what they would like to change about their Dance Factor Lincolnshire
experience, most responded with nothing. Some commented that they would like to have had a larger
dance crew, as numbers were varied across the twenty nine Dance Factor Lincolnshire sites. For future
projects, we would thus aim to enhance our advertising and promotion of the project to ensure all sites
have sufficient numbers. Where free street dance taster sessions were delivered in schools, this proved
an effective means of both getting information out to young people, and also beginning to engage them
in dance activity. Secondary schools tend to be fed by a number of local villages and towns, and thus
these proved effective sites for capturing a wide range of young people from numerous areas. The time
frame in which sessions are delivered may also need to be considered, as sessions running during school
holidays and near academic exams saw attendances subsequently affected.
The dance teachers employed through the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project significantly valued the
teacher training provided for them at the start of the project, which is something we would therefore
seek to continue in future projects. This is especially desirable, since the development of a large, high
quality dance workforce across Lincolnshire is a requirement in order to allow young people to continue
to access improved, high quality dance provision in the county. We would also like to offer continued
training opportunities for dance teachers throughout the year, outside of the Dance Factor project
timescale, to ensure that teachers employed in future projects already possess a high level of teaching
skills and dance knowledge .
The dance teachers praised the overall project organisation, the dissemination of information, and the
support offered through the project. Many expressed how they would like to connect with each other
more during the project, possibly facilitated through face to face meetings throughout its duration or
before key milestones like the Grand Final. This is thus something we would like to introduce in future
Dance Factor projects. The creation of an online Lincolnshire Dance Network has also been facilitated
to enable the dance teachers working on the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project, and other dance
professionals within the county, to keep connected and share dance related activity and updates.

It is clear from attending sessions, the Semi

Finals and Grand Final that the project had
an overwhelming impact on the young
peoples lives and has provided them with
the inspiration and courage to continue
discovering dance. They have also been
granted the chance to adopt important life skills
meeting new friends, performing, commitment/
determination and working as a team

26

Despite the overwhelming success of the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project in 2015, there exists aspects
of the project which we wish to enhance further and develop in future years. These areas for development
have been formed from both personal reflection and review meetings held by the InspireDance group
and other project partners, as well as taking on board feedback from those involved in the project.

The Dance Factor Semi Finals were an effective way of enabling all young people to experience
performing on a stage, and also connected both young people and their family/friends to their local
theatre venue. The guest acts used at these events proved to be inspiring for many of the young people
involved. It was identified, however, that some guest acts did require a clearer brief to ensure the quality,
style and work ethic was suited to the nature of the project and the young peoples interests, which would
be a factor we would seek to monitor more closely in future projects.

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

27

Whilst the Dance Factor Lincolnshire Grand Final was a resounding success, questions were raised about
whether the project has to be a competition going forward, and, if so, how the competition can be made
more equitable. Despite having an impartial judging panel, the young people taking part in Dance
Factor Lincolnshire were from all levels of dance experience, and sometimes this was evident within
groups. The notion of splitting groups into different categories for future projects is thus something which
will be explored, especially as many young people stated that they looked forward to the competitive
element of the project. The level of audience engagement in the Grand Final was also extremely
positive, and the potential to build in an audience vote/audience choice award is a factor which will be
considered going forward. Furthermore, future projects will continue to have an impartial judging panel
at all events, with judges being recruited from a wide field, and with a variety of backgrounds.
The opportunity for the three winning groups from the Dance Factor Lincolnshire project to go on to
perform at Lincoln Castles Magna Party alongside Diversity was a wonderful experience for the young
people, and it was evident that this was something that they immensely valued and enjoyed. For future
projects, we would thus seek to find a similar opportunity for winning groups, in order to allow them to
showcase their talents and achievements further. By having Dance
Factor groups feature at high profile events such as the
Magna Party this will also greatly support the long term
promotion and profile of the project, and assist with
forming new partnerships with local organisations
across Lincolnshire which can support the project.
This aspect of working with partners proved to
be an effective element of this years Dance
Factor Lincolnshire project, helping to source
suitable locations for Dance Factor sites and
aiding the recruitment of young people.
Working in partnerships would, therefore,
be something we would look both to
maintain and build upon in future Dance
Factor Lincolnshire projects.

Following the completion of the Dance Factor Lincolnshire

project, the aim was established of continuing dance sessions
in a number of the project locations. Through their
involvement in Dance Factor Lincolnshire, interest in
using dance as a positive means of spending their
time had been stimulated in a number of young
people. We thus wanted to harness this interest
and support sustained dance activity which would
continue to benefit young people, particularly
those who may be isolated and/or engaged
in anti social behaviour acts, and allow them
to continue to reap the associated benefits of
involvement in dance.
All young people who participated in Dance
Factor Lincolnshire received an Exit Route Pack
containing relevant information about further
dance opportunities in their local area. Alongside
this, the Dance Factor Lincolnshire team made sure
they were contactable and available to young people
and their parents/guardians if they wanted to seek advice
or information about further dance opportunities within the
county. An online Lincolnshire Dance Network has also been
formed to allow the dance teachers who taught on the Dance Factor
Lincolnshire project to stay connected and make further links with other
dance professionals in the county.
In eight locations across Lincolnshire, Dance Factor sessions have continued, retaining young people
who participated in the 2015 project as well as attracting new individuals. These sessions are self funded
with the young people paying a small contribution towards the dance teachers time, and the venues
being offered for free or at a discounted rate through the continued support of existing Dance Factor
Lincolnshire project partners.
In addition to the above, following Dance Factor Lincolnshire, Lincolnshires only hip-hop/street Youth
Dance Company redXco held open auditions for new dancers, an opportunity which was advertised to all
young people involved in Dance Factor Lincolnshire. redXco Youth Dance Company provides young people
with access to high quality dance tuition and numerous performance opportunities and competitions.
redXco represented Lincolnshire at Youth Dance Englands U.Dance National Festival 2015 in Plymouth,
following successfully getting through both the U.Dance East Midlands and Midlands events. The auditions
for redXco were attended by twenty young people who had been involved with Dance Factor Lincolnshire,
with ten successfully being given a place with the company. Two young people from one of the Grantham
based Dance Factor Lincolnshire sites were also awarded free places on the Summer School programme
run by Chantry Dance Company, a Lincolnshire based professional dance company.

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

29

Dance Factor has proved that dance is a

vital part of young peoples lives and
has left them with experiences that
will last them a lifetime.
Dance Factor Teacher
The Dance Factor Lincolnshire 2015 project
has clearly had a large impact on improving
the lives of young people within their
communities across Lincolnshire. Through
participating in the project, young people have
gained a host of new skills, connected further
with other young people in their local area,
felt the pride of representing their community,
and have demonstrated to themselves and others
what they can achieve. The project has allowed
many young people to have experiences that they
may never have been able to enjoy otherwise, with the
professional delivery of the project helping significantly
to achieve this. All elements of Dance Factor Lincolnshire
2015 were carefully considered and planned, from the initial
dance session locations through to what young people could do
next
following the projects conclusion. This has helped to ensure that Dance Factor
Lincolnshire 2015 has had a long term impact on young people and their communities, in addition to
the immediate lifestyle benefits.
Feedback and reflections gathered from Dance Factor Lincolnshire 2015 will now inform its future
growth as we look to ensure that the project continues to develop as a highly beneficial county wide
youth dance project for Lincolnshire.
I hope the project continues in this format for many years. I hope it finds a permanent backer/
funder who understands the benefits for young people, and continues to be supported by its
partners and venues Dance Factor Teacher

Appendix A
Dance Factor Pre Project Survey
1. How many community projects/clubs do you take part in on a regular basis in your local area? E.g.
youth clubs, sports clubs etc.

2. What barriers do you face for getting involved in community projects/clubs? E.g. time, travel, cost etc.

3. How well do you feel you know other young people who live in your area? Do many of your friends
live near you?

4. How many of your friends are taking part in this Dance Factor session?

5. Do you ever feel lonely/bored or isolated where you live? What causes these feelings?

6. In your opinion, are there lots of things for young people to do where you live?

7. Would you say you feel connected/part of your local area? Why/why not?

8. How self-confident do you feel about participating in dance?

9. How confident do you feel about meeting new people/making new friends?

10. How well do you feel you are able to communicate your thoughts, feelings and ideas to others?

11. What are you most looking forward to about Dance Factor Lincolnshire!?

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015

31

Appendix B
Dance Factor Post Project Survey
1. Has taking part in Dance Factor inspired you to take part in more community clubs/youth projects in
your local area?

2. How has Dance Factor helped you to get to know more young people from your local area?

3. Would you say you have made new friends through taking part in Dance Factor?

4. How has Dance Factor helped to prevent you from experiencing feelings of loneliness, boredom or
isolation?

5. Has taking part in Dance Factor made you feel connected/part of your local area? Why/why not?

6. What would you be doing if you didnt take part in the Dance Factor project?

7. How has Dance Factor helped towards your development of self-confidence? What other skills has it
helped you to develop?

8. Has Dance Factor improved your confidence when meeting new people/making new friends? How?

9. Has Dance Factor helped you learn how to communicate your thoughts, feelings and ideas to others?
How?

10. What has been the best part about taking part in Dance Factor?

11. What would you change if you were to take part in Dance Factor again?

12. Do you have anything else you would like to add about Dance Factor Lincolnshire!?

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Dance Factor Lincolnshire - Project Report 2015