Programmes : The Flex Dance Company (Ab)

The Flex Dance Company is a company of 9 dancers with a learning disability who meet weekly to create, devise and perform new contemporary dance work.

The Flex Dance Company create,
'original contemporary dance work by learning disabled performers blessed with creativity, intimacy and a richness in expression.'

The Flex Dance Company aims to develop original work which embraces strong dynamics, technical achievement and achieve a strong bond between the viewer and the dancer.

All new works are a joint collaborative process between dancer, choreographer and viewer and strive to present all work with the highest production values. By devising and presenting movement of the highest standard, all performers demonstrate an honest integrity blessed with creativity and rich in expression.

New works are influenced by and contain use of film, prop and contemporary dance.
All pieces are distinctly separate yet enjoy common elements such as intimacy, expression and honest enjoyment.

The Flex is dedicated to showing that disability is not a barrier to creativity and ability.

The Flex Dance Company aims:
• To encourage personal and artistic development of company members by providing comprehensive training and performance opportunities
• To present positive images of people with a learning disability and provide a platform for broadening communication between people with and without a learning disability
• To remove barriers placed within society by celebrating 'ability' and developing a professional arts company that is part of the Arts sector, not the disability sector.
• To be a key influential demonstrator of 'ability' to the public, the rest of the arts sector as well as policy makers through examplar activity and performance
• To place people with a learning disability at the heart of the arts sector through professionalism and innovation, not just access routes.

The Flex Dance Company is primarily a dance company which invites audiences to view the created work as a piece of dance first and to then consider the achievements of the dancers through their disability second.

You can see a short specially created integrated duet from our archives here.

You can also recent footage from a rehearsal of the latest piece 'The Quiet Renewal of Winter' here.

The Flex is currently the leading Contemporary Dance Company for people with a learning disability in the North East and has developed strong links with similar nationally-based companies.