Events & conferences
As well as joint projects, the Conservatoire runs events to enable staff, students and supporters to meet one another and learn about the different schools. These are social and educational occasions and a chance to celebrate our progress.
Information about individual Conservatoire schools’ performances that are open to the public can be found by following this link to What’s On?
Tenth Anniversary Gala Performance 2011
Saturday 14 May 2011 at the Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre
On 14 May 2011, students and staff from all eight of the Conservatoire’s affiliate schools came together for a one-off gala performance celebrating the Conservatoire’s tenth anniversary year.
The day was hosted by RADA. Performing students and rehearsing staff from the eight schools and a team of technical students from RADA and Bristol Old Vic were in the building at 9am to begin teching the show. It was a long day, but offered students a rare chance to meet their peers from different schools, as well as the opportunity to watch one another perform. We were hugely grateful to RADA’s Nona Shepphard and Neil Fraser for curating and producing the show.
The evening performance was preceded by a guest reception, with technical theatre demonstrations of hair and make-up in the foyer and students from Circus Space performing outside the building. As expected, the students put on a fantastic show with a range of pieces encompassing ballet and contemporary dance, circus, theatre, stage fighting and musical theatre. It was wonderful to see so much young talent on one stage.
The occasion also marked the end of Sir Bob Reid’s tenure as Chairman of the Board. At the end of the performance Conservatoire Joint Principals Edward Kemp and Veronica Lewis thanked Sir Bob for his dedication and support since the earliest days of the Conservatoire, and welcomed James Smith CBE as his successor.
Illuminate - Staff Conference 2010
Monday 4 January 2010, The Place
On a bright January morning at the start of term, staff from all the affiliates came together for Illuminate, the Conservatoire’s third staff conference. Conservatoire Governor Andrew Summers and Joint Principals Veronica Lewis and Edward Kemp welcomed a mixture of teaching, management and admin staff to The Place, home to LCDS. Illuminate aimed to shine a light on the collective work of the schools and the Conservatoire. With so many individuals all with enthusiasm and passion for their profession all in one place, the usual buzz created by the collective energy was evident. Discussion touched a plethora of subjects such as how we can lead the way in technical training, student support, research and UK v European dance. An ‘out of the hat’ session was a new addition this year and proved to be popular with 12 different groups discussing a variety of topics suggested by staff. The need for collaboration, more of it and a need to progress with it was conveyed by many.
As always, staff found one of the best parts of the day to be the chance to meet up and network with like-minded individuals and fellow professionals. One participant felt sharing experiences with other staff members was ‘a very liberating experience and I feel galvanized into action’.
The Power of Eight Staff Conference 2009
Monday 5th January 2009, Woburn House
Our now annual and second Staff Conference took place early this year with staff from all affiliates coming together to meet, network, and share thoughts and ideas on a variety of areas all relating to collaboration; and consider how our eight Schools can get the most out of their relationships as affiliates and as part of the Conservatoire.
Joint principals Veronica and Jane’s warm welcome was followed by an inspiring key note speech from Bonnie Greer. The buzz and creative energy in the air was fantastic with many commenting that the opportunity to meet, share ideas and common ideals with other affiliate staff was one of the best parts of the day. Some of the areas of discussion included the promotion and profile-raising of CDD amongst students and the wider population; the creation of future collaborative performance projects; the development of a cross-discipline training module; student support, what is important to be provided in the future and how CDD can best facilitate this.
Inaugural Staff Conference
Monday 24th April at the RSA
Our now annual and second Staff Conference took place early this year with staff from all affiliates coming together to meet, network, and share thoughts and ideas on a variety of areas all relating to collaboration; and consider how our eight Schools can get the most out of their relationships as affiliates and as part of the Conservatoire.
The evening reception was well attended and speeches from Sir Bob Reid, Richard Wilson and Shobana Jeyasingh were all well received. The evening was an opportunity for everyone to discuss the day more informally and to meet with other important figures within the industry and vocational education sector to spread the word of the high quality work being done in the Conservatoire.
Joint Student Performance
22 May 2005 at The Place
celebrate the Conservatoire’s expansion to a family of seven schools, a celebratory performance was held at The Place, home of London Contemporary Dance School, with an invited audience of staff, students, governors and Conservatoire supporters.
Students from all seven schools performed pieces, ranging from a lesson in how to climb a pole by students at The Circus Space, to a piece of Hofesh Shechter choreography performed by London Contemporary Dance School’s postgraduate performance company EDge, to a rendition of Salt ‘n’ Pepa’s Push It by students from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
