DUY Films

‘My Life - Sentenced to Dance’

Here is a sneak peak of our Calderdale Intensive Project. It is featured on the children’s documentary ‘My Life’ by the BBC. If you want to take a look at how our intensive projects work take a look at the full version - BBC iPlayer - My Life - Sentenced to Dance - Audio Described

‘The Stitchling’ We are so thrilled to premiere this film made in partnership with Matthew Bournes New Adventures. In the height of lockdown, it was important for us to reach out to our communities and offer what we could to provide some creative escapism, distraction, or joy. This is a product of 8 remote rehearsals, two days on location and many challenges around lack of physical contact which were met with creative solutions inspired by telling the story of a girl who cannot touch.

“The Stitchling” - Can the hands that hurt heal what is broken?
Dancers: Amelia, Angelina, Armelle, Axel, Declan, Faye, Grace, Jack, Nandu, Saeed, Samuel, Scout
Conceived and Directed: Paul Smethurst
Assistant Director: Sophia Hurdley
Filmed and Edited: Kaasam Aziz
Assistant Camera Operator: Abbie Padgett
Artistic Director, Dance United Yorkshire: Helen Linsell
Dance Programmes Manager, Dance United Yorkshire: Romina Thornton
Music and arrangements by Terry Davies, recorded by the New Adventures orchestra. Including themes from the original motion picture "Edward Scissorhands" by Danny Elfman. Thank you to everyone involved, full credits listed in the film.

‘Open Your Eyes’ was shortlisted as part of Yorkshire Dance Pictures FRESH Challenge.

Made during lockdown with our Gradient Performance Group.

‘Periphery’ was recently showcased as part of Yorkshire Dance Pictures incredible RE:Fresh 2021 festival.

Periphery has been made in response to the pressures young people face from society and the many struggles and barriers they overcome.

‘Disconnect’ By our Gradient company at Bradford’s LIT Festival, an arts programme of light in unusual places across the Bradford District.

Celebrates the freedom of dance and movement after months of being unable to dance together. It is a colourful and exciting celebration of individualism and dance.

‘Here I am’ created and produced in collaboration with Whalebone Films.

This powerful piece of work catches the voices and moving images of our Bradford Women’s Dance Company - a company for women of domestic abuse. The result is a beautiful portrayal of the transformative power of dance.

‘All Together Now’ Filmed and created by all the members at Dance United Yorkshire at the very start of the Pandemic Lockdown.

Showing that even though we can’t be in the studio dancing together we can still be together virtually.

‘BBC Look North - Calderdale Project’ short feature created by BBC's 'Look North' of our Calderdale Project.

‘Out of the Woods’ Holme Wood, Bradford is a unique place that faces many challenges. The people that make up this community know what it is like to live through difficult days. This short, poetic dance film explores these experiences and translate retrospective tales of life changing events into choreographed sequences. Inspired by interviews and elder member of the community, a narrative is formed which reflects many of the challenges facing the area today.

Created during the backdrop of Covid-19, the constraints of social distancing and the difficulties it caused people was an ever presence. Solo dancers explored the woodlands on the periphery of the estate, the empty streets, the roads in and out of the area and the places that either refuse or accept a new reality.

‘Bourne to Dance’ Paul Smethurst of New Adventures interviews DUY’s Artistic Director, Helen Linsell about her journey in community practice.

‘Seventeen’ Inspired by Dalton Harrison’s poem ‘The ‘Jigsaw Maker’, this piece explores the emotions and inner turmoil of being held back by difficult circumstances and trapped in a system with nowhere to turn. Sometimes, we feel broken and alone, but with baby steps and the ever-important ‘jigsaw makers’, we slowly but surely fit ourselves back together one piece at a time.