Rural Devon: Dancing out of Isolation
2012 saw the launch of an unprecedented countywide project aimed at tackling one of Devon’s most prevalent social issues. But how has dance been a powerful weapon in the fight against rural isolation?
In 2004 the Countryside Agency (which has now become Nature England since 2006) published a report entitled 'Breaking Down Barriers' which investigated the effects of rural isolation on many rural communities in Devon. Rural isolation is widely defined as the lack of access to vital public services, transport, jobs, training opportunities, education or leisure activities due to geographic, economic or social limitations in rural areas.
The effects of isolation are further amplified by social exclusion. This is where people who suffer from a number of linked problems such as low income, physical or mental disability, lack of education or family breakdown are denied access to opportunities. The research paper “Indicators of Poverty and Exclusion in Rural England” 2002 (NPI) found that a fifth of households living in rural districts have incomes below the poverty line.
“Breaking Down Barriers” reported that patchy or non-existent affordable transport and an increasingly low level of local service provision in isolated areas often made problems worse. However, even with these revelations, the problem of rural isolation has a remarkably low profile.
The Countryside Agency explains that whilst the decline in service provision has slowed, service distribution in rural England has been limited, especially in rural areas. As a result of these characteristics, national indicators do not fully reflect the extent of the problem. In other words, rural isolation is often seen as a smaller issue than it actually is. It is also for this reason that rural communities often miss out on funding from targeted national programmes. It was with this backdrop of a lack of platform and spotlight of such a wide reaching issue that the Devon Dance Compass was born.
The Compass Project is a county-wide project created, facilitated and delivered by Devon’s dance development agency Dance in Devon. The objective of the project was to facilitate opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to enjoy the many health, social and well-being benefits of dance. The project has targeted four different rural communities (or Compass Points); with one in each of North, South, East, and West Devon. It has sought to work directly in and with those communities to create sustainable dance activity in those areas.
As a part of the project, Dance in Devon appointed four freelance dance practitioners in each area working and residing in those communities. These Dance Ambassadors who would deliver the project on the ground, engaging directly with the community and meeting community needs. However the question remains – is rural isolation as great a problem in reality as it seems in theory?
There seems no one better to ask than the people working on the ground themselves. Claire Summers was appointed the South Devon Dance Ambassador earlier this year. After studying Dance and Theatre at Plymouth University she is now a mentor for current students.
Her unique experiences have brought her to witness firsthand the effects of rural isolation and social exclusion. “I met an older lady in Kingsbridge who used to travel weekly to a tea dance in a neighbouring village. She really enjoyed it! It got her out of her residential home and she was able to socialise with other people her age. Because her mobility became worse and the bus links are poor she is now unable to go.”
Jessica Squire is a young dance practitioner based in West Devon who is passionate about dance and all it has to offer. Jessica grew up in the Devon countryside, and so the issue of rural isolation hits very close to home. Now as the West Devon Dance Ambassador she is helping young people who have become dispirited by a perceived lack of excitement and opportunity in their community. “I was born and grew up in rural Devon and so have experienced the geographic isolation firsthand. Fortunately my parents were willing to drive me to dance lessons, but I know that there are many who are not so lucky. As a dance teacher in some of the most isolated areas in Devon, I work with a number of dispirited young people who feel as though there is nothing to do in Devon, and no way to overcome that.”
In April 2011 the Big Lottery Fund commissioned research agency Leisure Futures Ltd to conduct a study on how Big Lottery Funded Projects reduced Social Isolation. The study showed that through targeted, need-focused work in local communities, rural isolation can be reduced and overcome by achieving outcomes such us creating new social networks in the community, meeting stated community needs and facilitating access to small grants.
So how has facilitating dance met such criteria for success? West Devon Dance Ambassador Jessica Squire sites the intergenerational appeal of Dance as an activity as a main source of success. “My favourite part of the project so far has been working with a series of different people, of different ages and abilities. There were over 40 young people, children, parents, grandparents and carers at one of my launch events.”
In South Devon, Claire Summers as also observed the same power of dance to enrich people’s lives. “Seeing a 84 year old lady choreographing and dancing with a 8 year old girl, it really was beautiful to watch and reminded me what I love about community dance and how it can break down barriers and social norms. Where else in life would you see this?”
As a culmination of the project Dance in Devon has orchestrated an ambitious and somewhat unprecedented rural tour which will see world class dance artists performing in small village halls around the county. The “Bespoke” Tour will see Royal Opera House commissioned choreographer Freddie Opoku-Addaie touring a work adapted from a performance premiered at the Royal Opera House earlier this year. Added to this, star performers from the world renowned Royal Ballet will be joining the tour to perform some of their repertoire including famous pieces such as “Swan Lake”.
But perhaps the most unusual aspect of the tour is that members of each of the four local communities will not only share the same stage but participate in the same performance. “Bespoke” will feature the work of for prominent craft artists from Devon and also local dancers from schools and other groups in the performances.
“Community groups in the four corners of the county are going to be having a wonderful time during this project.” Says Dance in Devon Director Gillian Dale, “It’s also a great opportunity for audiences to enjoy a unique performance in their local venue. These are the sorts of dancers they would normally have to travel to large venues to see and now Devon people are going to see them dancing on their doorstep – almost literally!’
However despite the excitement, North Devon Dance Ambassador Katy Lee points out that there is clearly much more work to be done to fight rural isolation. “There is interest in dance but in rural locations there isn't the critical mass needed to make them a viable option for dance teachers to run classes. Continuing subsidy is needed to allow class to continue or set up otherwise locals are forced to travel long distances which imposes further financial restrictions on potential participants.”
Indeed dance is unlikely to be the complete answer to rural isolation. The problem will require a multi-faceted approach and greater coverage and awareness of the issue. But through projects like the Devon Dance Compass the dance community in Devon is doing its part to put Rural Isolation on a wider agenda.
As stars of the world famous Royal Ballet prepare to perform in village halls in Stockland, Stoke Fleming, Princetown and Chulmleigh, it is hoped that the Dance Compass Project will finally put Rural Isolation on Centre Stage.
The Bespoke will be in Devon on the following dates:
East Devon: Stockland Village Hall
When: Saturday 27th October 7.15pm
For Tickets Contact Wendy: 01404 881207
South Devon: Stoke Fleming Village Hall
When: Saturday 3rd November 7.15pm
For tickets contact: Villages in Action
01363 773660 roger@villagesinaction.co.uk
West Devon: Princetown Community Centre
When: Saturday 17th November 7.15pm
For tickets contact: Villages in Action
01363 773660 roger@villagesinaction.co.uk
North Devon: Chulmleigh Community College
When: Friday 23rd November 7.15pm
Tickets: Chulmleigh Community College 01769 580215
