Three young dancers from Blackpool are about to tour the country with the prestigious National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) run by Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London.
Orson Crane, Dylan Dennis and Blake Rainey were selected to join the current NYDC intake after attending nationwide workshops that took place last year.
33 dancers hailing from 22 towns, cities and villages across England and aged between 16 and 24 years were chosen to join the training company. These young dancers have been working with Boy Blue on a new work, which kicked off the national tour with a premiere at Leeds Playhouse in April, before touring the country to Falmouth, Ipswich, Coventry and London during the summer ending the tour in Berlin in September. The tour will also come to Blackpool, hitting the Comedy Carpet at 2pm on Saturday 5 July during the Capital of Dance Festival.
Training with NYDC
Founded in 2012, and run by Sadler’s Wells, NYDC is England’s flagship youth dance company. The company creates and performs innovative and influential dance, drawing together some of the brightest young talent from across the country to work with leading choreographers and artists.
During the dancers’ time with NYDC, they are offered a unique insight into the dance profession, living and working closely together as a company, alongside NYDC staff and the artistic team. The year-long experience within the company provides members with the necessary skills and techniques to pursue career opportunities and raise aspirations, self-esteem and confidence. The dancers are mentored during four intensive residencies in school holidays to create and rehearse a new piece by the company’s Guest Artistic Director.
Head of National Youth Dance Company, Hannah Kirkpatrick said, “This is a really exciting year for the company. It is brilliant to watch the dancers in the studio with the Boy Blue team, the work is really challenging but the artists have a huge amount of experience in working with young people and it’s great to see the magic happening over each residency.”
Having the opportunity to bring something this special to Blackpool is important. As young people we have a strong message to carry to show what we can do when we’re provided the right resources.
Blackpool dancers on tour
Let’s hear from the the young people making waves at NYDC.
Orson Crane
Orson is an 18 year old artist from Blackpool who started out going to ballet, street and contemporary classes at the age of 11. After taking a long break from dancing, he is now a young leader and mentor at House of Wingz where he trains in Hip-Hop styles such as Breaking, popping, locking and many more. Orson is determined to seize all opportunities to craft new ideas and grow as an artist, and is throwing all of his energy into getting this most from his NYDC journey this year.
“NYDC has been enjoyable for me. To think that I danced for fun, at home, with my crew, and now I’m dancing on my first ever tour around the UK, with the greatest support and a great team. I couldn’t ask for more. It has made me realise how much talent I have and also how much potential I bring to wherever I go.
I’m excited to perform in Blackpool because it’s my hometown, but it’s a small town that I’ve grown up in. From day one I started dancing at home in-front of my tv with my mum and playing games with my brothers. I started getting better and better, doing more performances with companies such as House Of Wingz so being given this opportunity to perform in my own town is an exciting way to show Blackpool and my people what I can do. I hope people from Blackpool watch the show and be inspired through this language.”
Dylan Dennis
Dylan is a Hip-Hop dancer from Blackpool. His relationship to dance has been the thing that has kept him grounded and allowed him to connect with himself and the world around him. Dylan describes dance as bringing him a sense of healing through expression and hopes to one day become a choreographer making his own work.
“NYDC has helped me solidify my passion for dance and the love I feel for the culture of Hip- Hop. I will forever be grateful for the experience this company has bought to me.
Being in a headspace and environment where my main point of focus is primarily on just dance, is what has allowed to enjoy NYDC and further connected with my obsession.
Having the opportunity to bring something this special to Blackpool is important. As young people we have a strong message to carry to show what we can do when we’re provided the right resources.”
Blake Rainey
Blake is a performer/creative from Blackpool and is a well rounded and versatile dancer however his dance background is predominately rooted in Hip-Hop styles.
“NYDC has definitely furthered my understanding on how working in the industry could feel and learning from Boy Blue has made me work, develop, move and think in new ways making me want to also persue jobs in and around dance.
I’ve enjoyed every moment, even the times that I’ve felt struggle and pressure as well as the times I felt the companionship and inspiration from the company. I always feel grateful, excited, and proud any time spent together.I’m happy to be performing in my hometown and to show the people there what we have achieved.”
…being given this opportunity to perform in my own town is an exciting way to show Blackpool and my people what I can do
Going international
This September NYDC will perform at the Berliner Festspiele Theatre as part of Tanztreffen der Jugend in Berlin. This will be the first time that NYDC has performed internationally and rounds off the 2025 tour of this year’s Guest Artistic Director Boy Blue’s new work for the company.
The Tanztreffen der Jugend aims to be a showcase and source of inspiration for the work of young dancers and choreographers. Founded in 2014 by the Berliner Festspiele, the national contest is the only format of its kind in Germany dedicated to young contemporary and urban dance in a stage context and aims to highlight and enhance them as independent art forms within cultural education.
This month, Sadler’s Wells is to present the first edition YFX Youth Festival, a new annual festival which celebrates and showcases the exceptional range of youth work across the United Kingdom. NYDC’s performances in London will be part of the festival, with the London premiere of Boy Blue’s piece for the company at Sadler’s Wells Theatre on Saturday 19 July. On Friday 25 July NYDC will also be performing the work at the U.Dance National Festival which Sadler’s Wells East will be hosting this year as part of YFX.
This year the company are working with Olivier Award-winning hip hop dance theatre company Boy Blue which was founded in East London in 2001 by Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante and Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy. Boy Blue is a radical force that has defined the potential and power of hip hop dance theatre across the UK.
Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy Co-Artistic Director of Boy Blue said, “With NYDC it’s going good so far, it’s productive, the dancers are taking in the information, they are understanding what it is that we are trying to create with them. I’m excited to see how they take on the tour, regarding artistry and professionalism, and how they are able to sustain the actual piece that we are going to create with them. I think it’s a great opportunity for them to go to Berlin, I think anytime any young artist is able to come out of the UK and showcase their work, I think it’s a beautiful and humbling opportunity so I’m very proud that NYDC are able to go.”
Blackpool Performance
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