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Tuckshop Dance Theatre develop innovative practice to amplify youth voice, stories of humanity and issues of global concern, with a commitment to excellence and...

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The Pointe Youth Dance Company at U.Dance 2017

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The Flood commissioned by University of Salford - co- choreographed by Lauren Tucker and Natasha Gooden

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The Flood commissioned by University of Salford - co- choreographed by Lauren Tucker and Natasha Gooden

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Commission for University of Salford

Performed by second and third year students at University of Salford

Choreography by Natasha Gooden and Lauren Tucker

​A letter to a stranger in these strange and weird times.

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The Flood in partnership with Salford Uni

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Commission for University of Salford Performed by second and third year students at University of Salford Choreography by Natasha Gooden and Lauren Tucker ​A letter to a stranger in these strange and weird times.

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Neverland In Pixels Film with Subtitles 

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Neverland In Pixels Film with Subtitles 

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"The use of social media should be a subject at school." Gary Neville 

This film is a conversation starter, to enable Tuckshop Dance Theatre to lead an education that enables dialogue, safely and creatively with, by and for children and young people around themes such as digital citizenship, online culture, identity, digital confidence, address the skills gaps, and to support young people's health and well being, and develop their core life skills at the physical and digital interface. 

With support of partners and Arts Council England, Lauren Tucker has led an interdisciplinary team, through various iterations and research practices to co- create bespoke learning and participation offers for children and young people, around social media and digital citizenship. 

© Tuckshop Dance Theatre present Neverland a film iteration. 

We also have a full length LIVE work with digital hybrid bolt ons, various engagement strands to the performance experience, and comprehensive and informed education packages available for schools and youth learning providers. This work aligns with school agenda's and youth work curriculum. 

If you are a school interested in our Creative Arts and Digital Citizenship Offer, please click here: http://www.tuckshopdancetheatre.org/danceinschools.html

For further information about Neverland, please visit: 

http://www.tuckshopdancetheatre.org/neverland.html

http://www.tuckshopdancetheatre.org/live-and-digital-hybrid-neverland-through-an-audiences-lens.html

Signposting and Support: 

If you feel social media is impacting your mental health there are organisations and support services that can help you. Please do reach out for support if you feel that you need it. https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Child%20and%20adolescent%20mental%20health%20services%20(CAMHS)/LocationSearch/2157 https://www.mind.org.uk https://www.youngminds.org.uk https://www.42ndstreet.org.uk

For any further information, please email: tuckshopdancetheatre@gmail.com

We are also fundraising for our next project, you can donate by clicking the link below. We are grateful for every penny that will allow us to do more meaningful and transformative work with, by and for children and young people: 

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tuckshopdancetheatre?utm_term=g3WeXJ64A

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​http://www.actiontransporttheatre.org/DanceForFamilies

Click on the link in the button below to see our film that reflects life in lockdown!

Click on the link in the button below to see our film that reflects life in lockdown!

Are We Out Of The Woods?

A feral dance artist connecting to nature in Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve.

Participatory Practice in conjunction with her dance development role at Cheshire Dance.

Youth- led work driven by young voices!

A tribute to Lauren Tucker's Great Grandmother using found vintage film footage from 1964. Lauren's Great Grandmother born in Liverpool, got married and had three children, before moving to the Wirral during the second world war. Her life was tipped upside down when Lauren's Great Grandfather passed away, she moved to Canada, and then to New York where she became a House Keeper to a rich Jewish New Yorker, who Lauren remembers as Poppy. They travelled the world in their twighlight years, she lived a very different luxurious life to the rest of Lauren's working class family. Granny Mo had two marriages in her life time, two silver wedding anniversaries, always went to work and was a diva. Lauren chose to retell her story and pride of her family history in a dance and film work. The film work shows Lauren's family in Chester, Wirral, Liverpool, America, Canada, and Hawaii.

This work was commissioned by 12 Degrees North Graduate Dance Company, and further supported by MDI, Moving Dance Forward and The Garrick Trust.

Lauren would love to rework and develop this piece of work further down the line as she becomes more like her Grandmother in the film projections.

"Lauren's solo was a refreshing contribution to our event at UCLan. I was particularly taken with the moments of stillness, of pause; opportunities for reflection as an audience member that allowed me to connect more personally to a journey that although I had no experience of I could relate to in those moments. An ongoing shift of pace meant that we were very cleverly guided through and I enjoyed how intelligently certain aspects of this tale were told - a real delight!" Lucy Nicholson, UCLAN

Particles in collaboration with Charlene Kaliyate for BLOOM festival, supported by One Dance UK, produced by Rachel Rogers, supported by MDI.

Hypothesis performed at Manifold: A Living Exhibition

This piece was created in three days, working in collaboration with 12 dancers, and George Maund in response to the iconic nightclub, The Kazimier.

Outdoor Work

It Started with a Riff made with Lizzy Ryder.

An outdoor dance duet based on comedic partnerships, performed at City Steps (BIG DANCE) 2012.

During a refreshing time, where we rehearsed in Mello Mello Studio, and MDI Studio as part of their residence programme. Lizzy Delaney and I began to work creatively. We danced together at college, and after some time apart the taciturn girls, brought us both together. Taciturn inspired Lizzy and Lauren in so many ways. The girls were our first Contemporary Dance Teachers, and we saw all of their pieces, that lead to us watching even more work by local and international artists, with a desire to make our own work and to become dance artists ourselves. It Stared With The Riff was shown at The Roundhouse in London, Cornerstone Festival - Capstone Theatre, Turn at Contact Theatre and The Kazimier.

Since then, there have been many incredible teachers and mentors. They know who they are and just how much they mean to me. Dancing helps you to build wonderful relationships and connections with people. The Northwest is full of generous and nurturing artists at different stages of there career. For that, I'm truly thankful.

Twenty Something: Film Work

Made in collaboration with Marie Gibbons, supported my MDI through residance programme.

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​http://www.actiontransporttheatre.org/DanceForFamilies Click on the link in the button below to see our film that reflects life in lockdown! Click on the link in the button below to see our film that reflects life in lockdown! Are We Out Of The Woods? A feral dance artist connecting to nature in Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve.

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Tuckshop Dance Theatre - A LOVE LETTER TO HOME | Facebook | By Tuckshop Dance Theatre | Happy 1st June everyone! We made a film in lockdown! Here is my first go! I plan to make a mini series but for now here is the 'Lockdown Throwdown' which...

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2.3K views, 19 likes, 24 loves, 6 comments, 34 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Tuckshop Dance Theatre: Happy 1st June everyone! We made a film in lockdown! Here is my first go! I plan to make a...

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A post shared by tuckshopdancetheatre (@tuckshopdancetheatre)

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With growing awareness of tensions between the human and digital interface with restrictions, social distancing and isolation, Lauren turned to Alexa as a collaborator.

Can Alexa fill the void of human connection? Is she becoming part of the family? In this dance piece, Nicolette Whitley will turn to Alexa for answers in the pandemic, and make sense of the challenging times we find ourselves in and to provide a sense of hope.

Lauren Tucker's creative practice includes choreography, making, performing, participatory practice, storytelling and producing, and making work with, by and for children and young people.

This work is co-produced and supported by Open Online theatre, IJAD DANCE, and MDI.

This work was made on zoom and we didn't come together until we presented the work LIVE through a visual mixer, and Open Online Theatre platform, from The Playground Theatre in London. We socially distanced, complied with covid regulations, and travelled in a safe and secure way.

Credits:
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Collaborators: Nicolette Whitley and Felicity Goodman
Co-creators of the work:
Buille Hill Academy Students,
The Lowry Cat pupils
The Lowry Class of 2020 artists
Lipa sixth Form Students,
Abigail Diaz
Co-creators that attended OOT workshops
Film entries: Dom Coffey, Davic Corrigan, Natalie Corrigan, Niamh Mannix, Helen McArron, Sarah Ward
Aimie Williamson, samuel Duran, Emma Lippitt, Alex OT, Morag Liston, Connie aged 5, Pen (They are still coming in)
All OOT Artists
Class of 2020 artists
Tuckshop Dance Theatre's social media followers

Supporters: MDI, Open Online Theatre

This work can be booked with a digital workshop for children and young people called 'Alexa, Let's Create' and a live question and answer session. For more information please email: tuckshopdancetheatre@gmail.com

For more information please visit: openonlinetheatre.org/performance/alexa/

tuckshopdancetheatre.org

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The film below was supported by the Lowry, as part of some creative research around 'connection'
Lauren invested her time in to supporting a multi- disciplinary team to connect with self, each other and our natural world. Tuckshop Dance Theatre consistently explore how we use digital technology to make sense of our lives.

Alexa, How Do I Disappear?

A question raised by Tom in our co- creation workshop.

Film footage: Sam Ryley, Edited by Lauren Tucker, Performed by Natasha Gooden.

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Born Digital Work: Alexa, Take Me Back To Reality

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With growing awareness of tensions between the human and digital interface with restrictions, social distancing and isolation, Lauren turned to Alexa as a collaborator. Can Alexa fill the void of human connection? Is she becoming part of the family?

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For Tour Bookings/ Partnership DevelopmentEmail: tuckshopdancetheatre@gmail.com

For Learning, Participation and Engagement Enquiries

Email: creative.learning.tuckshop@gmail.com

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Dancer: Natasha Gooden
Footage by Lauren Tucker and Sam Ryley
Music: Natasha Beddingfield: Unwritten

I do not own the rights to the video. Video for entertainment purposes only.

Purpose of video: To listen to young voices and offer a provocation
Freedom- What does it mean to you?

We want to know...

Email: tuckshopdancetheatre@gmail.com
Tag us in your response on socials...

For Tour Bookings/ Partnership DevelopmentEmail: tuckshopdancetheatre@gmail.com

For Learning, Participation and Engagement Enquiries

Email: creative.learning.tuckshop@gmail.com

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Dancer: Natasha Gooden Footage by Lauren Tucker and Sam RyleyMusic: Natasha Beddingfield: Unwritten I do not own the rights to the video. Video for entertainment purposes only. Purpose of video: To listen to young voices and offer a provocationFreedom- What does it mean to you? We want to know...

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NEVERLAND: A GUIDE FOR THE AUDIENCE

THROUGH THE AUDIENCE'S LENS

So What is this Experience about?

It is an experience about social media, made with, by and for children and young people.

It is not just a show, it is an interactive work. By following our Instagram story, you will Follow the story as it is presented online. You can film and photograph with the filters (SEE LINKS BELOW and click save to use through the show), you can save them to your camera roll, upload to your social media, use the footage to create content, you can engage with the work using social media, you can tag @Tuckshopdancetheatre in your posts. Please be KIND with what you post ;)

The Story

Neverland is a digital world filled with the lost ones. They scroll here for hours.
4 of the lost ones ride the highs and the lows of social media as they try to grow up. All children except one grow up. But you see we can prevent this... The lost ones come together to ask the tech giants for their rights and freedoms, to protect them from the evil harms of neverland, and to empower them to become their best selves and live their best life and make neverland a safe and fun place to be. This is the goal. there is hope. Social media is a brilliant vehicle for culture and creativity!

Welcome To Neverland, You are now one of the lost ones. We need your data here. Alexa is listening. And The Tech Giant is watching every move you make and everthing that you do.
The show is operated by a TECH giant. She is in control of how you view the work. She wants you to stay in neverland forever.

Within this show there are references to Peter Pan Look out for them. there are trigger warnings at the beginning of the show. There are flashing lights in this performance.

WHY does this work exist?

In a nutshell, after years of research in to digital citizenship, Lauren has worked with a team to create this multi disciplinary work.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/about-us/news-opinion/2021/child-abuse-online-safety-bill/

#STOPONLINEABUSE
#MakingNeverland
#digitalrights
#onlinesafety123

​For MORE E-Safety resources please visit the Neverland Main PAge of the website.

For Tour Bookings/ Partnership DevelopmentEmail: tuckshopdancetheatre@gmail.com

For Learning, Participation and Engagement Enquiries

Email: creative.learning.tuckshop@gmail.com

Use these filters in Neverland, Film the Lost Ones of Neverland, and post to your own social media accounts and tag @tuckshopdancetheatre in your posts and we will repost to our story during and after the show. You can save the filters at the beginning of the performance and film parts of the performance in each filter and with your own.

We have made a little video to show you what to do by clicking the links and saving the filters so you can use them when you make your stories.
Young People's reactions to the work

"The show was an eye opener. Amazing and beautiful! It really does highlight the importance of taking care of yourself when it comes to social media and treating others as you wish to be treated. "

Teacher's reactions

"My year 11s need to see this."

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Live and Digital Hybrid: Neverland through an audience's lens

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For Tour Bookings/ Partnership DevelopmentEmail: tuckshopdancetheatre@gmail.com For Learning, Participation and Engagement Enquiries Email: creative.learning.tuckshop@gmail.com Use these filters in Neverland, Film the Lost Ones of Neverland, and post to your own social media accounts and tag @tuckshopdancetheatre in your posts and we will repost to our story during and after the show.

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"I feel that there is a need for more dialogue concerning young people and their digital identity, online behaviour and interests. As an artist sharing multiple perspectives of young people living online, it is my role to do the work of the dialogue. Tuckshop Dance Theatre want to explore the potential of social media and youth engagement, raise awareness of the positive and negative elements related to social media, and to promote that young people use it safely and for good. Through all of my work I want to encourage young people to be advocates for youth voice and the power of cultural engagement." Lauren Tucker ​​

Originally from the Wirral, Jake started dancing aged 17 at Creative Youth Development (then Wirral Youth Theatre) before gaining a BTEC in Performing Arts (Dance) at City of Liverpool College. He then went on to complete both his Bachelors and Masters degrees at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. After touring internationally with the post-graduate company VERVE (2016), Jake went on to work with choreographers Aletta Collins, Tommy Smalls (Shaper/Caper), Josh Hawkins (Hawk Dance Theatre), and Joseph Reay-Reid. He is currently working with Vincent Dance Theatre and Gary Clarke Company, and also performs at various LGBT venues/events as a club host & drag artist.

Natasha Gooden Natasha trained at Liverpool Community College age 16 where she was awarded a National Diploma in Dance with distinctions in ballet, tap, contemporary, jazz, street dance and physical theatre. She went on to train at the Shockout Academy in Manchester where she specialised in ballet, hip hop, acting and singing.

Natasha appeared with ZooNation in 'Some Like it Hip Hop' and 'Into the Hoods Remixed' (West End and Touring), she will be performing with Zoo Nation in their production 'Message In A Bottle' zoonation.co.uk/productions/message-in-a-bottle/
Natasha also performed with Boadicea on Sky One's Got to Dance First female crew to ever make the finals in 2012 Also in 2012 she was a performer in the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics.

Natasha's commercial credits include the Misha B music video Home Run, She was a dancer in Season 2 of 'The Lodge' Disney Channel video 'It's My Time' with RnD Creatives Agency, and performances on The X Factor with JLS and One Direction and Ministry of Sound Advert Commercial 'The House That Garage Built'.

She has also worked as a dancer in Hip Hop Production 'Blak Wythe Gray' BoyBlue Entreatment UK/International Tour London, Germany and New York 'White Light Festival'

Teaching: Natasha also enjoys choreographing and teaching her own workshops at venues across the UK.

Nicolette Whitley completed her degree at Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Her experience as a performer spans across Film, TV and Theatre throughout the UK and internationally. Nicolette is currently working with Fallen Angels Dance Theatre (FADT), under the guidance of former Royal Ballet soloist Paul Bayes Kitcher. Nicolette has had an inspiring journey with FADT; performing at the Royal Opera House, London Science Gallery, collaborations with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Geese Theatre, TEDxand mentorships from Russell Maliphant and Marco Goecke with the company.

Nicolette is particularly interested and inspired bycollaboration, this year she has been working on anew commission with FACT, MDI and artistsAmalia Pica and Rafael Ortega. Nicolette spent a year in Barcelona working with Martz Contemporary Dance Company (MCDC) and choreographer Eva Sánchez Martz. MCDC has enabled Nicolette to further her creative development and grow as an artist while performing in countries such as Spain, Italy and Switzerland. In the recent years she has also been working with Tuckshop Dance Theatre on productions FLAMINGOS and Neverland, funded by ACE, performing in the UK.

Nicolette has a passion for choreography and was a co-founder of the contemporary lyrical dance duo Alleviate. Alleviate were the runners up on Sky 1's Got To Dance series 2 and went on to star in the hit dance show Flash Mob at Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre in the West End.
Career highlights: The Royal Opera House, The London Science Gallery, collaboration with Birmingham Royal Ballet, BBC3 Amazing Humans, Buckingham Palace for HM, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Latitude Festival, 59th FilmFare Awards (India), 3D Filmusic Barcelona.
Commercials for Argos, Virgin and Oral B featuring Shakira. The Inbetweeners movie, 8 out of 10 Cats, Adidas, Stella McCartney, Topshop, VOGUE Brasil, Guess, Gap & Sweaty Betty.
Teaching: International Credits, Freelance Dance Artist and Facilitator.

Ebony is 10 years old and has been dancing the majority of her life! She attends Complete Works Performance School in Bebington and trains in most genres. She is an associate dancer for The Hammond and Melt Dance in Liverpool.
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To share young people's perspectives, rather than adult's stresses or concerns but to celebrate social media as a positive and fun space. Dance Practice and Digital Citizenship are both mediums that allow young people to experience and explore their identity, and navigate the unknown. Social media feels like a performance space, and a place where people are sharing their online identity and telling their stories daily. It totally makes sense for a dance maker to explore the possibilities of a collision between the live, physical and social network and augmented realities collide. After the first phase of Neverland, there is a strong case to continue with this enquiry. ​

"Social Media is a performance space that can alter our understanding of all performance spaces: it forces new ways of thinking about authenticity, creative proprietorship, authorial intention, and the relationship between artist and audience among many other urgent issues. Those changes inevitably will alter the way in which theatre is made and received." Patrick Lonergan, Theatre and Social Media.
www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/patrick-lonergan/theatre-and-social-media/GOR010054729

After a successful research and development process, Lauren is interested in developing the work to create a visually spectacular, immersive installation piece that lives on social media, with narrative fed through social media channels before, during and after the show. Lauren wants to use phase two, to reach more young people through her research and to give audiences more control of the outcomes of the performance, using digital media. Audiences are invited to capture the work and share their own perspectives of the work online and Lauren will eventually create a digital archive that celebrates community engagement and digital culture' #makingneverland'

Lauren Tucker has been working with young people to find out what life is like for young people in our digital world, to explore digital identity, to allow young people to reflect on how they present themselves, develop relationships. The work aims to celebrate individuality in young people, to empower them to make positive choices, to amplify youth voice and use digital technology in a meaningful and effective way.

In the Make Your Mark Youth Consultation carried out by Youth Parliament, the Northwest outlined Mental Health as a top priority issue for young people. Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East, Liverpool and Wirral believed that Mental Health Services should be improved with young people's help and should be available in schools. http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/makeyourmark/

Tuckshop Dance Theatre consulted with hundreds of young people from the Northwest to find that 100% of the young people involved in the research, believe that social media can have a negative impact on mental health and well-being of young people. Neverland looks at young people's digital identity what role social media is playing on developing healthy and active global citizens both on and offline.

Within the show there is references to sexting, online grooming, cyber bullying, relationships. The story of Peter Pan, The Happiness Effect by Donna Freitas, interactive narratives in online gaming, a range of articles and years of experience working with young people have also played a role in shaping the show.

It must be said that a lot of positive stories were shared about young people and their relationship with Social Media, and Neverland opts for celebrating the positives over the negatives but questions were raised about how the adult population support young people as they explore, curate and present their digital identity.

In a recent BBC documentary 'Dancing For Happiness' https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0btt5n1/darcey-bussell-dancing-to-happiness Dance- the outcome rich art form was viewed as an effective way to support young people in their development, to empower young people to thrive. As I reflect on my own dancing journey, I can see how cultural learning fosters resilience in young people. My practice is driven by a desire for social change, and a passion to use movement and dance as a way of developing young people. I want to create a dance and digital interactive experience that cultivates curiosity, dialogue, that sticks in people's minds as a show that made me rethink how I was living my life, to celebrate who they are, and to empower them to be active citizens that can live authentically.

​ "Offering a relief from structured reality, fantasy in fact enables the reader to engage in the ordinary worlds with clearer insight and sharper perspectives, even with renewed faith." Timmerman, 1983.

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"I feel that there is a need for more dialogue concerning young people and their digital identity, online behaviour and interests. As an artist sharing multiple perspectives of young people living online, it is my role to do the work of the dialogue.