Why it matters: DanceEast YouthFest 2025 provides a platform for young people to showcase their creativity and talent whilst fostering a sense of community amongst individuals who share a common interest in the arts.
The details: The festival takes place on Saturday, 1 November, from 10:00 to 17:30 at DanceEast Jerwood DanceHouse, and is open to anyone aged 16-25, whether they are dancers, artists, creatives, or completely new to DanceEast.
The event is free and requires no booking – young people can simply turn up, bring friends, drop in to workshops and performances, and explore their creativity.
The festival features dance workshops, including improvisation, contemporary/floor work, yoga, Latin, and K-pop with video creation.
Live music performances by Gen We and Bella Ross will take place in the afternoon, alongside art workshops covering crafts, media, video creation, and lighting desk techniques.
The day concludes with live dance performances from Rosie Russell and Elly Trent from 17:00 to 17:30.
What they're saying: "We are providing young people a space to feel empowered to explore their creative potential and value the importance of having fun and making friends," said the DanceEast YouthFest Young Producers.
"We not only want to encourage them to pursue their passions but to also inspire others to do the same. Providing opportunities for young local talent to showcase their skills is crucial for promoting cultural diversity and inspiring future generations. We must continue to support and encourage our youth in pursuing their passions while celebrating their achievements."
Meet the producers: The event is organised by five Young Producers – Millie Powell, Marni Cady-Heffer, Suzanne Chung, Gabrielle Anthony and Francesca Roe – who understand the importance of nurturing creativity within young people.
Millie Powell, who has been dancing at DanceEast since 2007, said: "I'm deeply passionate about dance and its power to connect people. I truly believe dance is for EVERYONE. This is my second year producing YouthFest, and I'm incredibly excited to be part of the process once again. My goal is to help create a festival that is inclusive, inspiring and joyful."
Marni Cady-Heffer, who grew up in Ipswich and danced at DanceEast from a young age, added: "The opportunities that have been fortunately presented to me by DanceEast have been crucial to my artistic development and confidence as a recent graduate, early in my career as a Dance Artist. I have a passion for collaborating with other art forms, facilitating, producing, and choreographing."
Suzanne Chung, a writer and creative practitioner born and raised in Ipswich, said: "My main goals are to uplift young people's narrative of East Anglia (particularly Ipswich), showing people that there are opportunities to get involved in the arts in their local area, and create measures that allow for the creativity and the arts to be accessible to everyone. You don't have to move to the big cities to pursue your ambitions. It's achievable here!"
The bottom line: DanceEast YouthFest 2025 offers young people in Ipswich a free, inclusive space to explore creativity, make connections and celebrate the power of the arts, proving that opportunities for creative development are available right here in the local community.
For more information and live updates, follow the DanceEast YouthFest Team on Instagram.
