Culture And Memory

Kaleidoscope

September 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Northern School of Contemporary Dance. We will seize this opportunity to spark a year of community activity, uncovering, exploring and celebrating the extraordinary mix of cultures, influences and people in Chapeltown/Harehills that seeded our school into being, and that remain embodied in its ethos and creative expression. We want to capture this heritage through the living memories of the many, diverse communities whose story this is: the young West Indian generation of the 70s/80s, whose talents transformed the world of dance; their mothers and families; the visionary teachers whose ambition for their pupils knew no limits; the Jewish community whose beautiful Grade II listed ‘New Synagogue’ is now home to our Riley Theatre. They will create a kaleidoscope of stories and perspectives, that will be shared and celebrated through community performances/events and captured for future generations in NSCD’s own archives.