Our annual celebration of the creativity, courage and talent of young people in Walker and surrounding areas – Walker Youth Dance Festival returns this July!
Now in it’s fifth year, the festival takes place in Walker Park and is completely free to attend and take part in. Led by young dancers from our Walker Youth Dance Project, the day brings together young people from across Walker and beyond to share their work, take part in workshops, and perform in their own community. It offers an opportunity to celebrate and uplift our youth, as well as reclaim public spaces for positive cultural activity.
Always a vibrant atmosphere, the day includes workshops with a guest artist for our young people to take part in, leading into brilliant public performances hosted by comedian Nicola Mantalios with plenty of moments of pride and celebration (plus, of course, ice cream!).
Save the date and put it in your diary! The festival returns Saturday 18th July 2026.
Check out this video from last year’s festival to get a feel for what it’s all about:
Get involved
Perform
Every year we invite other dance groups from the East End and further afield to perform at Walker Youth Dance Festival. If you run or are part of a youth performance group, that would be interested in performing, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at community@companyofothers.org.uk.
We’re looking for friendly, passionate people to join our volunteer team at Company of Others and help at Walker Youth Dance Festival! Whether you’re great at setting up, welcoming guests, giving directions, or just ready to lend a hand, we’d love to hear from you. Want in? Email us at community@companyofothers.org.uk
Rooted in Movement is our artist support programme offering artists time to play, discover and dream with no artistic output expected.
The programme is for North of England based movement artists who have lived experience of being othered by the society we live in. It consists of residencies at The Bricks (our home in Walker) and travel bursaries to enable connection and exploration for artists whose personal ancestry has roots beyond the borders of the UK. We were delighted to be able to continue to programme and offer this support again.
Find out more about our 2026 Rooted in Movement recipients below.
Alys North
Residency Recipient 2026
Alys North (she/her) is a dancer, maker and facilitator living in Newcastle. At the heart of Alys’ dance practice is a love to improvise, both solo and with others, and a deep interest in somatic practice and experience. Across all of her work, Alys has a strong desire to make space for people to move fully in their bodies and be fully themselves.
Alys has over 15 years experience of working as a freelance dance artist. Her work moves between performance, participation and socially engaged practice across theatres, outdoors, public and community spaces, and she has experience of collaborating with a wide range of artists/companies and community groups and organisations. Most recently, Alys has been working with Headway Arts, Jack Drum Arts, Lizzie Klotz, balletLORENT, Fully Booked Theatre and Alicia Meehan.
In Alys’ words:
“I am extremely excited and grateful to be invited into residency with Company of Others. I will be using this time to dance contact improvisation (CI), play with some new ideas and concepts and reflect upon and explore how I can collaborate with new people to share CI more widely.”
Imo Wright (they/them) is a queer freelance artist of mixed Jamaican-British heritage based in Leeds. They completed their training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD), graduating in 2021, where they worked with choreographers such as Yukiko Masui and Vicki Igbokwe.
Following graduation, Imo continued their development with NSCD’s postgraduate company, VERVE, touring internationally and performing works by Sita Ostheimer, Alesandra Seutin, and Akram Khan.
Beyond NSCD, Imo has collaborated with companies and artists including Gary Clarke Company, Far From the Norm, Mad Dogs, Barnaby Booth, Jack Philp Dance, Cathy Waller Company, Extended Play Dance, and (LA)HORDE, appearing in Rosalía’s performance at The BRIT Awards 2026.
In addition to their work as a performer, Imo has experience in facilitation rooted in community engagement and inclusive practice. In 2023, they worked as a Partner Movement Associate for the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme, contributing to the creation of inclusive and accessible theatre experiences for communities across the UK. More recently, they worked as Dance Captain for the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture Closing Ceremony.
Central to Imo’s practice is a commitment to contributing to and creating work that challenges conventions, celebrates diversity, and fosters collective empowerment.
In Imogen’s words:
“I am thrilled to receive the Rooted in Movement Residency at this moment in my artistic journey. The opportunity feels aligned with where I am in life—at a time of reflection and growth, alongside a need to dissect and play. I hope to channel a journey of healing and introspection into something tangible through the language I know best: dance.
I am incredibly grateful to Company of Others for providing the space, time, and support to delve deeper into this research and discover what can emerge from it.”
Keep up with Imogen’s work on Instagram:@imogenmaee
Yuvel Soria
Travel Bursary Recipient 2026
Yuvel Soria (he/him) (b. Bolivia) is a British-Bolivian Dance Artist-Creator based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Trained in traditional Bolivian and contemporary dance, and influenced by Latin dance, his multidisciplinary practice explores themes of identity, belonging, and culture. He creates participatory works that sit between contemporary dance, performance, and live art, with a focus on collaboration, immersion, and audience interaction.
His work explores traditions and cultural practices through ritual, developing interactive and immersive experiences that invite people to come together and experience moments collectively.
Alongside his artistic practice, Soria is an experienced community dance practitioner, delivering inclusive sessions for diverse groups across the UK. His work supports confidence, physical activity, and creative expression, while challenging perceptions of age, ability, and access to dance.
In Yuvel’s words:
“Receiving the Rooted Travel Bursary feels incredibly emotional and affirming for me and I am truly grateful to Company of Others for the support. As a British-Bolivian artist, this opportunity allows me to reconnect with my roots, my culture, and a part of myself that deeply influences my work. I’m so grateful for the chance to build meaningful connections with artists and communities in Bolivia and bring those experiences back into my creative practice.”
We can’t wait to see where these opportunities lead this year’s artists and are looking forward to supporting them on their journeys.
Double Your Impact – Support Walker Youth Dance Project
For one week only, every donation you make will be doubled through the Big Give Arts for Impact campaign. Walker Youth Dance Project provides free, year-round dance workshops, theatre trips, and performance opportunities for young people in Walker—giving them equal access to the arts.
Your support helps ensure they have the space, resources, and experiences to grow in confidence and feel part of something bigger.
