Young dancers from Doncaster to perform at FRESH 2025 youth dance festival in Bradford

The festival will showcase work created by 19 youth dance groups who will perform live across matinee and evening stages.

Organising the event is Ione Barton, Yorkshire Dance’s Youth and Community Producer, who explains: “FRESH is a celebration of talented youth dance groups from across the Yorkshire region.

"Every year FRESH brings over 300 young dancers together to take part in dance workshops, meet their peers and perform live on a professional stage. We’re thrilled that this year FRESH is presented by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture who join us in showcasing the wonderful variety and creativity of Yorkshire’s young dancers.”

Amongst those selected to perform at FRESH are Doncaster’s very own youth companies Phoenix Youth Academy Doncaster and Street Beat Elite.

FRESH is Yorkshire's regional qualifying festival for U.Dance. Each year one or two groups from FRESH are selected by a panel of dance experts to perform at the national U.Dance festival, which this year is being held at the new Sadler’s Wells East building at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London in July.

As well as performing in FRESH, the selected dancers take part in workshops throughout the day, which this year are led by artists including Ella Tighe, National Youth Dance Company and contemporary Kathak with Rhythmosaic. The young dancers also learn a finale piece which all the groups perform together at the end of the show.

A previous participant explains “FRESH is an exciting and fulfilling day filled with lots of enjoyment, chances to build friendships with people and work together as a group to perform the piece.”

FRESH 2025 takes place at the Bradford Alhambra theatre. Joining Doncaster groups Phoenix Youth Academy Doncaster and Street Beat Elite onstage are:

Matinee stage: Kimberley Performing Arts Centre, Legacy, Nova Arts Academy, Stage 84, Youth Aspire Connect – Seniors, and special guest for Bradford 2025 – Mind the Gap Performance Academy

Evening stage: CAPA College, Dance United Yorkshire Performance Company, High Storrs Dance Company, Horizon Community College, John Leggott College, Manoeuvres, NSCD Centre for Advanced Training Programme, Phoenix Youth Academy Seniors, Rhythmosaic Youth, RJC Dance Shahck Out Youth Dance and York Youth Dance

FRESH 2025 tickets can be booked on the Bradford Alhambra website:

Matinee tickets: https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/fresh-matinee

Evening tickets: https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/fresh-evening

FRESH 2025 is supported by Arts Council England and presented by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.