Linden Dance has brought together 19 young dancers from across the country as part of its Cross Regional Youth Exchange, creating an opportunity for young people to connect, share creative practice and explore some of the challenges facing society today.
Hosted at De Montfort University, the four-day exchange welcomed members of Linden Youth, CAPA College CHARGE, York Youth Dance and Chambers Dance Creatives. Working with guest choreographer Monique Jonas, the young people collaborated to create a new work inspired by the idea that hope and joy can be powerful responses to the challenges of the world today.
The project formed part of Linden Dance’s wider Beautiful Future programme, which takes inspiration from Rob Hopkins’ book How to Fall in Love with the Future. The programme explores the importance of positivity, imagination and hope when considering the climate crisis and the future of society.
The exchange was developed to give young dancers space to meet beyond their local communities, build connections and engage in creative conversations around current societal issues.
Throughout the four days, participants took part in workshops led by each of the participating group leaders, attended careers talks and worked collaboratively on the new choreography. The resulting piece was later premiered at CAPA College’s Amplify Festival in June 2026.
Linden Dance said the transformation in the young people’s confidence, both in their dancing and in themselves, was striking, highlighting the value of opportunities that allow young artists to exchange ideas, develop networks and feel part of a wider dance community.
One participant said:
“Beyond brilliant. Watching everyone’s range of skills and techniques was so wonderful as I’ve gained inspiration from so many people for many different reasons. I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity.”
Another participant reflected on the importance of creating connections beyond individual youth companies:
“It breaks those barriers of competition and makes making friends within the dance community so much less daunting.”
A group leader added:
“The exchange had a great, positive impact on the participants and enabled them to feel part of the dance community that extends beyond their locality.”
Linden Dance hopes the Cross Regional Youth Exchange will become the first of a series of similar initiatives, creating more opportunities for young people to connect across regions, engage in open dialogue and develop their voices within the dance sector.
The project was supported by Arts Council England, Pavilion Dance South West, South East Dance, Shawbrook Residential and De Montfort University.