imove has awarded £855,000 to three groundbreaking partnerships between leading Yorkshire-based organisations for the creation of an ambitious series of projects linking art and sport in exciting new ways in the run up to London 2012.

Inspired by the forthcoming Olympics, the imove Programme aims to transform the relationship between people in Yorkshire and their moving bodies through unique crossovers between culture, sport and physical education.

Back row left to right: Paul Kaiserman, ArtForms, Education Leeds; Simon Wells, Open Minds Theatre Company; Michael Bursey, College of Chinese Physical Culture; front row left to right: Jordan Tansey, Hull FC, RFL; Amanda Lewis, Phoenix Dance Theatre; Megan Hughes, Northern Ballet Theatre Academy. Photo Paul Floyd Blake.

One of the projects, Don’t Just Sit There, will be led by Northern Ballet Theatre, and will include Education Leeds, College of Chinese Physical Culture, Rotherham-based Open Minds Theatre Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Marketing Leeds and the Rugby Football League. Together the partners will harness their resources to tackle issues arising from sedentary lifestyles.

The project aims to teach people about their bodies and increase participation in sport and physical activity using dance, physical theatre, music, sport and alternative movement forms. Planned activities include:

- Spirit Alive – a child-led mini-sporting festival
- Energisers – mass participation events aimed at adults and students, at the centre of which will be a rugby-pitch sized immersive, light-filled Colourscape structure
- Work in schools across the region with artists in classical and contemporary dance, physical theatre, Chinese movement, music, Indian and African dance, West Indian Carnival and New Zealand Haka

Jon Ingham, NBT’s Director of Fundraising, said: “The project will use dance, physical theatre, sport, carnival and music to share the Olympic experience and create a sense of excitement about the approaching Games. We will encourage people to get involved in cultural and sporting activities and become active participants, rather than merely observers.”

imove is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games. Yorkshire Forward and Arts Council England, Yorkshire, have also invested in the programme.

For more information visit http://www.culturalolympiadinyorkshire.com/

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