Theiyā Arts Youth Dance Group
Theiyā Arts Youth Dance Group (YDG) is our pre-professional performing group for young people aged 11–18. Created in the image of Theiyā Arts Dance Collective (TADC), YDG explores contemporary themes through South Asian classical dance vocabularies. YDG focuses on choreography, co-creation, and ensemble practice—alongside performance opportunities.
We hold the group as a safe, inclusive space grounded in care, generosity, and creative ambition.
About the Youth Dance Group
Theiyā Arts Youth Dance Group is a pre-professional strand within Theiyā Arts School for young people who are already training in a South Asian classical dance form and want to deepen their relationship to choreography, performance, and contemporary meaning-making.
Like TADC, the group explores contemporary themes through South Asian classical dance vocabularies, approached through a contemporary lens. Weekly sessions are not repertoire classes. Instead, young dancers generate movement material through guided tasks and stimuli, and develop choreography collaboratively—working both as solo artists and as an ensemble. The process is supported and shaped by experienced choreographers, musicians, and a visual artist, with an emphasis on experimentation, storytelling, and artistic clarity.
YDG also includes at-home creative tasks (for example: watching performances, learning about artists, or small reflection prompts) to strengthen critical engagement and develop the habits of an emerging artist. We work to make the space inclusive and accessible, and we expect everyone in the room to hold a culture of kindness, respect, and generosity.
Wider Learning Pathway
Alongside dance training, YDG students have access to specialist learning designed by Theiyā Arts, supporting both artistic and personal development.
These modules include:
Body Awareness for Dancers: posture, safe movement, injury prevention, somatic awareness
Critical Thinking in South Asian Arts: reflective practice, analysing traditions, cultural narratives
Representation, Diversity & Equity in the Arts: identity, bias, inclusive practice, advocacy
Storytelling & Narrative in Dance: movement-based storytelling, improvisation, choreography
South Asian Arts in a Contemporary World: bridging tradition and innovation
Leadership & Mentorship in the Arts: teamwork, peer mentoring, project leadership
Inclusivity, Accessibility & Wellbeing: mental, emotional, cultural access; wellbeing as practice
Eligibility Criteria & Selection approach
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Aged 11–18
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Based in Scotland
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Attending at least one repertoire/technique class in a South Asian classical dance form (at Theiyā Arts or another school)
Every year we invite young people to register interest and meet us through an interview process. We do not treat this as a technical audition—our focus is on whether the young person finds the group exciting, meaningful, and suited to their interests.
The group is offered opportunities to perform in various spaces, including applications to events such as YDance Destinations (subject to external selection). Parents/carers are always informed in advance and consent is requested for participation and media.
