NSCD at 40 - Northern School of Contemporary Dance Northern School of Contemporary Dance

NSCD at 40

Kaleidoscope anniversary project

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A celebration of people, place and possibility

This year Northern School of Contemporary Dance turns 40.

Kaleidoscope is a year-long anniversary project celebrating the people, stories and communities that have shaped NSCD and those who will carry it forward.

Rooted in local stories and shaped through co-creation, Kaleidoscope brings together students, alumni, local communities, young people and partners to reflect on our shared heritage and imagine the future together.

EVENTS TO BRING OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

In January 2026, NSCD kicked off the anniversary year with 2 key events celebrating 2 communities at the heart of our history. These celebrations focused on the people who were at the very beginning of our story and set the course of the project, centring reflections, memories and joy.

HAREHILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL ALUMNI REUNION

In January, we worked with SHINE, which now runs the old Harehills Middle School (HHMS) building, to bring alumni back to the school. Alumni shared memories of the teachers, the ambitious school productions and the playground games and dances. We saw the old classrooms, desks, and architecture and shared Caribbean food, music and dancing.

The group heard the debut performance of a newly commissioned poem by Khadijah Ibrahiim, weaving stories of the school and life together, as well as speakers from the class and teachers. A re-staging of Khadijah’s much-loved installation, In the Front Room, took us back to a 1970s Caribbean family front room, and we ended the night with music and dancing from the iconic DJ Fluid.

UNITED HEBREW CONGREGATION – RETURN TO CHAPELTOWN ROAD

January also saw us host an important event, which brought back people who had worshipped, or whose families had worshipped, here in the building when it was Leeds New Synagogue. The Rabbi held a short service or remembrance, and the congregation had the opportunity to see important elements of the building that have been retained, such as the seating, plaster work, windows and stonework. The congregation also shared memories, stories and photographs at what was only the second opportunity they’ve had to come back to the school since its deconsecration in 1985.

COMMUNITY CO-CREATION IS IN FULL SWING

A core strand of Kaleidoscope is working with communities from Chapeltown, Harehills and the wider Leeds area to reflect on the cultural, creative and heritage life of our city, revealing what type of world NSCD came from and was born into.

To do this we’ve been working with people across a range of ages, backgrounds and life experiences, who are key to our learning about the past as well as looking to the future. Those groups are:

Students, families and staff at Hilcrest Primary School – who are exploring both their own experiences of dance as well as digging through the NSCD photo archive to respond to the school’s history of contemporary dance artistry

Current NSCD students – exploring the somatic experience of moving through the school and who you are after a period of intense transformation

Alumni and former staff – This group includes alumni and former staff who have been contributing oral histories recounting everything from the founding of the school, through each different phase of its life.

United Hebrew Congregation – The original congregation that used the Synagogue building from 1932 to 1984, before moving to a new location

Harehills Middle School Alumni – With HHMS alumni, we have the amazing opportunity to learn about NSCD founder, Nadine Senior’s pedagogy development, and the influences from the home-lives and cultures of the students that worked together to produce the innovative, creative spark that was the driving force behind the school’s founding.

Leeds Black Elders Association – This group, primarily made up of people from the Windrush generation, are exploring what Chapeltown and Harehills were like when they first moved here, including housing, music, work and family life.

Bohemia – A collective of DJs, fashionistas and music enthusiasts who came together around clubs playing Jazz Funk music in the 1970s and 1980s. They are exploring the music, dance and fashion styles that were in Leeds during the period.

COMING UP FOR KALEIDOSCOPE

There’s a whole year of activity on the horizon to help us celebrate this important milestone in the school’s history, so come along and get involved.

We’ll be announcing plans for our free, family-friendly day festival, Party in the Park, very soon! Join us for community and youth dance, puppetry and performance, music and food… and maybe even a 1970s sports day!

We’re also creating new activities and events for Heritage Open Days, so keep your eyes peeled for more opportunities to discover the impact of Harehills Middle School on NSCD and the heritage of the Jewish community that called our building their home.