Leeds Civic Trust unveils its 200th blue plaque in honour Nadine Senior MBE.
Leeds Civic Trust were honoured to unveil its 200th plaque Friday 04 October in honour of Nadine Senior MBE (1939-2016), Nadine was a Scarborough-born visionary dance teacher and educationist, and the founding principal of Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD).
Past students, colleagues, friends and people from the dance and arts community came together to celebrate the live of Nadine Senior, a teacher who shaped so many lives. The event included speeches from Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung – the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Darren Henley CBE – CEO of Arts Council England, Fabian Hamilton MP for Leeds North East, artist Khadijah Ibrahim, former colleague Alison Beckett, Andrew Hurst MBE – CEO of One Dance UK, artist Gary Clarke and Peter Massey – Director, North – Arts Council England.
The event also included a performance by nine students on the final year BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance programmed who performed New Work by Amaury Lebrun. The blue plaque unveiling was followed by a special photographic exhibition and a slideshow celebrating Nadine’s life and work.
Plaque was unveiled by Gareth Senior, Nadine Seniors son, and the plaque was funded by Northern Scholl of Contemporary Dance.
Martin Hamilton, Director of Leeds Civic Trust Said:
“It is entirely fitting that our 200th blue plaque honours someone whose influence continues to shape the artistic landscape of Leeds. Nadine Senior’s work not only fostered talent but championed equality and opportunity through the arts.”
About Nadine Senior MBE
Nadine lobbied to prove the need for professional dance education in Leeds, both whilst deputy headmistress of Harehills Middle School in Leeds, and later as principal of NSCD, which she founded in 1985 and which to this day remains the only provider of conservatoire-level professional dance training outside London.
Her revolutionary approach harnessed young people’s natural ability and fostered their creativity, expressive skills and confidence. Nadine’s teaching and leadership in Leeds over three decades widened opportunities and raised aspirations for children and young people through dance, radically transforming the city’s cultural landscape.
Her former pupils, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, have gone on to study and perform professionally at the highest level – Leeds-based Phoenix Dance Theatre, now the UK’s longest running contemporary dance company outside of London, was formed by David Hamilton, Donald Edwards and Vilmore James, three men whose passion for dance was ignited by Nadine. Former Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre and current CEO & Principal of NSCD, Sharon Watson MBE, is also a former pupil of Nadine’s.
Enabling aspiring dance artists to shape the future of the art form, since its inception NSCD has produced some of the UK’s leading names in dance including Akram Khan, Tamsin Fitzgerald, Gary Clarke and Fleur Darkin. Holding firmly onto its roots, the School has grown an international reputation for the quality of its training, continually expanding its offering of courses to match the needs of an ever-evolving industry.
The School is committed to enabling as many people as possible to engage with dance in an inclusive environment, and its Learning & Participation team engages people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities through a through a broad range of classes and activities. A regular programme of performances from visiting dance companies both national and international at the School’s Riley Theatre also provides opportunities for audiences to enjoy world-class dance from across the globe on their doorstep.
