Fertile Ground

24/02/2026

Could you be one of our new trustees?

We are seeking new, enthusiastic trustees to support the growth of our company and the vision of our Artistic Director.
For more info and how to apply:

Fertile Ground is the North East of England’s touring dance company dedicated to the professional development of emerging dance artists. We are excited for our future and our vision is to help make the North East of England the place to dance.

07/09/2025

🌿✨ Today’s the day! ✨🌿

The Harvest is here — a full day of dance, creativity, and connection at Dance City, Newcastle. 💃🕺

Workshops, performances, conversations, and an evening triple bill… there’s something for everyone. And the best part? 👉 It’s not too late to join us!

Whether you’re dipping your toe into dance for the first time or ready to immerse yourself in the energy of the North East’s creative community, The Harvest is the place to be.

Come along, take part, and celebrate with us. 🌱

📍 Dance City, Newcastle
🗓️ Sunday 7 September
🎟️ Details & tickets: www.dancecity.co.uk

06/09/2025

📢 Meet more voices from the FREE Panel Discussion at The Harvest!

On Thursday we introduced the first two panelists, Alicia Meehan and Gillie Kleiman, for our free panel discussion taking place this Sunday (7 September). Now we’re delighted to introduce the final two participants of this inspiring panel, who will be sharing their experiences and insights at Dance City.

Together, they’ll explore the many routes into a dance career in the North East, answer your questions, and connect with others navigating the region’s vibrant dance scene.

🗓 Sunday 7 September
⏰ 5pm to 6:15pm
📍 Dance City

🎭 Meet the other two panelists:

Martin Hylton – Artistic Director of Gateway Studio CIO . Martin began dancing at 9, trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, and has performed and taught internationally. Now a leading figure in the dance community, he founded Gateway Studio Project in 2012.
📷 Lauren McWilliams, For You Photography

Dr Mandy Rogerson – Lecturer at Newcastle College University Centre, where she has taught for 30 years, specialising in dance technique, choreography, and academic studies. Her research explores how we experience the creative process and encounter danceworks, and she is a strong advocate for dance training, creation, and performance in the North East, supporting many regional artists and companies throughout her career.

💬 Don’t miss this chance to learn from these inspiring professionals—come along and join the conversation!

04/09/2025

✨ Instagram Takeover Alert! ✨

Tomorrow (Friday 5 September), Fertile Ground 2025 company dancer Hope Brown-King will be taking over our Instagram ahead of The Harvest – our one-day celebration of dance, creativity, and community at Dance City this weekend. 🌾💃

Hope is a freelance dance artist from Gateshead, now based in London. She began her training with the Dance City CAT programme at the age of 12 before going on to study for a BA (Hons) at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, followed by an MA apprenticeship with Southpaw Dance Company.

Her movement language is inspired by athleticism, strength, and joy. Returning to Dance City, where her love for contemporary dance first began, Hope is excited to share new work that gives audiences the chance to peek behind the scenes and even step into the role of choreographer for the evening.

Head over to Instagram (fertileground.dance) and follow along with Hope tomorrow as she shares a day in her life and gives us a glimpse behind the scenes!

04/09/2025

📢 Join us for a FREE Panel Discussion at The Harvest!

As part of our one-day celebration of dance, creativity, and community at Dance City, you’ll be able to explore the diverse routes into a dance career in the North East, gain insights from experienced artists and educators, ask your questions, and connect with others navigating the region’s vibrant dance scene.

🗓 Sunday 7 September
⏰ 5pm to 6:15pm
📍 Dance City

✨ Meet two of our four amazing panelists:

Alicia Meehan – Newcastle-based movement artist, choreographer, performer, and movement director. Alicia combines movement, text, and visual storytelling to explore identity, power, and connection, amplifying q***r narratives and challenging traditional norms. She has collaborated with The National Theatre, Live Theatre, Fertile Ground, and more.

Gillie Kleiman – Experimental choreographer, cultural worker, and researcher. With 17 years of experience, Gillie’s work spans theatre, dance, live art, and community projects. She is a Trustee of People Dancing and External Examiner at the Danish National School of Performing Arts.
📸 Image credit: Magdalena Hutter

💬 Come along, get inspired, and be part of the conversation!

03/09/2025

✨ Free Community Platform Performance ✨
📅 Sunday 7 September, 3:20pm
📍 Presented as part of The Harvest at Dance City

Audiences are invited to experience original dance works created right here in our community. Local dance groups take the stage to share short performances developed in collaboration with Fertile Ground dancers. Each piece reflects the unique voices of the dancers, shaped and supported by professional mentorship, resulting in a vibrant showcase of creativity, movement, and collaboration.

👀 Here’s what’s in store:

🔸 Meta4 Youth Dance – a new short work created with Fertile Ground Alumni, Amy Becke
🔸 Adult Community Groups – presenting performances developed through a bespoke engagement programme led by Fertile Ground Alumni, Beth Veitch & Alyssa Lisle
🔸 Sun Gems Dance Company – Present Deserted, choreographed by Emily Nicholson with input from the dancers, set to Ludovico Einaudi’s haunting track Run
🔸 Plus, something special from the talented team at Liberdade

💫 Don’t miss this celebration of local talent, collaboration, and the power of dance to bring us together.

Here are some behind-the-scenes shots from Newcastle-based Sun Gems Dance Company in rehearsals for Deserted, which tells the story of unresolved pain pushing away those we hold close. Alone and abandoned, we run into the desert which is unrelenting, unyielding, and harsh.

📸 Images by Alan Mason

Meta4 Dance Company

02/09/2025

✨ Meet Renaud Wiser – Artistic Director of Fertile Ground ✨

Renaud is the creative force behind E-Motion, the brand-new interactive performance premiering at The Harvest festival at Dance City on Sunday 7 September.

💬 “With E-Motion, we are inviting the audience to step into the role of co-creator. Using digital technology, the public will directly influence the performance in real time, shaping what unfolds on stage. At its heart, this work is about breaking down the barrier between artist and audience, opening up space for dialogue, play, and shared creativity.”

Join Renaud and the Fertile Ground 2025 dancers for the world premiere of E-Motion – an exciting new experience where performance and technology meet, and the audience has the power to shape the journey.

📆 Sunday 7 September
📍 Dance City, Newcastle
🎟 Pay What You Can

01/09/2025

✨ Finally, meet Fertile Ground 2025 Company Dancer #4: Berta Admetlla ✨

Berta is a Barcelona-born dancer, now based in the North East of England. She moved to Leeds to study at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2024. During her studies she toured with Opera North’s The Cunning Little Vixen, spent a year as an Apprentice Dancer with Ballet Lorent, and later performed with the company in Snow White.

💬 “This dynamic, interactive, and playful performance invites the audience to step in and take an active role, making decisions that directly shape what unfolds on stage. Being part of this project has been a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow artists, and it challenges me to improvise and adapt in real time while exploring a wide range of movement qualities. E-Motion breaks down the traditional barrier between performer and audience, creating a shared space where performance becomes a dialogue.”

Join Berta and the Fertile Ground 2025 company for the world premiere of E-Motion, created by Artistic Director Renaud Wiser.

📆 Sunday 7 September
📍 Dance City, Newcastle
🎟 Pay What You Can

📷 1: Chiaram Photos
📷 2: Elly Wel Photography

31/08/2025

✨ Meet Fertile Ground 2025 Company Dancer #3: Maria Giacchetto ✨

Maria is a Scottish-born, Newcastle-based movement artist. As a disabled artist she believes in the importance of mixing creative practices to find and explore inclusive ways of working with openness and joy.

💬 “I am extremely excited to be part of this festival that centres on creative talent from around the North East, bringing together performance, discussion, learning, and audience participation. I have never before been involved in a work that needs the audience to be so involved in decision-making, using technology in a brand-new way to create a completely new experience every single time. Come along, get involved, and help us make the show!”

Experience Maria in E-Motion, where the performance is shaped by audience choices, in a world premiere created by Fertile Ground's Artistic Director, Renaud Wiser.

📆 Sunday 7 September
📍 Dance City, Newcastle
🎟 Pay What You Can

📷 Sayarose Media

30/08/2025

✨ Meet Fertile Ground 2025 Company Dancer #2: Hope Brown-King ✨

Hope is a Gateshead-born freelance dance artist. She started at Dance City CAT at 12, studied at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, and completed her MA apprenticeship with Southpaw Company.

💬 “My movement language is inspired by athleticism, strength, and joy. I am super excited to be performing back at Dance City where my love for contemporary dance started. This new work gives the audience a chance to have a look behind the scenes and become a choreographer for the evening!”

Don't miss Hope in E-Motion, where every performance is shaped by audience choices, in a world premiere created by Renaud Wiser.

📆 Sunday 7 September
📍 Dance City, Newcastle
🎟 Pay What You Can

29/08/2025

✨ Meet Fertile Ground 2025 Company Dancer Esme Jobey ✨

Esme is a freelance dance artist from Newcastle upon Tyne, working in choreography, performance, and drag art.

💬 “I’m excited to show this North-East audience what we’ve been working on. E-Motion allows the role of maker and audience member to become blurred through an interactive performance that will invite the public to make their own contribution to the art we’ve been working on. If you enjoy dance and would like an insight into how choreography comes to be stage ready, then you will love this opportunity to make your mark!”

Join Esme and the Fertile Ground 2025 company when they perform the world premiere of E-Motion, a playful, interactive live dance experience that invites the audience to shape the performance in real time created by our Artistic Director, Renaud Wiser.

📆 Sunday 7 September, 6.30pm
📍 Dance City, Newcastle
🎟 Pay What You Can