Help Stacked Wonky’s Young Dancers Perform at Sadler’s Wells

Team fundraiser

Sarah Shorten and 2 others are organizing this fundraiser to benefit Stacked Wonky Foundation Limited.

UPDATE

We're delighted to have surpassed our £5,000 target!

It's incredible money is still coming in.

All additional donations will be used to support our after-school Academy programme, enabling more West Somerset young people to join Stacked Wonky and perhaps one day forge their own way to Sadler's Wells...

National success for our young dancers!

A group of 14 Stacked Wonky dancers aged 11 to 18 has been selected to perform on Sadler's Wells main stage on 9 July 2024. They are part of Making Moves, a project designed to celebrate exceptional new choreography, and one of only 9 groups to be selected nationally.

We are asking for your support to help them meet the costs of getting to London.

Who are we?

Stacked Wonky is an arts organisation based on a village high street in Porlock, West Somerset. We run Academies for young people designed to nurture the creativity of each individual whether they want to become a performer, director, designer or technician. We believe they have the power to make work that uniquely connects with audiences.

Meet Benjamin... our young director!

What makes the group's success so extraordinary is the fact the performance was created by first-time director Benjamin, aged 18. He is the only young director taking part in the Making Moves project.

More about Making Moves

Making Moves is a Sadler's Wells nationwide project twinning youth dance leaders with renowned choreographers to generate original work. In September 2023, Stacked Wonky was paired with the incredible Oona Doherty and after months of hard work, Benjamin showcased his performance entitled "You Don't Know Either" at Pavilion Dance South West. Upon selection for Sadler's, he received the following feedback from the Making Moves panel:

“This was a brave, raw and mature piece of choreography that the whole panel loved. It felt like a beautiful collective while highlighting each dancer’s individuality. It contained brilliant experimentation throughout that was courageous and well executed.”

Why are we asking for help?

As a small arts organisation, we don’t have core funding to cover this unexpected success. We have to be in London for 2 nights and 3 days for technical rehearsals, workshops and the performance. Our team is comprised of Benjamin, 14 dancers, 2 apprentice designers, 3 staff members and volunteers/chaperones.

We urgently need to raise £5,000.

This is where you come in! Your donations will help cover the following:

Travel to London from West Somerset by train
Tube fares
2 nights accommodation in London
Contribution to meals
Freelance staff costs
Insurance

Why this matters

This is an incredible achievement given the group was up against youth dance companies from towns and cities across England. They embody the fierce, raw talent of Stacked Wonky young artists and represent the power of rural communities. We are proud to put Porlock and West Somerset on the national dance map.

This is also a life-changing opportunity for the group by:

Making a career pathway in the performing arts visible
Boosting self-esteem and promoting confidence
Providing positive role modelling for their peers

Bear in mind over 50% attending Stacked Wonky Academies are boys, a third identify with diverse learning needs and a quarter require financial support to attend.

Timeline

We need to raise £5,000 by 4 July 2024 to ensure the group can travel to London.

How you can help

Your generosity can make this dream a reality. By donating, you are supporting the arts, fostering young talent, and empowering young people from a rural community to shine on a national stage.

Thank you for believing in us. Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to Sadler’s Wells!