World IP Day: Celebrating the Creativity of the Young People of Wales

 

Jane Lambert

As I said in  "World IP Day 2022: IP and Youth: "Innovating for a Better Future"  I wrote:

"The theme for this year is 'IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future.' At a video conference earlier in the year, Emily Roberts, Jamie Thomas and I interpreted that phrase as 'a celebration of the creativity, enterprise and innovation of young people around the world.' Accordingly, we agreed to celebrate the creativity, enterprise and innovation of the young people of Wales."

In It is About Rocket Science I discussed how the Menai Science Park ("M-SParc") plans to celebrate innovation, particularly in relation to the expanding Welsh space industry. Today, I focus on how we plan to celebrate creativity by reference to dance.

Wales is often called the "land of song" in acknowledgement of its choral and operatic traditions (see Why Wales is known as the ‘Land of Song’ BBC website). It is, however, just as much a dancing nation.  Its folk tradition with its exuberant grasshopper step is quite distinctive (see Hansh Addysgu Ameer - Dawnsio Gwerin).  Its national classical dance company, Ballet Cymru, draws on that tradition as can be seen from its appearance last year with Sian James at Eisteddfod Gudd.

Ballet Cymru was founded by Darius James in 1986.  The company describes itself as 

"a ballet company who like to do things a bit differently. We enjoy finding new ways to make what we do exciting, innovative and relevant."

That was true even in its early days as can be seen from this archive footage on its production of The Tempest from 1998.

Darius will be one of our speakers at M-SPaerc's lunchtime webinar for World Intellectual Property Day.  If you have not already got a ticket for the webinar you can register here,  He will talk about his company and its forthcoming performances of his new ballet Dream at Theatr Clwyd in Mold on 29 May and the Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre in Bangor on 4 June.  Even more importantly, Darius will discuss Ballet Cymru's DUETS programme which introduces ballet to children in the inner cities and rural communities who might not otherwise be exposed to the art.   I referred to the company's work with the children of Llanllyfni Primary School in How the Pontio Centre and M-SParc complement each other in the Social and Economic Development of Northwest Wales on 5 June 2020.   Darius also promises us a glimpse of what his super-talented young dancers can do to close the webinar.

This year's contribution to World Intellectual Property Day should be the best ever,   In addition to the lunchtime webinar, we shall hold an all-day exhibition at the science park where you can obtain information about Ballet Cymru, its performances and its outreach programme.   

Further Reading

Jane Lambert  IP and Dance 30 May 2019