STEP:CHANGE is a groundbreaking initiative that creates a unique and exciting platform for young performers to gain stage experience in a professional environment to showcase their work.

STEP:CHANGE has been developed in collaboration with Sussex Festival of Performing Arts to enable a wider range of people to take part in the Festival - especially those who have limited access to the arts. By introducing a dynamic range of new features to the Festival we aim to facilitate high-quality artistic experiences and provide unique pathways for local, regional, national and international aspiring artists to participate.  These new features include some non-competitive activities such as workshops and exhibition performances. For the pilot project in 2018 South East Dance presented a young group of performers who were very new to the stage, and we also welcomed international students from the University of West Indies in Barbados who wowed us with their contemporary pieces.  All of these young dancers took away with them wonderful, inspiring experiences that will stay with them for a lifetime and we are now developing other opportunities for all of them to continue to engage with their international peers.

For the 2019 STEP:CHANGE we once again invited both local and international guest performers, shining a spotlight on 2 amazing dance companies;
Project Female (Brighton, UK)
PowerHouse Studios (Barbados)

Now approaching its third year, STEP:CHANGE 2020 promises to be just as exciting so watch this space...

The video below was recorded at the COCO Dance Festival in Trinidad where the students from UWI were also invited to repeat their stunning performance of "ICU"