Lothian Youth Dance Company (LYDC) is Dance Base’s in-house company for young dancers aged 14-21. Every year we bring together a group of young people to train, create, and perform together. Meeting once a month and over two week-long residencies, LYDC offers young people with a love of dance the chance to expand their Contemporary dance technique and performance skills in a supportive group environment.
The young company members work with professional dance artists and choreographers throughout the year to expand technical and creative skills and create up to two new performance pieces. Choreography is focused on Contemporary dance techniques, and our professional dance artists bring specialisms across many styles. As well as the opportunity to perform, members will have the chance to see professional dance performances in Edinburgh.
“I HAVE HAD THE BEST EVER TIME” – LYDC Dancer
“LYDC has helped boost my confidence, taught me lots of new things whether it was about new skills in dance or how to dance as a team. I also really enjoyed working with different choreographers, I thought it was exciting to see how different teachers teach.” – LYDC Dancer
“I was so impressed by the residency week, not just the dancing but the whole ethos and culture.” –Parent of LYDC Dancer
One year membership of LYDC costs £380 (three–part instalment option available). Funded bursary places are offered to young people for whom fees would be a barrier to participation.
If you have any questions about joining the company, or are interested in LYDC performing at your festival or event, please contact melissa.heywood@dancebase.co.uk
How to join
Dance Base runs audition workshops for LYDC in June/July each year, in time for the new group of young dancers to start working together as a company from the following September through to June.
Image credit: Dani Bower
Meet the Team
This year, the company will work with LYDC lead artist Katie Miller and will have two residency weeks in October and April. This October, the dancers worked with Tough Boys Dance Collective. For the April residency week, following an open call-out to choreographers, the LYDC members have chosen choreographer Rosie Mackley to work with them.
LYDC’s Previous Work:
FLIES by Tough Boys (Sula Castle & Roseann Dendy)
This piece reimagines the story Lord of the Flies through a raw and physical dance language, exploring morality, power, and the rituals that emerge within a fractured society. Drawing from Contemporary dance and Hip Hop theatre, the choreography embodies the tension between tenderness and brutality, revealing how quickly unity can dissolve into chaos.
Image Credit: Sally Jubb
Do:Not by Marc Brew
Have you ever been told that you cannot do or shouldn’t do something? How has that driven you to achieve your goal? Created in April 2025.
Image Credit: Brian Hartley
Disconnect by Abby Warrilow
Disconnect explores the duality within each individual, the outer and inner personas we all have, and the complexity of holding both. Created in October 2024.
Image credit: Sally Jubb
‘Kids Today’ by Tony Mills
This piece was choreographed by Dance Base artistic director Tony Mills. Created in April 2024 and performed at Dance Base as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024.
Image credit: Amy Sinead
'Reflections?' by Katie Armstrong
Yesterday I looked for myself
In the movement of the trees,
The autumn sky and the falling leaves.
There is nothing other than the Other
For my eyes to see.
Is it them or is it me?
Time passes us by
Unlike what is meant for us.
Connection is everywhere.
In my eyes
In their eyes
On my back-
Wings.
Oh how beautiful it is to be human.
(Poem by LYDC dancer Giovanna Skoufalou)
Image credit: Amy Sinead
‘The Waiting Room’ by Emma Smith, Katie Miller and LYDC dancers
A shifting world of waiting; waiting rooms, waiting tables, wait your turn. This heavily musical, dynamic piece takes inspiration from Ohad Nahrain’s ‘Echad Mi Yodea’, and was choreographed in collaboration with the dancers.
Image credit: Amy Sinead
‘We and Everybody Else’ by Molly Scott Danter
A piece exploring the shared and contrasting experiences of the world. Created in October 2022 and performed at Citymoves, Aberdeen in October 2022, at Dance Base in December 2022 and at Eden Court, Inverness in February 2023. This piece was shortlisted for U.Dance, One Dance UK’s National Youth Dance Festival 2023.
Image credit: Brian Slater
‘Thysia’ by Emma Smith and LYDC dancers
Based loosely on The Rite of Spring, the young people explored the concept of the outsider, ritual and ‘group think’. Created in April 2022 and performed at Dance Base as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2022.
‘Dusk’ by Bridie Gane
Inspired by birdsong and the music of Cosmo Sheldrake. Created in October 2021 and performed at Dance Base in December 2021 and The Space, Dundee in February 2022.
Image credit: Amy Sinead
