Marking the 40th anniversary of the 1984 British Miners’ Strike, Dancing Coalfields is a powerful dance in education project that creatively connects young people with high quality dance and arts provision and the oral histories and the coal mining heritage of their local community.
The closure of UK coal mines, the subsequent demolition phase and the countryfication of the landscape has removed the physical reminders of coal minings rich industrial heritage. Coal mining has shaped the culture and identity of our local communities but without physical reminders of this, young people are feeling less and less connected to their community and its’ history.
Dancing Coalfields is a cross-curricular project that integrates:
- Dance – Co-creating original live performance work
- Music – Collaborating with championship brass musicians from Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
- Art – Designing miners’ banners, protest signs and visual responses
- History – Exploring oral testimonies and archival research
- Creative Writing & Media – Developing narrative and documentation skills
Pupils work with industry professionals and heritage specialists through bespoke visits to The National Coal Mining Museum for England and The National Union of Mineworkers. These experiences bring pupils into direct contact with archives, artefacts and first-hand accounts, connecting the past and present in meaningful ways.
The process culminates in collaborative live performances and public exhibitions, celebrating young people’s creative responses to their heritage.
By blending heritage, creativity and education, Dancing Coalfields ensures that even as landscapes change, identity, pride and collective memory remain alive, carried forward by the next generation.
“In most UK state schools, dance is pretty much non-existent resulting in a lack of awareness of the many benefits dance and arts provision can bring. Cultural and creative dance education, especially in areas of deprivation, can help young people overcome challenging circumstances, discover new talent, widen their horizons and realise aspirations.”
Pilot
Dancing Coalfields was piloted during 2024 / 2025 at Outwood Academy Shafton engaging:
- 86 students
- Across 5 groups (Dance, Music, History, Art and Media)
- 8 workshop sessions per group (40 total workshops)
- Students developed creative responses to themes explored in COAL, with the resulting exhibition staged at the National Coal Mining Museum for England—attracting over 10,000 visitors.
“Dancing Coalfields was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils. Performing Arts uptake is low, so this project has enhanced engagement in the arts, especially dance and allowed pupils to work collectively and collaboratively. The unique cross curricular element has also opened up opportunities linked to their local history and heritage.”
“The NUM is proud to support this new and innovative venture. Always ready to promote education and the freedom of expression, we feel this is a wonderful opportunity for young people to combine the future and the past.”
“I think it has impacted my confidence. I have anxiety, but it has really helped. I lost my confidence, but this has re-boosted it and it’s back up to its highest point from how much the project team have taught me and helped me.”
Media
Credits
Produced by Gary Clarke Company
Funded by Arts Council England, BMBC Better Barnsley and Earl of Fitzwilliam Fund
Artistic Direction: Gary Clarke
Executive Producer: Annabel Dunbar
Engagement Manager: Laura Barber
Project Manager: Emma Triggeden
Dance Artists: Rob Anderson & Rose Ellen Lewis
Film Maker: Kamal Macdonald
Music Mentors: Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
Evaluation Reporting: FUSION
Partners
Outwood Academy Shafton
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
National Union of Mineworkers
National Coal Mining Museum
Fusion