YOUNG PEOPLE SHOW
‘INDIFFERENCE’

Presented by the National Coalition Building Institute
Grand Theatre, Lancaster
Tuesday 18 March 2007

Ever been told by a Parent that “You’re not going out looking like that”
Ever crossed the road because the person walking towards you scared you because of what they were wearing?
Do you look back at photographs and ask yourself, “Why did I ever think that was fashionable?”

Yes!

You’re not alone!

50 young people from across the District came together to present ‘Indifference’, a performance opportunity exploring youth culture and positive expression of identity through music and fashion.

NCBI Lancashire has been working with young people across the district to investigate current fashions, fashions of the past and the resulting misinformation that can be generated about who we are based on how we look. Through this work, young people had the opportunity to better understand what it feels like when adults and other groups of young people make assumptions about them based on what they are wearing.

This message reverberated around the theatre in the opening piece by ‘Chavs 4 Lyf’ who chose a mixture of dance, live dj’ing and poetry to make their point:
‘’If people respect us chavs, then we’d respect them. We’re harmless, it’s just our style that makes people stare and think we’re all bad.”

Performances from a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth group were energetic, deeply moving and provided an incredible challenge to the common misconceptions that exist about image and dress code for this identity group.

The audience were also treated to a stunning performance by asian girls who took them on an exploration of what it means for them to be young and muslim. They delicately weaved modern hip hop and traditional dance styles; challenged the islamaphobia which comes at them through the use of captivating visual projections; and then closed the show with a very simple but intensely powerful performance piece highlighting the beauty and serenity of the hijab.

The bringing together of past and present was hilariously executed by ‘Dottie Decade’ as she spoke to the audience about the moral panics of the day relating to young people, which essentially have remained the same. Her message to the audience was clear; as adults it is likely that we have experienced the same as our young people at some point in our lives.

Project Coordinator, Angie Metcalf said, "The project as a whole and the final performance was a huge success on many levels. Young people had the opportunity to look at their everyday lives from a new perspective, reclaim and restate their identities and create for themselves something that they felt wholly proud to share in a public performance.

"For many of these young people it was the first time they had been on a big stage and they have accomplished something they never expected to do. They have discovered so much about themselves through this work and had the opportunity to come together and form relationships with other groups of young people with whom they would normally have no contact."

DVD’s of the performance will be available through NCBI and profits from these will go towards further Youth Led Initiatives in the district.

For further information about ‘Indifference’ and the work of NCBI as a whole, please contact 01524 383899 or email ncbilancs@ncbi.org.uk