Applause Youth Dance Festival (AYDF) is a weekend celebrating youth dance from across the Midlands.

AYDF gives young dancers the opportunity to perform with their peers in a professional venue, watch other youth groups’ work and take part in workshops with professional dance artists.

The festival welcomes young dancers from every background, every dance genre and every level of experience, to enjoy a colourful wave of youth dance activity. It is also your U.Dance regional platform for the Midlands

What is U.Dance?

U.Dance is a national programme led by One Dance UK and has been part of our youth dance offer in the East and West Midlands for ten amazing years.

Together with One Dance UK, Fabric aims to present high quality, innovative and ambitious youth dance. Groups from a variety of settings are welcome to take part, including:

• School and college groups 
• Youth dance companies 
• Private dance schools 
• Individuals 

What to expect at Applause Youth Dance Festival 2026?

The festival showcases the work of young dancers from a variety of backgrounds and levels of experience, between the ages of 11 to 19 and up to 25 for disabled dancers. The final programme includes companies from a huge variety of settings including school and college groups, youth dance organisations and private dance schools.

We’re pleased to announce the 23 successful companies and solo performers from across the East and West Midlands who will be performing at a vibrant weekend celebration of youth dance at the Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April:

Saturday 11 April performance features:

Next Door Dance Youth Company (East Midlands)
Sterran Dance Company (West Midlands)
Loco Academy (West Midlands)
Attitude Dance Studios Performance Team (West Midlands)
ACE Youth Company (West Midlands)
North Birmingham Academy (West Midlands)
Young Creations (East Midlands)
CYCC Dance Elevate (East Midlands)
Moving Space Co (West Midlands)
NSFB (Northampton School for Boys) (East Midlands)
EC Dance (East Midlands)

Book tickets for the Saturday here

Sunday 12 April performance features:

Park Vale Senior Dance Academy (East Midlands)
Dance Development Project (East Midlands)
Nottingham College Dance (East Midlands)
Holly (solo performance) (East Midlands)
IGNITE AMTD (West Midlands)
Linden Youth (West Midlands)
Eloquent Dance (West Midlands)
ME Dance Youth (West Midlands)
Afrocave Dance (West Midlands)
Our Lady St Chad (West Midlands)
Manushi Dance (East Midlands)
Northampton School Dance Academy (East Midlands)

Book tickets for the Sunday here

Visit the Marketplace – opens each day 12 – 5.30pm

AYDF will also be hosting a unique marketplace, taking over the foyer spaces of the Royal Concert Hall, offering the young people, families, carers and the public, an opportunity to connect with dance organisations, providers and institutions, explore training opportunities, projects and learn about career pathways related to and around dance.  There will be an exhibition space for mini performances and talks.

Applause is pleased to also be working in partnership with Breakin’ Convention this year, presenters of award-winning hip hop theatre revolution, and will be joining the discussion panel about careers in dance.

Entry to the marketplace is free and will be located in the foyer spaces at the Royal Concert Hall Nottingham from Saturday 11 April 12.30 – 5.30pm, and Sunday 12 April 12.30 – 5.30pm.

Find out more about the marketplace here.

U.Dance National Festival

The largest event of its kind, the U.Dance National Festival is a celebration of youth dance. Groups from around the country perform on professional stages, take part in workshops with leading dance professionals, and are offered inspiring dance career information.

The U.Dance National Festival 2026 will be held Friday 3 July to Sunday 5 July in Glasgow. More details announced soon.