Applause Youth Dance Festival

Tickets £10

Fabric presents Applause Youth Dance Festival (AYDF) 2026, a weekend celebration of youth dance in the Midlands this April.

AYDF 2026 welcomes young dancers aged 11 to 24 from all backgrounds, dance genres, and levels of experience to perform in this vibrant celebration of regional youth dance that takes place at Royal Concert Hall Nottingham for the first time.  

AYDF is the U.Dance Regional Platform for the Midlands, and gives the opportunity for audiences to experience an exciting evening of young dancers showcasing their creativity and sharing new original dance works. 

Saturday line-up
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 Dance Co (West Midlands)
NSFB (Northampton School for Boys) (East Midlands)
EC Dance (East Midlands)

Sunday line-up
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) 

Applause Youth Dance Festival is delivered in partnership with U.Dance Regional and One Dance UK, continuing its role as the U.Dance Regional Platform for the Midlands for 2026.

During the day the festival will also be hosting a marketplace. The marketplace will be an opportunity for people to connect with dance organisations, providers and institutions, explore training opportunities, projects and learn about progression pathways related to and around dance. 

The marketplace will be located on level 2 and will run from 12.30 - 5.30pm on Saturday and 12.30 - 4.30pm on the Sunday.  

Image credits: Anthony Shintai & Matthew Cawrey