HIDDEN GIANTS was a new outreach project created to coincide with our theatre production Would You Bet Against Us? celebrating the 40th anniversary of Aston Villa's mighty European Cup triumph and the highs and lows of being a football fan.

HIDDEN GIANTS gave 15 young people (aged 13-17) from vulnerable areas around Villa Park the chance to work with the amazing Hip Hop / theatre artist Jamaal O'Driscoll, along with us, to develop their creative skills, and confidence, through performance and hip-hop workshops.

The theme of what it means to be an underdog (like Villa back in 1982) is both universal and personal and was the subject of the HIDDEN GIANTS creative workshops which ran over a 3 week period and included the chance to watch our show in rehearsal and see a preview.

Feedback from this project included:

"It was great fun to do. I enjoyed learning breakdance moves" (participant).

"I really enjoyed it and learned new things from it and Jamaal was really nice and kind" (participant).

"It was great seeing their willingness to participate. It's important because some of them may never have experienced this type of activity before" (Aston Villa youth worker).

The Aston Villa Foundation was a partner on this project.

"The majority of young people involved are from low income families, therefore, to have access to any sort of provision in their communities can be difficult. Bringing activities to them for free helps remove accessibility barriers and will bring about an enlightening and worthwhile experience for all" (Aston Villa Foundation).

Jamaal O’Driscoll, was the Dance Practitioner on this project.

"This has the potential to leave an impact which may not be showcased or measurable immediately but as the practitioner, I have no doubt that this has taken place. It would be amazing to see more projects like this being repeated and developed to allow more young people to experience the arts and ability to express themselves across a variety of mediums.”