L2R Dance is making their move for youth in the West

From a Braybrook classroom to a thriving social enterprise, L2R Dance is breaking down barriers for young creatives in the West.

Story by  
November 13, 2026

We sat down with the founder and CEO of L2R Dance, Jacinda Richards, to get her valuable insights on how employment can be better supported for young creatives.

Jacinda Richards, Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of L2R Dance. Photo by Avneil Mohan.

The L2R Dance story: 

L2R Dance story began when Jacinda was running dance classes at the Western English Language School (WELS) in Braybrook in 2009. “As  students were exiting WELS, many kids were coming up to me and saying “Hey Miss, we want to keep dancing, where can we go? And I was like, I don't know. I didn't have an answer to that question.” 

Jacinda, seeing the gaps for young people wanting to engage in dance in the West, started a small volunteer group on weekends which has now grown to a not-for-profit and social enterprise creating free, accessible dance opportunities for children and young people as well as building employment pathways for the next generation of emerging artists. Provision of such opportunities aims to minimise common obstacles such as  accessibility in location, skill level, socioeconomic burdens and discrimination for many wanting to access recreational activities in the West.

Breaking down these barriers to participation, is what lies at the heart of L2R Dance. L2R Dance provides children and young people in the West access to free weekly dance workshops through their Panda Squad, Lil Legends, Next Gen and Breaking programs, “We’re trying to fill a gap for children and young people that cannot access a dance school for whatever that barrier may be, finance is definitely a big one.” She continues on the importance of keeping dance and recreational programs accessible to everyone and disassembling constructs of artistic elitism, “The art’s doesn’t discriminate right? It doesn’t matter where you come from, art and creativity is part of the human DNA.”

L2R Dance’s Professional Development Support: 

L2R Dance gives emerging artists and  young creatives a look into the reality of life in the arts industry, ” I feel like you can hone the form or the craft but then what is it actually like to sit in the rehearsal studio? What's it like to sit backstage? What's it like to actually grab the mic and have people stare at you?” 

Their Igniting Legends Program aims to do just that, placing young creatives on extended paid internships, aiming to build employment pathways, foster artistic skills and career aspirations in the creative arts industries. “We want them to open their eyes and explore things they may not have had the opportunity to if they hadn't been in the program and we do that through partnerships and collaborations with other arts organisations.”

L2R Dance’s commitment to removing hurdles within the arts regarding the development of professional relationships and networking continues into this program, “The major outcome; they get job-ready. We support them with getting Working With Children’s Checks and bios and headshots and video documentation so that they feel like they can go out and feel more confident as a dancer or as an artist and have had some sort of support and experience so they can gain employment beyond the program.”

L2R Crew 2024. Photo by JM Butera.

‍

She goes on to speak about the importance of providing young people with fair and equitable work opportunities, “With internships people say you know what are the outcomes? And I joke and say well people are stoked to be paid, because often internships are the stereotype of being unpaid right?” Supporting young artists in early and developmental stages of their professional career creates a richer arts ecology across Victoria, one of the ways of doing this is through maintaining sustainable community institutions like L2R Dance, encouraging an  “each one teach one” philosophy  as Jacinda explained.

The West is abundant with individuals belonging to minority groups, with many historically seeing their identity as a point of isolation. Jacinda spoke on shifting perceptions of diversity of the West as a strength in emerging young artists and a way of reclaiming cultural identity, something that has been deeply rooted in the history of hip hop and street dance from it’s beginning in marginalised BIPOC communities. She speaks on how dance facilitates the expression of one’s identity, “Tapping into that lived experience that makes them unique, makes them human, gives them their own story, that something that no one else has. Hip hop as a form gives you the foundations and then asks you to take that and make it yours.”

‍

L2R Crew 2026. Photo supplied by Jacinda Richards.

“Try a class and hang out in the back if that's where you feel comfortable and maybe in a couple of terms you'll be up the front, but you’ve gotta start somewhere.”

Advice for Young Creatives:

In her advice for young people looking to break into creative industries and professional networks, she states that  “When you're a young person it's really about having the confidence to ask questions. Find ways that don’t have a cost to them, there are free community events, free arts events and festivals. If there's a dancer that you see their work and think hey that’s kinda cool and I would love to be doing that in 10 years, then go and take their class and have a chat to them after class.”

Jacinda advises young people wanting to try dance as a beginner to, “Try a class and hang out in the back if that's where you feel comfortable and maybe in a couple of terms you'll be up the front, but you’ve gotta start somewhere.” She spoke on the lasting social impact of L2R Dance programs in building friendships, crews and being a present part in the next generation of artists. L2R Dance acts as a tool of social cohesion across the community, now more than ever, as young people navigate a world of rapid online interaction and deal with the aftermath of a loneliness pandemic brought upon by COVID, “dance is a really good way to find a connection with likeminded people that like to move, that are creative, that get out of their head and into their body.”

‍

BBoy Fusion. Photo by Avneil Mohan

“When you're working with young people, they keep things relevant and they challenge the status quo and I think that some people are fearful of being challenged, whereas I think that makes you stronger.”

How Can Businesses in the West Better Support Young People?

Jacinda advises, “When you're working with young people, they keep things relevant and they challenge the status quo and I think that some people are fearful of being challenged, whereas I think that makes you stronger.” She illustrates the need for businesses to simplify overcomplicated application processes for young employees, “Make it accessible for a young person to throw their hat in the ring, not sort of this big scary monster that feels unachievable. Don’t make them write a 2 page CV and coverletter, because young people don’t have a huge employment history? A lot of university degrees and TAFE courses require young people to do hours and placements as well so that might be a good place to start so they can fulfill some education at the same time.”

Businesses can still provide opportunities for young creatives even if they lack  resources to employ someone full-time, Jacinda states “Young people are really keen, often they want flexible working hours and not full-time, so you know if you know you can offer 5 hours on a friday night for a youth position put it out there and see what you get, start small and test the waters test with what feels achievable within your business and structure.”

L2R Dance is more than just a business, they are a  community, providing young people with something we don’t often see; accessible professional and recreational opportunities. They strive to ensure that the arts is not kept a privilege, but that every young person has the right to practice self-expression, to have equal footing in professional spheres and to have third-spaces to connect socially and just have fun.

It was amazing to speak with Jacinda about L2R Dance’s impact and we can’t wait to see what’s in store from the next generation of our emerging artists in the West.

‍

Want to support or get involved with the L2R Dance community? Are you a 12-25 year old looking to dance? L2R Dance has free weekly programs across Footscray, Wyndham and St Albans, along with lots of cool community events and collabs. 

Follow their social media and website below to learn more about their incredible opportunities!

Website: https://www.l2r.org.au/ 

Instagram: @l2r_dance

Cover Photo: L2R Crew and Next Gen youth participants performing at the Red Stairs in the City of Melbourne 2022. Photo by Kimberely Summers.

‍

Alanis is a fierce advocate for equity in the West, breaking down barriers through meaningful conversations, she is passionate about empowering young people to make their own positive change for themselves and their communities.
Jacinda Richards, Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of L2R Dance. Photo by Avneil Mohan.

The L2R Dance story: 

L2R Dance story began when Jacinda was running dance classes at the Western English Language School (WELS) in Braybrook in 2009. “As  students were exiting WELS, many kids were coming up to me and saying “Hey Miss, we want to keep dancing, where can we go? And I was like, I don't know. I didn't have an answer to that question.” 

Jacinda, seeing the gaps for young people wanting to engage in dance in the West, started a small volunteer group on weekends which has now grown to a not-for-profit and social enterprise creating free, accessible dance opportunities for children and young people as well as building employment pathways for the next generation of emerging artists. Provision of such opportunities aims to minimise common obstacles such as  accessibility in location, skill level, socioeconomic burdens and discrimination for many wanting to access recreational activities in the West.

Breaking down these barriers to participation, is what lies at the heart of L2R Dance. L2R Dance provides children and young people in the West access to free weekly dance workshops through their Panda Squad, Lil Legends, Next Gen and Breaking programs, “We’re trying to fill a gap for children and young people that cannot access a dance school for whatever that barrier may be, finance is definitely a big one.” She continues on the importance of keeping dance and recreational programs accessible to everyone and disassembling constructs of artistic elitism, “The art’s doesn’t discriminate right? It doesn’t matter where you come from, art and creativity is part of the human DNA.”

L2R Dance’s Professional Development Support: 

L2R Dance gives emerging artists and  young creatives a look into the reality of life in the arts industry, ” I feel like you can hone the form or the craft but then what is it actually like to sit in the rehearsal studio? What's it like to sit backstage? What's it like to actually grab the mic and have people stare at you?” 

Their Igniting Legends Program aims to do just that, placing young creatives on extended paid internships, aiming to build employment pathways, foster artistic skills and career aspirations in the creative arts industries. “We want them to open their eyes and explore things they may not have had the opportunity to if they hadn't been in the program and we do that through partnerships and collaborations with other arts organisations.”

L2R Dance’s commitment to removing hurdles within the arts regarding the development of professional relationships and networking continues into this program, “The major outcome; they get job-ready. We support them with getting Working With Children’s Checks and bios and headshots and video documentation so that they feel like they can go out and feel more confident as a dancer or as an artist and have had some sort of support and experience so they can gain employment beyond the program.”

L2R Crew 2024. Photo by JM Butera.

‍

She goes on to speak about the importance of providing young people with fair and equitable work opportunities, “With internships people say you know what are the outcomes? And I joke and say well people are stoked to be paid, because often internships are the stereotype of being unpaid right?” Supporting young artists in early and developmental stages of their professional career creates a richer arts ecology across Victoria, one of the ways of doing this is through maintaining sustainable community institutions like L2R Dance, encouraging an  “each one teach one” philosophy  as Jacinda explained.

The West is abundant with individuals belonging to minority groups, with many historically seeing their identity as a point of isolation. Jacinda spoke on shifting perceptions of diversity of the West as a strength in emerging young artists and a way of reclaiming cultural identity, something that has been deeply rooted in the history of hip hop and street dance from it’s beginning in marginalised BIPOC communities. She speaks on how dance facilitates the expression of one’s identity, “Tapping into that lived experience that makes them unique, makes them human, gives them their own story, that something that no one else has. Hip hop as a form gives you the foundations and then asks you to take that and make it yours.”

‍

Alanis is a fierce advocate for equity in the West, breaking down barriers through meaningful conversations, she is passionate about empowering young people to make their own positive change for themselves and their communities.

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