Welcome to our July 2024 newsletter.

It has been a busy couple of months for DCD and our dance sector friends. DCD delivered an Inspiration Event at Yorkshire Dance in Leeds, with a fantastic line up of dance artists. We received 24 applications for Retraining Grants in June and continue to forge new partnerships cross-sector, this month promoting free fitness instructor training for dancers through our relationship with Virgin Active.

We are currently inviting applications for our Beyond Dance Mentoring programme, which partners dancers with senior executives from a range of industries (many of whom are former dancers themselves), and SHIFT - our co-initiative with ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company, which supports the development of Hip Hop dancers’ portfolio careers. 

A huge congratulations to all our partners, and dancers who were nominated for National Dance Awards 2024. Congratulations too, to England’s National Youth Dance Company, who performed Wall by Belfast-based choreographer Oona Doherty, at Sadler’s Wells this month.

It has also been a time to reflect as UK based colleagues gathered in memory of John Ashford CBE at The Place, where he was responsible for launching many choreographers’ careers and founded Aerowaves, the European network for research and presentation of emerging dance companies. Having started out as a Theatre Director at the ICA, he was once asked Why dance? John’s response: “Because dance is the poetry of theatre. Because dancers are the most modest of magnificent artists. Because the integrity of dance is so rarely compromised.”

Looking forwards, we’re so excited about the introduction of Breaking to this year’s Olympics. Congratulations and good luck to all those involved. We’re particularly delighted to see DCD supported dancers taking part both as performers and support team staff. Click here if you’d like to find out more.

Vanessa Lefrancois, Executive Director

This autumn DCD will host an impactful and memorable day of conversations focused on career development for dancers. This special one-off event will be the pinnacle of DCD’s 50th Anniversary Programme and cater for both dance artists and those who work with dancers in the performing arts sector.

With brilliant speakers, informative panel discussions, extraordinary personal stories, valuable networking opportunities and a market-place of industry experts – served-up alongside delicious food and pop-up creative offerings to fuel our conversations – we challenge those attending not to be motivated and inspired!

Full programme and timings to be announced.

Early Bird (reduced price) bookings open Monday 5 August.

DCD offers subsidised, one-to-one Personal, Professional Development and Career Transition Coaching for dancers. Coaching has helped hundreds of dancers navigate their career progression. Sessions happen online and are led by DCD’s team of experienced coaches, who specialise in working with dancers. Coaching is free to dancers on universal credit.

“It felt like it opened a giant door into the next chapter of my life, which will have an impact for years to come.” Independent dancer on the value of DCD’s Coaching.

DCD’s last Inspiration Event took place at Yorkshire Dance. A participant referred to the day as "cultivating connections", and we discussed "walking towards the fear".

The day began with a workshop focused on Self Compassion, facilitated by Nicolette Wilson-Clarke. We were then treated to two incredible performances and films by Company Chameleon and Northern Ballet, alongside a generous sharing of experiences by panellists Dickson Mbi (Olivier Award winner: Outstanding Achievement in Dance, 2023), Anthony Missen (Co-Artistic Director/Co-Founder, Company Chameleon), Sandrine Monin (Founder/Artistic Director, Unbound Dance Theatre), Pippa Moore MBE (Artistic, Learning & Academy Associate Artist, Northern Ballet) and Kevin Edward Turner (Co-Artistic Director/Co-Founder, Company Chameleon), discussing their careers in dance and beyond.

Thank you to all those who took part in and supported this impactful event.

Please send us any feedback you have on our newsletter, so that we can make sure future editions are relevant, informative and interesting. Also, do keep in touch with us on social media, your support in sharing our posts with your network is hugely appreciated.

DCD is ambitious for dancers' futures.