Dance organisations combine to create “go-to” industry body

A new consortium of four leading dance organisations aims to create a unified “go-to” industry body for the dance sector.

Together, the Association of Dance of the African Diaspora, Dance UK, National Dance Teachers Association and Youth Dance England, will work to nurture and develop talent, and lead the industry in education, health and wellbeing, and leadership and career development. As a single more powerful voice, the currently unnamed consortium aims to simplify how funders and policy makers connect with the dance industry.

The move, made possible by a three-year commissioned grant of £650k a year from Arts Council England (ACE), is in response to sector-wide calls for industry bodies to work more closely together, to reduce duplication, combine expertise and strengthen advocacy. By pooling resources, the organisations aim to make savings on administration and overheads, and reduce dependency on single funders by maximising their combined membership income.

Director of Dance for ACE, Cate Canniffe, said: “Working through its joint national membership which includes dance agencies, higher education institutions, teachers, schools, professional dancers, choreographers and touring dance companies in every region, the consortium will support a more coherent national approach to the delivery of dance services. It will offer dance services and development across the spectrum from children and young people’s dance to professional dance practice and being representative of the creative case for diversity.”

The consortium’s first initiative will be the publication of a five-year strategy for the dance sector.