Memorandum submitted by DanceEast
Many thanks for your interest into particular
issues and aspects of dance. This offers dance a unique opportunity
to provide you with an overview of the rich and diverse mosiac
that is very vibrant in the UK today—both indigenous and
imported. I welcome this opportunity to share some personal insights
with you.
As the director of DanceEast, the National Dance
Agency for the East of England, I would like to provide you with
information that offers an overview of the impact of our work—which
ranges for community dance classes to international think tanks—and
also its uniqueness operating in rural communities and the challenges
therein face.
PUBLIC POLICY
AND INVESTMENT
Arts Council England in its current and past
structure has been a driving force in supporting dance—without
it, we wouldn't have DanceEast and the National Dance Agency network.
It is critical to keep in mind that 80% of dancers
and companies live and work in London. The National Dance Agency
network has ensured that the pioneers outside of London have been
recognised. Today, 12 years on, dance is thriving in the regions,
but it remains a London-centric art form. We can't change this.
London is one of the world's great metropolises. But, what we
need to do is share the wealth of talent and experience around
the country. DanceEast, for one, is planning to move a London
based dance company (Henri Oguike Dance Company) to Ipswich as
part of the development of our new DanceHouse. And not just any
old company, but one that is gaining great critical and public
acclaim and that is accessible and produces consistently good
quality work. One of the dangers of "regionalism" is
that we are so easily susceptible to compromising and we can't
let that happen! Audiences know when they are witnessing good
quality work and greatness and we can't cheat them—whether
in the classroom or in the theatre—everyone deserves the
best.
The Arts Council, in its new guise has empowered
the regions, and this is a good thing, but it must maintain standards
of excellence and there must remain a central overview and checks
and balances to ensure that the fine-balance with regional spread
does not compromise quality—be it in London or in remote
rural communities. Peer assessment and rigorous evaluation must
be ongoing and the portfolio of regularly funded clients scrutinized
to ensure that they are relevant for the art form and audiences
today, achieving their objectives and delivering quality work.
There must also be a strategy for supporting dance artists and
companies through careers dedicated to the art form in partnership
with universities and other institutions to ensure smooth and
supportive transitions and career development.
Arts Council Funding is without doubt a seal
of approval and a vote of confidence. In the case of DanceEast,
it is critical to generating funding from other sources. In the
case of our current capital fund raising appeal, the funding from
the Arts Lottery Capital programme has been instrumental in unlocking
funds from local authorities as well as trusts and foundations
and this continues on to individuals and businesses.
DANCE GIVES
BACK TO
THE COMMUNITY
In return, dance gives back to its constituents
on a number of levels and as a national dance agency, I think
DanceEast can confidently say that the returns impact far beyond
art and yet the art of dance is at the heart of everything we
do. Dance embraces all of the arts and provides a unique creative
experience for all who interact with it, whether in social, educational,
entertainment or health related contexts—what an amazing
art form! And, its diversity offers a range of pathways into the
art form. One minute DanceEast is presenting Hip Hop performances
on the hour at the Suffolk Show to local farmers, and the next
hosting a Rural Retreat for 25 ballet directors from around the
globe with Charles Handy.
MEETING LOCAL,
REGIONAL AND
NATIONAL OBJECTIVES
As a national dance agency, DanceEast is a conjurer
and juggler. As the former, our job is not to duplicate but rather
to make a difference and create programmes that are new, thought
provoking, challenging, attractive and provide leadership. As
the latter, we meet local, regional and national objectives. We
have a role to play in delivering activities that otherwise wouldn't
be available to our communities. In Ipswich, this means 250 individuals
and in the rural districts 300 each week actively, physically
participating in dance sessions. They come to us, but there are
also those individuals for whom dance is a bit alien and we have
an even bigger role to play in reaching out, quite sensitively,
to them and breaking down preconceived barriers—from working
with "looked after" children in foster care in Ipswich
and Lowestoft to weekly visits to the children's wards at Ipswich
and Colchester hospitals. They are tiny steps, but the impact
can change a life. Not making dancers, but giving individuals
a sense of their creative potential that is carried through to
all areas of their lives.
DELIVERING DANCE
IN RURAL
COMMUNITIES
Rural often means isolation, transport issues,
social deprivation. Here in East Anglia, we are only too aware
that there are many visible and invisible barriers to participation
in the arts. As a means of addressing this, DanceEast launched
an annual Village Hall Touring programme. Trying to find dance
product of the highest calibre to tour to small village halls
over a three-week period has been a struggle, but we've recently
completed our fourth tour with over 1,000 people attending 16
performances and over 2,000 young people participating in workshops
in their local schools. For many, it is a first live performance
in the safe and familiar environment of their local village hall.
And, our goal is to ensure it is a positive one that will either
leave good memories, and even better, entice them to travel a
little bit further to a theatre. Quality in such circumstances
is imperative because a negative experience can turn someone off
for life.
DANCE FOR
YOUNG AUDIENCES
DanceEast has tried to focus on work for young
people on this rural tour, but this is a huge challenge as there
simply isn't the British product available in this style—unlike
our Scandinavian and Spanish neighbours who have invested in work
for young audiences and produced world class product for local
and international consumption. Village Hall Touring is a cornerstone
of what we, as a rural National Dance Agency, deliver, but we
can only achieve success with appropriate product.
PRODUCING ON
THE INTERNATIONAL
CIRCUIT
Where we fall behind in UK dance is as international
producers and promoters. We simply don't have the funds to co-produce
international work, to host international residencies and to really
make a difference in the international arena. Yes, the Arts Council
is funding large-scale international work to tour to the UK, but
this remains exclusive to a small network of venues and we in
the East of England have no access to this product. Internationalism
needs to be shared on all scales.
With all the successes, this is the one bit
of the puzzle that needs recognition and support. And, it works
both ways in terms of export and import, not only of world-class
dance performances, but also teachers, mentors, educationalists
and choreographers.
Internationally, DanceEast has a strong track
record because in recent years we have developed Rural Retreats—International
think tanks looking at the future of ballet and we recently hosted
British Dance Edition in Cambridge—the biennial platform
of British dance attended by promoters from around the globe—nearly
500 this year. We also have Arts Council funding to present Snape
Dances, which brings two international dance companies to Snape
each year. This is brilliant support but our audiences need more
work on the small and middle scale more regularly.
YOUNG PEOPLE—NURTURING
CREATIVITY
What we offer is a pyramid of dance training
for young people—whether tiny tots taking their first steps,
or ballet scholars supplementing their regular classes with our
world class teachers—there is something for everyone. And,
when they don't come to us, we go to them. Each year, with Suffolk
County Council's advisory teacher for Dance we develop a production
with over 100 young people from Suffolk schools who have never
danced before. One project, Boys in Babergh, continues, with 40
unlikely candidates now dancing each week and developing all male-dance
groups in rural Suffolk!
YOUNG PEOPLE—NURTURING
TALENT
There are of course those who want to dance,
have a passion for dance and, most importantly, have a talent
for dance. We have a role to play in supporting and nurturing
this talent. In the end, only a few will succeed as dancers, in
whatever genre—and so it should be—it is a difficult,
challenging and short career and we need to ensure that those
that do show the talent are supported financially and artistically.
Too often, young students come to us asking for grants and that
simply isn't our role. We need to ensure that we don't spread
resources too thinly and that training institutions for dancers
and choreographers offer the very best training and provide access
to the talented few.
CAREERS IN
DANCE
We must also further develop other avenues of
training into dance for those that won't be on stage and ensure
that this isn't perceived as second best but as equally important.
At present, far too many dance graduates never work in the profession.
Salaries in dance are low, hours are long and there is no clear
career path. If we are to maintain our standards and remain competitive
alongside the other creative industries and business then we must
ensure that salaries are competitive and commensurate with experience
and knowledge.
THE FUTURE
We need a stronger infrastructure. When a dance
artist in rural East Anglia is ill, we don't want to cancel the
class, but replace that tutor with another one—right now,
the class is cancelled. But in order to attract these individuals
to our regions, we need to ensure that we have the financial resources
and infrastructures to provide them with a livelihood that makes
it worth their while to relocate. And, we don't want the 2nd division
in the regions, we want the best.
We also need a stronger voice—we need
visibility—not only on stage but in print and the media—we
need to be on everyone's agenda not just as something pretty in
pink, but as an art form that challenges, affects and inspires
creativity, health, fitness and well being. And this can only
happen by giving us the space and appropriate level of funds to
deliver, because we have the talent and the know-how.
Everybody loves to dance, but too often we have
been perceived as a frill. It is now time to take stock of the
success stories, celebrate them and allow the art form to flourish
rightly along side the other creative industries because, I think,
with the proper resources, we'll surprise, delight, challenge
and never disappoint.
No one can call us elitist. Elite yes! Why not?
We want to ensure that our aspirant students, choreographers,
dancers and dance companies are as world class as our elite athletes
and that they can be celebrated around the globe.
3 May 2004
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