Dance Summit urges industry to use new directory to boost public participation

The dance industry is being urged to help boost public participation in dance by promoting classes and opportunities on the UK’s first free online dance directory.

The www.dancechampions.org website will create a one-stop shop window for dance providers and the general public. It will go live to the public in July 2010, signposting people to a whole host of dance opportunities in their local area.

A pilot version of the website was unveiled at the national Dance Summit (in February) by the Dance Champions Group (DCG), which includes the choreographer Arlene Phillips, TV presenter Angela Rippon and professional dancer Darren Bennett.

Arlene Phillips says: “The Dance Champions website is a  shop window for the public to see what is available in terms of dance classes in their local area. It is a great way to promote your dance classes for free and an opportunity to be part of this exciting campaign to improve the health of the nation.”

The DCG, supported by funding from the Department of Health, aims to help 100,000 more adults to take part in regular dance by 2012. This goal forms part of a wider cross-government target to get 2 million more adults active by 2012.

A recent YouGov survey of 4,000 people from across the UK aged 18+ was conducted for the Dance Champions Group. It revealed that 89% of people say they don’t dance regularly, although 17% would if they could fit in around time commitments, 16% would if there were more dance opportunities near their homes and 24% would if a friend or partner came with them..

More than 60 delegates representing dance and exercise organisations attended the Dance Champions Summit in London.  Delegates were encouraged to give feedback on innovative ways to improve access and participation in dance, especially among less active groups and people with disabilities. The Summit drew up a list of key recommendations, which the Dance Champions will collaborate with the industry to develop and deliver.

Rod Aldridge, Chair of the Dance Champions Group, says: “The Summit has been a unique opportunity for the dance industry to come together and unite around a common goal. With just two years to go until London hosts the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, dance is the perfect community-based activity to bridge the gap between sport and culture.”

Key recommendations agreed at the Dance Summit:

•    Take dance to the working population by partnering with large employers to offer dance at work during lunch breaks and before and after working hours.

•    Offer new, subsidised spaces for hosting dance activities – giving people the venues they need when those spaces are empty and unused.

•    Run an industry-backed advertising campaign to inform the public more widely of the many benefits of dance – including health, and to tackle perceptions and barriers that dance is only for those with the perfect body and the ‘correct’ clothes and shoes.

•    Physical barriers – such as ensuring accessibility to wheelchairs users.  And cultural barriers – for example, a need for single sex dance classes, would need to be overcome.

•    Specifically look at the opportunities for dance in an aging population as a form of regular physical activity for older people.

•    Ensure, sustain and embed dance opportunities rather than short-term programmes which leave participants with limited or no follow up.

•    Work together in the run-up to London 2012 to deliver a wide variety of dance opportunities for those of all abilities, all ages and all backgrounds.

•    Take dance to the heart of communities to inspire them to participate.

•    Liaise across Government to ensure dance is given the appropriate national and local funding as a preventative activity – with health and social benefits.

•    Further develop volunteering roles for those who have the capability and expertise to teach dance, and support entrepreneurial dance start-ups.


In addition, the Dance Champions announced that they will commission Big Dance and the Foundation for Community Dance to develop public dance events in four regions. These events will be delivered in partnership with local dance, exercise and government organisations. The results from an open bidding process will be announced later this year.

For more information, please visit: www.dancechampions.org. To view the Dance Summit debate in more detail visit: www.guardian.co.uk/society

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Notes to Editor

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 4,105 adults. The survey was carried out online. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th - 8th February 2010.

For full survey results and other media enquiries contact Vanessa Hadebe:  media.enquiries@aldridgefoundation.com tel: 020 7925 7908 or Petra.Coveney@aldridgefoundation.com tel: 020 7925 7905

The following 15 Dance Champions support and generously give of their time for free:

•    Rod Aldridge OBE, who Chairs the group. Rod is an entrepreneur and Chair of the Aldridge Foundation, which piloted the Essentially Dance scheme to teach ballroom dance in school PE lessons.

•    Arlene Phillips, judge on the BBC programme ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and Youth Dance England patron
•    Angela Rippon, former Come Dancing presenter and former chair of the English National Ballet
•    Lisa Snowdon, Capital Radio presenter and former contestant on Strictly Come Dancing
•    Darren Bennet, Professional champion ballroom and Latin American dancer and star of Strictly Come Dancing
•    Roger Mosey, BBC Director of the London 2012 Olympics
•    Janet Archer, Director, Dance Strategy, Arts Council England
•    Daran Bennett, Member of the Operational Board of the Physical Activity Alliance and Chief Executive of the Exercise Movement & Dance Partnership who receive investment from Sport England as one of 46 sports
•    Miguel Doforo, expert dance coach and Founder of MD Productions
•    Camilla Dallerup, professional dancer and star of GMTV’s January “Dancing Queen” slot.
•    Wayne McGregor, Choreographer – Wayne McGregor/Random Dance at Sadler’s Wells.
•    Mark Foster, Olympic gold-medal winning swimmer and contestant on BBC TV dance shows Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Wheels.
•    Lilia Kopylova, professional dancer and star of Strictly Come Dancing.
•    Andrew Hanson, Head of Policy, Central Council of Physical Recreation and representing the CCPR Movement & Dance Division
•    Margaret Peggie OBE, Former Chair of the Exercise Movement and Dance Partnership, and Vice President of the Fitness League

The DCMS Taking Part population survey interviews adults (aged 16 or over) about their arts and cultural engagement across England every year. The survey has been running continuously since July 2005. It asks people whether they have participated in 17 different arts activities in the past 12 months. The overall participation rate has remained stable at around 47% of the population over 2005/06 to 2007/08. However, the only arts activity where participation increased significantly was dance (other than ballet): the proportion of people dancing increased steadily from 8.4% in 2005/06 to 9.7% in 2007/08.