April 2008
The Dance Review, a Report to Government on Dance Education and Youth Dance in England by Tony Hall, chief executive of the Royal Opera House, just published, states unequivocally that “dance is central to a number of Government initiatives”. Dance – one of the fastest growing subjects for GCSE and A Level students in England – is to receive a £5.5 million boost from the Government. The new investment, plus a support structure, will boost dance opportunities for young people, both in school and out of school hours. It will help young people dance for fun and fitness, and support talented young dancers move into the profession. The initiative will include: for the first time, an organisation, Youth Dance England, charged and funded to develop a national youth dance strategy across both school and youth dance sectors; six new Centres of Advanced Training (CATs) between now and 2011, training and supporting around 1,500 young people inspired to take dance to the next level; a new leadership from a joint DCMS/DCSF Dance Review Programme Board which, for the first time, will bring together stakeholders, agencies and funders from education and dance sectors and young dancers themselves. Tony Hall says his review “aims to do one thing – and that is to get young people dancing, wherever they live and from whatever background they come… I am delighted the Government is acting on our ideas”. The report has been widely welcomed, not least by ourselves and the CDET, and we hope to publish further details next month. In the meantime copies of The Dance Review and a response from ministers Andrew Adonis and Margaret Hodge may be obtained from the Department for Culture, Media and the Arts website culture.gov.uk.
| In this month's issue | ||
8 Letters to the Editor |
41 The Making of a Dancer Part 19. Mary Goodhew looks at the role of the dance teacher |
Into Dance! 101 Dance Story: Margot and the Zoo Keeper. Anthony Meredith tells of a charming friendship Regulars |