Nominations have been announced for this year’s Olivier awards, presented by the Society of London Theatre and supported by Mastercard.

Nominations have been announced for this year’s Olivier awards, presented by the Society of London Theatre and supported by Mastercard.

Emma Gladstone (pictured) will succeed Betsy Gregory as the artistic director of Dance Umbrella. She will take up the post in November 2013, following this year’s Dance Umbrella festival, the last to be directed by Gregory.

Twenty dancers have been chosen to take part in Dance UK’s leadership mentoring scheme. The programme offers workforce development for mid-career dancers who have been nominated by their peers as future leaders. It is organised by by Dance UK in partnership with Dancers’ Career Development, with the support of Arts Council England. Over eight months, each dancer will be provided with a paid mentor who is a high-profile leader from the arts world or beyond.

In an open letter to Michael Gove, secretary of state for education, published in the Daily Telegraph on October 18, leading figures in the UK dance community have expressed concern at the exclusion of dance, along with other arts subjects, from the syllabus of the newly-proposed English Baccalaureate that will be introduced as a replacement for GCSE examinations from 2015 onwards. We reproduce below the letter in full.

Christopher Hampson, Scottish Ballet’s new artistic director, has announced his plans for the company. His first full-length work for Scottish Ballet will be supported by a groundbreaking education project, which aims to bring people across Scotland into the new ballet’s creative process. The company has also been granted an exclusive license to dance Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling, and announced plans to work with a range of choreographers.

Fred and Adele Astaire, major stars of the Jazz Age, are celebrated in an event at London’s National Theatre on Friday, May 4. Choreographer Matthew Bourne joins Fred’s daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie and author Kathleen Riley. The event is prompted by Riley’s new book, The Astaires: Fred and Adele, which examines Fred Astaire’s first great dancing partnership, with his sister Adele.

Fred and Adele Astaire, major stars of the Jazz Age, are celebrated in an event at London’s National Theatre on Friday, May 4. Choreographer Matthew Bourne joins Fred’s daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie and author Kathleen Riley. The event is prompted by Riley’s new book, The Astaires: Fred and Adele, which examines Fred Astaire’s first great dancing partnership, with his sister Adele.

Performed for one night only, on Monday, April 23, Compass brings together a team of choreographers, composers, musicians and more than 100 dancers in a new production celebrating London’s variety.

Opening tonight, the Connect Festival is two weeks celebrating dance and learning throughout life. Presented by the creative learning department of Sadler’s Wells, the programme goes from youth dance showcases to a performance by the Company of Elders, whose members are all over 60.