A new name

Posted on August 16, 2016

Following the successful merger of The Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund and the Dance Teachers’ Benevolent Fund, the charity has adopted the working name of the Dance Professionals Fund (DPF).

The new name has been chosen to signpost the all-encompassing support the fund provides to a variety of people from the dance profession. As the two funds always have, it will offer compassion and advice alongside practical assistance.

The charity works with present and former dance professionals in need, including dancers, choreographers and choreologists, as well as dance teachers. Be it illness, injury, financial or personal difficulties, the DPF is there to offer aid.

Dame Monica Mason, chairman of the DPF, says: “This is a significant move forward for us as we celebrate 80 years as a charity. We hope this will encourage even more people to access our services”.

Clemmie Cowl, executive director, added: “Clarity about our mission and aims is very important to us. We have developed our remit as a result of the merger, and believe our new name reflects this change”. For more information, visit dancefund.org.uk.

Jonathan Gray

Jonathan Gray is editor of Dancing Times. He studied at The Royal Ballet School, Leicester Polytechnic, and Wimbledon School of Art where he graduated with a BA Hons in Theatre Design. For 16 years he was a member of the curatorial department of the Theatre Museum, London, assisting on a number of dance-related exhibitions, and helping with the recreation of original designs for a number of The Royal Ballet’s productions including Danses concertantes, Daphnis and Chloë, and The Sleeping Beauty. He has also contributed to the Financial Times, written programme articles for The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet, and is co-author of the book Unleashing Britain: Theatre gets real 1955-64, published in 2005.