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Posted on January 4, 2011
Despite the success of such large-scale events as the T-Mobile Big Dance week held in London and the regions last month, it looks as if times will be tough for future public funding of dance – and of the arts in general – in the UK, as the new coalition government embarks on a series of across-the-board cuts.
According to statistics provided by Dance UK, who advocate and lobby to promote the importance and needs of dance in this country, an Arts Council England review of its regularly funded organisations showed that dance was the fastest growing art form with “ACE’s dance portfolio increasing its attendances by 103 per cent over 12 months”. Dance UK has also highlighted research carried out by the Society of London Theatre that showed dance has higher audience satisfaction levels than theatre, musicals or opera amongst theatregoers. During the T-Mobile Big Dance week, Dance UK organised a Dancing on Parliament open-air event to follow up the success of its DanceVote 2010 campaign, which sought to put dance on the political agenda in the run-up to the general election. A number of politicians attended, including Ed Vaizey MP, minister for culture. Let’s hope the case made to politicians for the future of dance in the UK did not fall on deaf ears.
Jonathan Gray
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Features
13 Phoenix rising. Kevin Berry talks to Sharon Watson, the new artistic director of Phoenix Dance Theatre
17 Northern Lights. Zoë Anderson visits the Bergen International Festival
17 Another Opening. Barbara Newman reviews the return of Tap Dogs
24 Following in her footsteps. Frederick Lewis looks at the “ballet” novelist, Jean Estoril
27 Forty years on. Debbie Malina talks to Pilates pioneer Alan Herdman
30 Happy Birthday, English National Ballet!
32 A musical education. Gerald Dowler examines how dance can enrich an appreciation of music
34 Dancing Times 100. By Mary Clarke
39 DanceScene International UK: English National Ballet, Les Ballets C de la B, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater;
OVERSEAS: New York City Ballet; Ballet of Teatro alla Scala, Milan; National Ballet of Canada;
Bavarian State Ballet; State Ballet of Georgia; Mark Morris Dance Group; Paris Opéra Ballet;
ON SCREEN: Coco and Igor
55 New Releases. A selection of new books and DVDs
59 Obituary. Oleg Sabline, Francis W Eling
Regulars
6 Dancematters. BFI dance films, Royal Ballet exhibition at The Lowry, Rambert’s UK tour, The Featherstonehaughs
10 Talking Point. By Mark Baldwin
53 Letter from St Petersburg. By Igor Stupnikov
57 Miscellany. Ivan Putrov
61 Teachers & Training. National Youth Ballet, Performers Dance College, Laban
65 Classified
76 Where to Learn
68 Calendar
Into Dance! For younger readers
85 Dancer of the Month – Laurretta Summerscales. Interviewed by Margaret Willis
88 IntoDance. Ballet books for younger people by Zoë Anderson
90 Your Page