August 2010

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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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

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

85 Dancer of the Month – Laurretta Summerscales. Interviewed by Margaret Willis

88 IntoDance. Ballet books for younger people by Zoë Anderson

90 Your Page

Simon Oliver

Simon Oliver has been production editor of Dancing Times since 2010 and is highly experienced in design across print and online magazine production. Throughout his career, Simon has worked on a diverse range of subjects including music, family history, book collecting and poker.