MOVE IT postponed

Posted on March 12, 2020

The team behind the dance show MOVE IT, which was to celebrate its 15th anniversary on March 13–15 at ExCeL London, has decided, as a result of the evolving Covid-19 situation, to postpone the show.

In a statement, Upper Street Events said: “We have been following UK Government guidelines and working with the rolling advice from Public Health England and other organisations, but it is now with much sadness that we have taken the decision to postpone the event. The safety and wellbeing of our staff, exhibitors, visitors, partners and contractors is of the utmost importance to us, and therefore feel the protection and prevention of harm to all involved is vital to this decision.

“We love MOVE IT and we love this community and we’ve been carefully listening to the feedback we’ve been receiving from visitors, exhibitors and participants. Until this morning the community has been overwhelmingly in support of the event continuing as planned. Since the announcement by the World Health Organisation on the evening of March 11, which has labelled Covid-19 a pandemic, that sentiment has understandably changed. We have a duty to safeguard everyone who plays a part in making MOVE IT happen and, as such, we have reached this difficult decision.

“We are currently working with ExCeL to look at options to reschedule MOVE IT to a later date. Tickets will be valid for a rescheduled event. If you are unable to make the new date, a refund will be issued. We will be in touch over the next week to update you on the situation. We are sincerely sorry that we have had to make this incredibly difficult decision and thank you for bearing with us at this uncertain time.”

Dancing Times has been a media sponsor for MOVE IT since its inception and planned to exhibit at this year’s event.

Nicola Rayner

Nicola Rayner was editor of Dance Today from 2010 to 2015. She has written for a number of publications including The Guardian, The Independent and Time Out Buenos Aires, where she cut her teeth as a dance journalist working on the tango section. Today she continues to dance everything from ballroom to breakdance, with varying degrees of success. Her debut novel, The Girl Before You, was published last year in paperback, ebook and audiobook.