Category: Latest News

Heather Lehan on her Beyond Dance Mentoring experience

Posted on by Nat Cowx

I had the pleasure in taking part in the Moving Ahead / Beyond Dance mentorship programme through DCD, and I am so grateful I had this experience.

Common doubts

Like many, I was unsure whether it was the right time for me to apply for the programme as I held the preconceived notion that I needed to be at turning point in my career. I also had the common doubts of whether I was experienced enough, if my plans for the future were formed enough, or if my season was just going to be too busy to begin a mentorship. Despite these hesitations, I decided there was no harm in applying, because the truth is there is no perfect time, but the sooner the better! 

The application process

The application process was simple – a short questionnaire from DCD about what you hope to gain from the programme. Then, once connected with Moving Ahead, we were asked to fill in a mentee profile outlining our experience in various fields, our personality traits, and any skills we had or were interested in gaining.  Moving Ahead used this to match us to our mentor from one of over 300 participating companies. It felt exciting to be a part of such an extensive network. 

Industry connections

What I found most enriching about this programme was the unique opportunity to make a connection with someone from a different industry. You have the chance to be matched with someone who is living the career you aspire to. They can guide and inspire by walking you step-by-step through their own process whilst sharing how they overcame their hurdles.  

A fresh perspective

My personal experience was excellent as my match was impressively suited. As a senior business and finance lawyer, she had perspective that I could not possibly have gained yet. She had even vocationally studied ballet in her youth and so she understood a lot of my lived experiences. Through discussion, we arrived at avenues I hadn’t considered before. Even though my plans for a post-ballet career weren’t solid, just having an idea of the field I am interested in was enough. We went through the steps together of research, writing letters to schools and applying to workshops. Talking about how to make my transition something I was excited to begin greatly helped the apprehension I had about the end of my ballet career.  

Taking the next steps

As well as speaking about my future, we spent equal time discussing my current career. We explored topics such as confidence, self-worth, difficult conversations, and personal progression. The value she placed on my transferrable skills as a dancer was hugely confidence building and I left each meeting feeling energized and excited by possibility.

Broadening horizons

Above all else, the accountability that the programme provided for me was the most valuable. It forced me to carve out consistent time to think about my future and gave me someone to report back to on my progress and thoughts. This programme is a gift to your future self, and I couldn’t recommend it enough!

 

Applications open each summer!

Are you a dancer who is currently performing or have you already retired from your career on the stage?

Are you looking for a supportive and confidential environment in which to discuss and think through issues regarding your career, and gain a fresh, new perspective of managing your career progression, work-life balance and growth?

Did you know this programme is open to both Independent and Company dancers?

In partnership with Moving Ahead, DCD’s Beyond Dance Mentoring for Dancers is a global cross‑sector mentoring programme with a proven track record in supporting future leaders to grow and develop alongside creating change and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion.

Click here to find out more.

Heather Lehan is a dancer with Northern Ballet and is also a DCD REACH Ambassador. A huge thank you to Heather for her invaluable insight in to her personal experience on the Beyond Dance Mentoring for Dancers programme and her support as a REACH Ambassador.

Become a DCD REACH Ambassador

If you are interested in becoming a DCD REACH Ambassador or you would like to find out more about our REACH programme click here.

DCD Executive Director Jennifer Curry appointed new President of IOTPD

Posted on by Nat Cowx

The Board and Associates of the International Organization for the Transition of Professional Dancers (IOTPD) have voted unanimously to appoint Jennifer Curry, Executive Director of Dancers’ Career Development, as President. 

Jennifer succeeds Paul Bronkhorst, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Omscholing Dansers. Paul has served as President of the IOTPD for over a decade, succeeding Founding President Philippe Braunschweig. During his tenure, the IOTPD has grown from six organizations supporting dancers through career transition to a community of 10 countries, spanning Europe, North America and East Asia. Since 2015 the IOTPD has awarded six Philippe Braunschweig grants each worth 3000 euro directly to professional dancers around the world. The IOTPD has also produced a toolkit for new transition programs and hosted numerous successful global conferences.  

Paul has worked tirelessly as an advocate for career transition for dancers and has pioneered the development and growth of the IOTPD. Paul will remain on the IOTPD Board as Executive Director Omscholing Dansers, based in the Netherlands, a founding IOTPD member country.  

Paul says: “Leading an organization like the IOTPD has always felt a huge privilege. And, although slowly, it is encouraging to see the growing number of countries that understand the concept and benefits of support to dancers facing the inevitable end of their performing careers. International collaboration expands the possibilities to empower dancers worldwide” 

Jennifer Curry is a senior leader in the dance sector with experience working with and for professional dancers spanning over a decade. She has been Executive Director of Dancers’ Career Development in the UK, the first transition programme for dancers worldwide, for over seven years. Jennifer will take up the role on 1st June 2022.  

Jennifer says: “I am honoured and humbled to have been voted to serve the IOTPD as President. I look forward to working with colleagues around the world to continue to advocate for and directly support professional dancers throughout career transition. Through many years of dedicated service, Paul Bronkhorst has positively impacted the lives of thousands of dancers worldwide and on behalf of all Board and Associates at IOTPD we thank him wholeheartedly for his commitment and many achievements”  

About the International Organization for the Transition of Professional Dancers 

 The IOTPD was formed in 1993 with a mission to alleviate the challenges that professional dancers face worldwide when transitioning to a post-dance career. It strives to raise awareness of dancer transition and develop viable methods of meeting the needs of dancers across the globe. The IOTPD acts as an international umbrella organization coordinating with existing dancer transition centres worldwide to support research and advocacy initiatives, with the goal that every professional dancer will be equipped to make successful transitions.

Media Contact: 

Paul Bronkhorst IOTPD President
T: +31 6 11 30 22 30
E: PhBGrant@iotpd.org
www.iotpd.org 

Celebrating Richard Alston Dance Company

Posted on by Nat Cowx

Dancers’ Career Development (DCD) last night celebrated a sublime and very emotional evening of dance at Richard Alston Dance Company’s farewell programme at Sadler’s Wells.

We are honoured to mark Richard Alston Dance Company’s final season, celebrating 26 years of shaping contemporary dance in the UK.

DCD and Richard Alston Dance Company have partnered together for over 26 years, supporting their incredible dancers to explore their potential on and off the stage throughout and beyond their performance careers.

Speaking about DCD’s Personal and Career Coaching Programme, former Richard Alston Dance Company dancer Ino Riga said:

“I feel that I got to know myself better and trust myself and choices more. It has given me a lift emotionally, a sense of hope. The realization of owning your life and choices and that you need to keep trying, taking action towards making things happen for you.”

Richard Alston Dance Company’s artists have been able to transition into their next chapter into a diverse range of retraining and careers in psychotherapy, web design, film making and media and cultural management, as well as fields such as yoga, pilates, teaching and choreography.

We wish all those in the company the very best and look forward to continuing our important work supporting all professional dancers in the UK.

To find out more and to support our work or if you’re a dancer wishing to access our support, please get in touch at dancers@thedcd.org.uk.

 

Photo credit: Richard Alston Dance Company

Embracing the unknown

Posted on by Nat Cowx

DCD’s EVOLVE workshops are about inspiration and finding out what resources you already have and how you can use them.

We recently had the privilege to hear first hand from DCD supported dancer Adam Ellis, now Head of Education and Customer Experience for Jo Loves, the worldwide renowned fragrance brand, created and owned by Jo Malone CBE, and DCD supported dancer and Patron, Zenaida Yanowsky, former Principal with The Royal Ballet. Both shared their personal experiences of transitioning beyond a performance career at our last EVOLVE workshop, held at the Royal Opera House in London in November.

Here are just a few fascinating insights…

Adam – “I had 13 mostly glorious years of performing in Musical Theatre. Even at the height of my career, I felt there were other things I wanted to do and I had more in me. I talked to DCD and decided to take a foundation course in medicine. I thrived in the learning environment, even though I’d never focused on academics before. It had opened up my mind to all the amazing things that we as performers can do. We have an incredible set of transferable skills. I decided not to pursue medicine, and listened to my heart and I continued performing. I had a panto contract but decided not to do it, I was burnt out. I got a temp job at Jo Loves for the Christmas season. I worked the shop floor and had lots of fun and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. After 2 weeks I met Jo Malone. She offered me an assistant manager job, which I took. I was still auditioning, it has been a long process. Within 6 months I became events manager and then they created the role of Global Head of Education and Customer Experience. I could never have imagined in a million years that I would have ended up working for a perfume brand, something so different to the world of theatre. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I have a very strong work ethic which comes from being a performer, and I’m still ambitious. But I’m happy with my lot, I’m content. Your life will change, but you take the skills with you. Embrace that.”

 

 

Zenaida – “I spent 23 years at the Royal Ballet, and the time went so fast. I experienced so many wonderful and also tough creative moments. I decided to leave the company but continue with dance projects until I was ready to stop. I felt very confused about my decision and my identity. When I retired from performing, I was ready to stop. I spent a year asking myself why I wanted to retire, and what I would miss the most. I was lucky to have my husband’s support to take time out. I mattered in the dance world – but would I matter in the world outside? It took a while for the anxieties to dissipate and feel content with my choices. I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up, but I feel calm and excited for the future and all its possibilities.”

When did you last step out of your comfort zone, and what did you learn about yourself?

Sign up to our next EVOLVE workshop in Edinburgh on 22 March 2020 and find out…

thedcd.org.uk/evolve

#DCDEVOLVE

 

Photos taken by DCD supported dancer and photographer Amber Hunt

Planting the seed

Posted on by Nat Cowx

DCD’s support for dancers begins from the earliest stages of vocational training, throughout their performance career and through retirement.

Research shows that early preparation for career transition can help avoid the challenges some dancers face when they retire from professional performance and even lead to a more fulfilling and successful post-performance career.

DCD’s Schools and Conservatoires programme, kindly supported by the Linbury Trust, works with students in their final 3 years of professional dance training. The first programme of its kind in the UK, this unique programme is a hugely important part of our work supporting dancers.

“I learnt how versatile and adaptable performers actually are”. “[The workshop] opened my mind to what else I could do”.

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance student workshop participants

This past year DCD has delivered workshops at The Royal Ballet School, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and Elmhurst Ballet School and we have an ongoing relationship with Rambert School, English National Ballet School and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

The programme continues to expand its reach as we are working with schools from across the dance sector, from ballet to contemporary and Musical Theatre, across the UK.

As a result of the programme, professional dancers who originally came into contact with DCD through the Schools and Conservatories workshops are now taking part in DCD support programmes from early in their professional careers, better equipping them to deal with the transition beyond a performance career.

To find out more or to join the Schools and Conservatoires Programme go to: https://thedcd.org.uk/why-work-with-dcd/dcd-schools-and-conservatoires-programme/

Dance Mama Live!

Posted on by Nat Cowx

As DCD works with hundreds of dancers each year, it has not been hard to spot that there is a correlation between the point in life when dancers are transitioning and when they are becoming parents.

Parenthood is a huge transition in itself and can present financial, logistical and practical challenges for professional dancers to continue working in the same way. It can be a strong factor in a dancer’s decision to change their working life.

DCD was delighted to recently have been a part of the very first ‘Dance Mama Live!’ event at Sadler’s Wells, hosted by Lucy McCrudden.

This free event was an opportunity for parents in dance to come together (and bring their children along with them) to share experiences, challenges and solutions to maintaining a career in dance alongside parenthood.

DCD are a part of the support available to dancers who are parents or may become parents in the future.

Firstly, to help ensure that dancers can continue performing for as long as it is right for them, regardless of their circumstances. Secondly to ensure that those transitioning within or outside the dance sector have knowledge and access to the best possible conditions for balancing their work and home-life priorities. These factors can allow dancers to reach their true potential in their performance career and beyond.

We are proud to work alongside Dance Mama and Parents in Performing Arts to contribute to this important conversation.

You can read Dance Mama’s blog about the day here: https://www.dancemama.org/post/dance-mama-live

Best practice from around the world

Posted on by Nat Cowx

Last week, representatives from 11 countries around the world came together in Warsaw, Poland to discuss support for dancers in career transition.

Hosted by the Polish Career Transition Program for Dancers, this was as part of the annual conference of the International Organisation for the Transition of Professional Dancers (IOTPD) – the international network of organisations dedicated to offering professional dancers the resources and support they need when facing the end of their performance career and preparing to pursue a new career.

DCD is a founding member of the IOTPD and we were delighted to share our expertise on a panel discussing best practice in supporting dancers through career transition from around the world.

There was much discussion during the conference around the unique nature of dancer transition and the parallels that can be found with other fields, including for example, sport and the military. The Dancer Transition Resource Centre in Canada, for example, are looking to pilot their transition model with other artistic mediums such as musicians and actors.

We took inspiration from the range of support being offered to dancers in other countries, such as in house workshops in ballet companies in Germany; transferable skills grants in areas such as web design and virtual reality in Canada; innovative membership structures and grant giving policies in the Netherlands; online resources and webinars in the USA; skills assessments with a psychologist in Switzerland; and career counselling in France.

DCD are pioneers in the sector, being the first transition centre in the world. Due to our unique funding and structure, DCD is able to offer a bespoke range of support programmes, responding specifically to dancers’ needs in the UK.

We’re excited to see more transition centres being set up around the world and to continue to share our expertise.

To find out more go to: https://thedcd.org.uk/support/grants-for-international-dancers/