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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/

DCD works in partnership with many of the UK’s leading brands and organisations within and outside of the dance industry. We are proud to count the BBC as one of these prestigious collaborations, working together as part of the BBC Young Dancer series.

Since 2015 DCD has provided confidential, bespoke career transition support to the finalists of this exciting competition, and we continue this work with the 2019 cohort of finalists.

 

“The [DCD] session was hugely beneficial and rewarding for everyone involved. What it highlighted for me was the need for young dancers to have guidance and support in dealing with being thrown into the limelight at such a young age, managing the pressures of turning professional and coping with the emotional strains involved with being a performer…” Previous BBC Young Dancer finalist

 

The competition celebrates and showcases the exceptional talent of young South Asian, Contemporary, Ballet and Street Dance dancers in the UK.

Through a bespoke programme of high-quality and meaningful support, including individual coaching sessions and group workshops, DCD is working to help equip the finalists to help them in their dance careers and beyond.

We are also delighted that this year’s mentors include several DCD supported dancers mentoring the finalists, including Mbulelo Ndabeni, Avatăra Ayuso, Urja Desai Thakore, Begońa Cao, Iain Mackay, Bethany Kingsley-Garner and judges Seeta Patel, Ben Wright, Zenaida Yanowsky, as well as David Bintley, Director of DCD Partner Company Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Work began in March in Manchester, where DCD delivered workshops to each group of category finalists. We we look forward to the workshops planned for the upcoming year, covering areas such as career navigation, resilience, self-esteem as well as networking and handling social media. The finalists will have the opportunity to share their experiences of taking part in the competition and also hear first hand from established artists and former competition finalists.

 

Make sure to catch BBC Young Dancer 2019 on BBC Four from 19 April: www.bbc.co.uk/youngdancer

 

DCD last month celebrated the legacy of eminent sculptor and dance artist, Brenda Naylor, on the anniversary of her death. We celebrate her extraordinary career and pay tribute to the kindness and generosity she showed in leaving a legacy to benefit dancers in their lives beyond performance.

Brenda Naylor (5 July 1926 – 11 March 2016) was an artist and sculptor for whom dancers inspired a prolific legacy of work. She was known for her bronze sculptures, for the inimitable and intimate style of her studio, rehearsal and performance sketches and for her vibrant, determined character.

Brenda left instructions that her art created over many years should benefit charity after her death, and particularly help dancers move on to second careers following their lives on stage. 75% of the sale price of artworks purchased via Brenda’s website is donated directly to DCD, and there are unique pieces still available to purchase here.

Speaking of her decision to support DCD, David and Annie Lade, Brenda’s nephew and niece-in-law explained:

“Brenda was an artist, but she was also a very practical person. Brenda knew that DCD is an organisation offering very practical help to dancers coming to the end of their stage careers. She took up sculpting in her fifties, and knew better than most that we can have more than one career. She greatly admired the incredible hard work and dedication of the dancers she encountered, and cared very much about them and their future lives.”

 

Top Left: The late Brenda Naylor, 5th July 1926 – 11th March 2016; Right: Mark Morris Dancers, studio sketch by Brenda Naylor; Bottom Left: Bronze of Marion Tait in “Confessional” by Brenda Naylor

 

Brenda trained at St Martin’s as a fashion sketch artist before being selected in 1943 by the royal dressmaker Norman Hartnell to be his sketch artist and later assistant. Brenda had a longstanding artistic interest in movement, gained initially from a passion for drawing horses and later skaters, which developed into an interest in ballet and deep appreciation for dance and dancers.

In the 1980s, she received permission to sketch and photograph dancers of the Royal Ballet. From these she made sculptures, an art form for which she was entirely self-taught, capturing the beauty in movement of those dancers she most admired. As she gained recognition for her ability to capture movement, many of her sculptures went on to be exhibited in London galleries and theatres and came to be sought after by collectors.

To date, the sale of Brenda’s artworks have raised over £40,000 for DCD. There are still a number of beautiful artworks remaining, which can be viewed and purchased via http://brendanaylor.co.uk/ or please contact Clare Davis at Clare@thedcd.org.uk, to arrange a private viewing of the remaining collection.

Today marks 45 years of Dancers’ Career Development supporting dancers in their next steps beyond a professional performance career.

And what better way to celebrate than together with so many our incredible DCD supported dancers at our annual DCD Alumni Celebration drinks in East London last night.

Since DCD was founded, we have supported over 2,500 dancers across the UK, from all genres of dance. As well as supporting independent artists, seven of the UK’s leading dance companies partner with DCD and we continue to be the only organisation of our kind in the UK.

The History

Photo: Peter Williams OBE, (1914-1995) Founder, The Dancers’ Resettlement Fund

The very first meeting of the Trustees of the Dancers Resettlement Fund, as DCD was formerly known, took place on Friday 6 July 1973 – Peter Williams OBE was appointed Chair and Margaret Lawford confirmed as the first Resettlement Officer. The Fund’s Founder Patron was Dame Ninette De Valois.

Peter Williams OBE served on the Arts Council of Great Britain Advisory Committee on Dance from 1965, and an organisation dedicated to supporting dancers at the end of their performing career had been the principal recommendation of the ballet section of the Arts Council’s Opera and Ballet Enquiry 1966-1969. Following the enquiry, the Arts Council of Great Britain and British Actors Equity set up the Dancers’ Resettlement Fund.

The remit of the organisation at that time was to assist dancers employed by revenue funded companies in establishing a new career when they were no longer able to perform professionally.

The Resettlement Fund was the first of its kind and continues to be a blue print for transition programmes for dancers worldwide.

DCD Today

DCD now reaches more dance artists across the UK that ever before. As we look to the next 45 years and beyond we will continue to be revolutionary in our thinking and action as we advocate for the indisputable need for retraining support for professional dancers and the incredible impact that artists have on the world.

We are indebted to all those who have supported DCD since its founding.

If you would like to join us on our journey and help to ensure DCD continues for the next 45 years and beyond, please click here  or drop me a line at jennifer@thedcd.org.uk

Today we pay tribute to former DCD Patron Dame Gillian Lynne DBE – a true inspiration to all those in the world of dance and a much loved supporter of dancers.

We celebrate Dame Gillian’s many incredible achievements and are truly grateful for her commitment to this charity and support for dancers going through the transition away from a professional performance career, including the many dancers who perform in the West End and are inspired by her remarkable energy and spirit.

Dame Gillian’s extraordinary work for DCD was invaluable, including for DCD’s Gala performance of “Cats”, and subsequent work on behalf of the charity, all of which raised substantial donations, later becoming a much valued Patron of the charity.

We remain forever indebted for Dame Gillian’s generosity.

 

 

Photo credit: @Gillian_Lynne

Jennifer and I recently visited Berlin to attend the very first IOTPD (International Organization for the Transition of Professional Dancers) meeting focusing specifically on one to one support for dancers.

Over a period of three days, 18 representatives from 8 countries shared the different challenges they were facing, gave an overview of the one to one support they offer to dancers, and received training by a professional coach.

The discussion reaffirmed that dancer transition to a post-performance career is a unique experience, but with the right support can be positive and exciting.

It was fascinating to see how other IOTPD member countries provide such different services to dancers to support them in their transition. Here is a little overview:

• In order to be better prepared for academic studies, the Korean Transition Centre (Dancers’ Career Development Center) have set up an Academy for dancers which offers pre-courses in Arts Management, Stage Management and Rehabilitation;
• In addition to grants, the Career Transition For Dancers /The Actors Fund in America (The Actors Fund) offers individual career counselling to help dancers find and secure new careers; a Dancer Support Group, which helps dancers manage grief, loss and change; and a Creative Entrepreneurship Program, where business savvy dancers can widen their knowledge on the world of business and develop the skills that are needed for success;
• The Canadian Transition Centre (Dancer Transition Resource Centre) offers counselling in five different areas: Academic, Career, Financial, Legal and Personal to support dancers tackle various difficulties that may arise on their transition journey.

We’ve come back with several great ideas on how to develop our transition support services for dancers further, and we look forward to continuing our important conversations with our international colleagues.

Thank you to Sabrina, Inka and Heike at Stiftung Tanz for hosting us.

A movement is happening in the world of performing arts, and at its front line is the Parents in Performing Arts Campaign. DCD has recently joined them as a proud strategic partner.

In their own words:

“PIPA’s vision is of a world in which carers and parents are able to flourish in the Performing Arts at every stage in their career. The Industry benefits from maintaining a skilled, experienced and varied workforce.

PIPA enables and empowers parents, carers and employers to achieve sustainable change in attitudes and practices in order to attract, support and retain a more diverse and flexible workforce. By working in partnership we raise awareness, find creative solutions and promote best practice in the UK Performing Arts.”

As soon as I heard about PIPA’s work, it immediately resonated with me through the countless conversations I’ve had with dancers who are transitioning or considering transition to better fit with the demands of parenting.

But what if dancers could continue performing longer, if they wanted to, by being better supported and offered more comprehensive provision when they become parents? What if it were easier for them to return to working on stage? And a more suitable lifestyle for their family once they were back on stage?

Solutions are already being discussed and tested by some of the UK’s high-profile arts organisations including the National Theatre, Sadler’s Wells and The Royal Shakespeare Company.

DCD attended PiPA’s recent Symposium, where participants from across the preforming arts discussed issues from fostering positive workplace cultures to practical arrangements to enable performers to continue in their careers. We’re also excited to see the results of PiPAs forthcoming research project looking specifically at dance, music and theatre.

To join the movement, or find out more, head to http://www.pipacampaign.com/

 

Photo credit: PiPA