DCD support is available to all professional dancers, from all genres of dance and at any stage of your career. Retraining Grants are one of the very few areas of our support where eligibility criteria applies.

Professional dancers are eligible to apply for up to ten years after they cease performing professionally.

Retirement on medical grounds:

Should dancers be unable to meet the Retraining Grant criteria set out below because they have been forced to retire due to mental or physical illness/injury, we may still be able to help. You’ll need to provide two letters from medical professionals to support your application confirming the diagnosis treatment, and medical advice to stop performing. Contact us for more information on dancers@thedcd.org.uk.

DCD Partner Company dancers:

In order to be eligible for a Retraining Grant as a dancer with one of DCD’s Partner Companies, you must have:

• Been a professional dancer for at least eight years (we do not count any work done whilst undertaking formal dance training)
• Worked for a minimum of five years in the UK, with one or more of the following Companies:

Birmingham Royal Ballet

English National Ballet

Northern Ballet

Rambert

Richard Alston Dance Company

Scottish Ballet

The Royal Ballet

All other dancers:

DCD support dancers with essential financial costs while retraining. The Retraining Bursaries are up to £4,000. You can be awarded a grant once. 

To qualify for a Retraining Grant with DCD applicants must have:

• Been a professional dancer for at least eight years (we do not count any work done whilst undertaking formal dance training)
• Worked for a minimum of five years in the UK
• Demonstrate that you have earned an income as a dancer for a minimum of 16 weeks in each year, on average.

Click here to find out more about How to Apply

Click here to see upcoming deadlines to apply