The evolution of DCD

Hello there. And welcome to our new look.

This new look and website, which we’re very excited to share with you, are a reflection of how DCD, and our support for dancers in transition beyond a performance career, has evolved.

Our new look is based on the concept of the core – the strength of the centre, a determined focus and the fact that we know that, no matter at what point they are in their lives, a dancer will always be a dancer. It is not what they do, it is who they are – to their very core.

Our new logo is a circular brushstroke of continuous movement, as there is in dance and in the life long journey of career transition, with DCD and our support for the individual at the centre.

Originally founded in 1973 as ‘The Dancers’ Resettlement Fund’, we changed our name to Dancers’ Career Development in the 1980s as a result of DCD expanding our work to support all professional dancers in the UK to successfully transition beyond a performance career.

This change reflects the more rounded service DCD offers to dancers in terms of sustainable, long term career development.

Over time, the balance has shifted and the support services that dancers are increasingly coming to us for are those around practical, emotional and psychological support, including upskilling, coaching and workshops.

This new website will make accessing our support even easier for dancers, and demonstrate to our partners how they can help change the life of a dancer in transition.

As we respond to the changing needs of dancers, by offering initiatives such as our new online networking platform DCD Connect (coming soon!), and creating paid work experience placements for dancers through our Career Insights Programme – dancers will continue to be at the core of everything we do.

If you would like to support DCD to continue to change the lives of dancers in transition beyond a performance career, click here.

With enormous thanks to all those who have contributed to the creation of this new look and website: Brand Designer Nat Cowx; Web Developer and DCD supported dancer; Greig Cooke; and including photographs by Photographer Karen Hutchins,  Patrick Baldwin and Caroline Holden and Photographers and DCD supported dancers Lindsey Brook, Tim Cross, Nicole Guarino, Rimbaud Patron, Pierre Tappon, Stephen Berkley-White,  Andrew Ross, Johan Persson and Tyrone Singleton.