Our History - Where we started and what we have accomplished
DCD has achieved much since its founding in 1973. The only organisation of its kind in the UK, our achievements continue to grow. Below is a summary of significant dates in our history. Please see our website for an in depth description.
1973 – First Dancers’ Resettlement Fund meeting, led by the late Peter Williams OBE (Founder) and supported by the late Dame Ninette De Valois OM CH DBE (Founder Patron). The original contributing companies were: Scottish Ballet, London Festival Ballet (Now English National Ballet) The Royal Ballet, Sadlers’ Wells Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet
Theatre, London Contemporary Dance Trust, Ballet Rambert and the English National Opera Movement Group. The first offices were at the British Theatre Centre in Fitzroy Square, London.
1987 – Following the success of the Fund, it is decided that a Dancers’ Resettlement Trust be set up in order to provide support to all eligible professional dancers who did not qualify for support from the Fund. The first Trust meeting was held on the 29th September 1987.
1992 – First International Organisation for the Transition of Professional Dancers (I.O.T.P.D) meeting held. DCD is a founder member.
1995 – 14th Anniversary of Cats Fundraising Gala in aid of the Independent Trust.
2000 – Amalgamation of the Resettlement Fund and Trust, under the new title ‘Dancers’ Career Development’
2005 – “Maude Lloyd and Rudolf Nuryev Bursary” and the “Wallace Potts Bursary” are announced for Independent Dancers with generous support from the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation.
2007 – DCD website www.thedcd.org.uk launched.
2008 – DCD moves to new offices in Hatton Garden and shares building with Equity Charitable Trust and Sweet Charity.
2008 - Dancers' Career Development and the Dutch Transition centre, Stichting Omscholingsregeling Dansers (SOD) agreed a partnership that enables dancers who have worked in both the UK and the Netherlands to combine years worked in both countries and receive funding from both organisations.
2010 – The annual I.O.T.P.D meeting is held in New York, U.S.A. Member countries of the I.O.T.P.D are the U.K, U.S.A, Canada, the Netherlands, Korea, France, Germany and Switzerland.
2011 – DCD monthly e-newsletter launched with the aim of increasing awareness and improving communication with retrained dancers and the wider dance sector.
What would you like to see in our future?
If you have any suggestions as to how we can improve our services please email us. |
 Dancer: Carly Blackburn
Photographer: Stephen Berkeley White |
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A big thank you to those who have submitted applications for the DCD 2011 Special Bursaries.
All decisions will be available from Friday 21st October 2011.
Please do not contact us before this date as decisions will not be available. |  Dancer: Fred Gehrig Photographer: Stephen Berkeley White |
Dates for your Diary
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3rd October 2011
Company Fund
application deadline
4th November 2011
Independent Trust
Business application
deadline
7th November 2011
Independent Trust
application deadline
14th November 2011
Company Fund Business
application deadline
Application forms,
guidelines and deadlines for the rest of 2011 can be found on our website
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DCD Retrained Dancers
* Retrained dancer Wendy-Lee O'Donnell-Purdy will be performing her one woman show about pantomime 'Fairy Liquid' at the George Wood Theatre at Goldsmiths College on the 5th and 6th October 2011 at 6pm. This forms part of her Masters Degree in Musical Theatre (Creative Producing pathway) and Wendy has written and produced the show. Good luck Wendy!* Kevin Muscat, a DCD Special Bursary Recipient (2009) has recently launched a new luxury womenswear label 'Muscat Vielma' with Gabriel Vielma. The pair will be presenting the S/S'12 collection in a private showcase during Lonon Fashion Week. For more information please visit www.muscatvielma.com * Bethany Keating, a DCD retrained dancer, has passed her Wine and Spirit Education Advanced and Intermediate Qualification with Distinction. Bethany is currently studying for her WSET Diploma. Congratulations Bethany!*Congratulations to Daniel De Andrade, who was recently anounced as the recipient of the Clore Dance Fellowship, supported by DCD and The Linbury Trust. Daniel is looking forward to the year of learning with the Clore and all at DCD wish him good luck* Retrained dancer Mikah Smillie has just taken up a new post as Ballet Mistress for Ballet Ireland. Mikah will be overseeing the ballet as it goes on a two month tour - all at DCD wish Mikah every success in her new post*Page Wooller, after completing a year long exchange program in the USA and gaining his BSc in Sports and Excercise science physiology, will now begin his Masters in the USA at Central Washington University in Biological Sciences, looking at genetics and epigenetics. He has also gained a position as a research assistant to a Doctor. Page is very much enjoying his life post dance career and all at DCD wish him the very best of luck with his Masters* DCD retrained dancer Catherine Loveless has recently passed the RAD PDTD Course, congratulations Catherine!*
Congratulations to all of the dancers featured.
Please do keep us updated on any career news we can feature in this newsletler.
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Recently graduated? Started a new business? Enjoying success in your post-perfomrance career?
Please send us your images to be featured in our Image Gallery.
We love to see what you are doing and your news and images are a great way to inspire others!
DCD Retrained dancer Rebecca Cains, 'Scrapped Mercedes'. Rebecca is our DCD Retrained dancer of the month, see below.
Wendy-Lee Purdy in her one woman show 'Fairy Liquid' as part of her Masters Degree in Musical Theatre (Creative Producing pathway).
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Paul Mitchell
DCD Trustee and Finance & General Purposes Committee Member
I am the representative of Rambert Dance Company on the Board of the Trustees of DCD. I am a Trustee of Rambert Dance Company and am a keen dance enthusiast.
By training I am a lawyer and now practise part time at Taylor Wessing LLP, where I was a partner for over thirty years. My clients are all involved in the creative world and my specialization is in coyright. I am chairman of the British Copyright Council, which furthers the interests of creators and performers. Our members include Equity and the Musicians Union. Our main activity is lobbying, both in the UK and internationally, to defend and strengthen the rights of creators and performers. This is particularly relevant now, with internet use growing extremely fast.
Over a long career in the law I have gathered wide experience, most of it in the entertainment and media industries. I have worked with both companies and individuals, including many authors, composers and performers. This has given me an insight into the needs of those working in the world of public performance and the businesses which operate in that environment.
I hope that my experience can be put to use in helping dancers when they change career.
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DCD Featured Business
of the Month
Neil Westmoreland (Resident Director on the 20th Anniversary of Matthew Bourne's 'Nutcracker!') speaks about London Dance Theatre's Boys Workshops.
Our unique sessions take place one Sunday per month at the Urdang Academy, London and students travel from as far afield as Newcastle, Plymouth and Cardiff to take part.
Workshops are specifically focused in Dance Technique, Creative Work and Audition Preparation. Students have the opportunity to work as part of a team with like-minded individuals and be trained in three fundamental subjects of dance:
Classical Ballet
Contemporary Dance
Jazz Dance
LDT’s team of inspirational professional male dancers and teachers offer first hand experience, nurturing and inspiring our young British dancers to become vibrant, world-class leaders in professional Dance and Theatre.
Neil Westmoreland
Director
London Dance Theatre
For more information visit: www.londondancetheatre.co.uk |
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Are you a DCD retrained dancer?
Would you like your business to feature as a business of the month?
Email for more information.
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DCD Retrained Dancer of the month
Rebecca Cains |
Dancer to fine artist
I was selected to train as a dancer at The Arts Educational Schools, London in 1985. After gaining my diploma in 1988 I embarked on a professional dance career working and touring in both the UK and Europe. Some of my dance work includes contemporary company Dancers Anonymous, performing at both the Edinburgh festival and in Germany and dancing for U.K. choreographer Pat Dennison. My last engagement was a tour of Italy, dancing for leading Italian choreographer Gino Landi in Cole Porter's musical Can Can. During this time I began to paint again and studied the masters at first hand. A knee injury led to a change in career and I concentrated on painting which led me to study for a BA (Hons) Fine Art Painting at Bath Spa University in 2007.
It was a natural transition for me to stay in the arts having been a dancer and coming from an artistic background, as both of my parents are practicing artists. Just knowing that DCD were able to help myself and others going through a huge change in career was of great comfort to me. The financial hardships encountered throughout my studies were also softened by a grant given by DCD which helped me to keep my studies going through the help of buying materials, equipment and covering part of the course fees. My determination and discipline that I had already learnt from my dance training kept me focused and hard working throughout the three years of my degree and through this training I was unfazed to enter the art world almost immediately and apply for open exhibitions in London. Within a short space of time my oil paintings were accepted and hung within prestigious exhibitions including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2008 and 2011, The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize 2007, 2009, 2010 where I was awarded runner up in 2010, The New English Art Club 2009 and 2010, The Royal Institute of Oil Painters 2007, The Royal West of England Autumn Exhibition 2007,2008,2009,2010 and The National Open Painting Exhibition in 2010 where I was awarded 1st prize.
I am now looking forward to the next phase in my career and wouldn’t change anything for the love and passion of the arts that is still within me from when I was a dancer.
You can see more of my paintings here. |
Having been a Professional Dancer for 22 years, 6 of which were
spent as a Commercial dancer in the UK, Rebecca was forced to
stop dancing professionaly due to a choronic knee injury. Rebecca completed
a Foundation Degree in Art and Design before being awarded a retraining
grant from DCD to support her through a 3 year BA (Hons) in
Fine Art Painting from Bath Spa University.
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Dancer: Anthony Middleton Photographer: Stephen Berkeley White |
With thanks to Stephen Berkeley White for the images featured in this month's issue.
Stephen was a professional dancer for over 15 years, dancing with some of the country's leading choreographers and companies. Stephen received a retraining grant from DCD towards a course and equipment to support him as a professional Dance Photographer.
An exhibition of Stephen's work is currently showing at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London. The exhibition presents portraits exploring the dancer and choreographer as artist, individual and personality. For more information please click here.
If you are a retrained dancer who would like to have images featured in the DCD Newsletter please get in touch.
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Support
Dancers’ Career Development is kindly supported by: Combined Theatrical Charities/Acting for Others, Equity Charitable Trust, Society of London Theatre, Rudolf Nureyev Foundation, Cameron Mackintosh Limited.The DCD Fund is kindly funded by the following Contributing companies: Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Rambert Dance Company, Richard Alston Dance Company, Scottish Ballet, Siobhan Davies, The Royal Ballet.
There are many ways that you can help DCD to continue its work. If you, or you know anybody who would like to know more then please do get in touch. |
Dancers’ Career Development
Plouviez House
19-20 Hatton Place
London EC1N 8RU
T: 020 7831 1449
admin@thedcd.org.uk
www.thedcd.org.uk
Registered Charity Number: 327747
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Hard-copies of this Newsletter are available from the DCD office. |
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