Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

Nominations for the One Dance UK Awards 2019 are now open, the sector support organisation for dance. The 24 Awards have been chosen to recognise the outstanding contribution of people working in the dance sector. This annual event is an opportunity for people from across the dance sector to unite, celebrate, acknowledge and reward the people who have made an impact on the vibrant UK dance landscape. Continue reading Nominations Open for the One Dance UK Awards

Like many other choreographers before him, Bob Fosse is one who created spectacular work and an entire stylistic repertoire of movement. Fosse died many years ago yet his style is still emulated, taught and performed across the world, especially throughout the US. The revival of Chicago the musical, choreographed by Fosse devotee Ann Reinking, is still running on Broadway, so it is clear Fosse’s work continues to inspire. Continue reading Fosse jazz

Auditions can be daunting for even the most professional dancer – there is always pressure placed on the dancer, and it is usually by themselves. Sometimes even by someone else, such as an agent. Rejection may get easier as you gain more experience as a performer however some disappointment still exists if you are cut from an audition, no matter how accomplished you are. In order to make auditions a more enjoyable experience however, there are a few pointers to ease the process. Continue reading Preparing for auditions

New York’s H+ | The Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory, maintains that one in every three dancers in New York City lives under the poverty line, and may lack the resources to purchase the ingredients they need to make nutritious meals. This is in addition to the fact that dancers are busy, and often running around from class to rehearsal to performance to other work. We know that fuelling the body with healthy food is essential to dancing as best as possible, so this is often a problem. Continue reading Help for dancers in New York

Across the UK, dance for older learners is on the rise. It is not simply dance that is the benefit for older dancers, but also the provision of challenges and the promotion of the ageing body through dance. Some participants may have prior experience of dance and some have none, however it is clear that many have discovered the benefits of dance, such as increased social opportunities, wellbeing and the chance to meet like-minded people. Continue reading Dance for older learners

As The Lowry Centre for Advanced Training in Dance (The Lowry CAT) celebrates alumni working across the dance sector, and one of their class of 2017 students Matthew Rawcliffe reaches the BBC Young Dancer 2019 Grand Final, the North West base of the national training scheme is looking to recruit aspiring young male and female dancers for its next cohort of students. Continue reading Recruiting for The Lowry Centre for Advanced Training in Dance

Dancing can take its toll on both body and mind, and some dancers can find they become exhausted by pushing themselves too intensely, and can even become disillusioned. It is important for dancers to look after themselves in order to continue to work at their best throughout their career. Continue reading Listening to the body

An event as eclectic as Eurovision is tricky to predict, however certain factors of the competition could help audiences make a decision between one country and another. Recently Dance Direct analysed which factors appear in winning performances to understand what goes into the ideal Eurovision Song Contest combination. Continue reading Who will win Eurovision 2019?

This Spring the UK’s original graduate dance company – Transitions Dance Company – embarks on a tour of UK and European venues with a newly commissioned triple bill from choreographers Karole Armitage, Hetain Patel and Marina Collard. The three works From Dirt To Soil (Karole Armitage), many much, many much too many (Marina Collard) and You Tube Made Me (Hetain Patel) range from graceful precision to the wry and mischievous in a programme that showcases this year’s superb company of international dance artists. Continue reading Jasmine Rose Man of Transitions Dance Company

Stage fright can be a common occurrence for dancers – or any performer – whether they are amateur or professionals, ballet dancers, contemporary dancers or even singers and actors. Everyone can experience stage fright at some point, which can begin as plain nervousness while they are performing. With dancers fully fledged stage fright could mean you can’t remember the steps or are frightened to present yourself on the stage, and it can cause extreme emotions. Continue reading Overcoming stage fright