One Dance UK, the national advocacy body for dance, has released a manifesto ahead of the general election next month on 8 June. The manifesto demands that dance should have the same status in education as subjects such as maths and English, and even the same status as the similar arts subject music.
As the industry body for dance, One Dance UK has consequently been urging political parties to ensure that dance as an activity is an integral part of every young person’s education, and therefore to invest in more specialist dance teachers in schools. One Dance UK maintains that more children take part in dance outside school hours than any other physical activity; the manifesto reflects this, in asking politicians to commit to key pledges to support dance.
It is proven that studying dance helps young people develop physical as well as academic skills including discipline, communication skills, teamwork, analytic ability, understanding of physiology and confidence. One Dance UK therefore believes that dance should be embedded in public health strategies delivered by local government, as well as health and social care services.
For many – including One Dance UK – dance has an integral role in education, health and wellbeing, as well as community cohesion, social mobility and diversity. The organisation is therefore advocating for and representing the diversity of the dance world, in general and via the manifesto ahead of the election. Other key points in the manifesto include ensuring the dance industry is not harmed by Brexit, championing dance as an art form, including dance in local planning strategies to create new affordable dance spaces, recognising the health and wellbeing benefits of dance to communities, developing dedicated funding to allow local theatres to present more dance, and provide better careers advice for those entering creative jobs.