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Dance Facts

Mark Baldwin Dance CompanyCandoCo - Microphobia, Choreographers: Luca Silvestrini & Bettina Strickler, Dancers: Stine Nilsen & Marc Brew, Photo: Anthony Crickmay

We welcome your input into these pages. If you know of any interesting facts or figures about dance, please email them to info@danceuk.org

Dance is the art form that communicates through the body.

Dance is an integral part of the live and recorded performing arts and cultural industries. It is often collaborative and provides creative and work opportunities for artists working in a range of other art forms including music, design, film, sculpture, theatre. In addition, dancers and choreographers frequently contribute to other art forms.

Dance as an industry

It is estimated the dance economy employs around 30,000 people; dancers, teachers, choreographers, technicians and managers. In addition to this, people work in dance as community dance practitioners, promoters, producers, designers, publicists, technicians, physiotherapists, medical and alternative practitioners, therapists, writers and academics.

There are an estimated 200 dance companies in the UK. Dance also plays a central or supporting role in commercial and subsidised theatre such as west end musicals, and in opera, film, television, live music and video, corporate events, variety shows, clubs and many other industries.

In 1969/70 the Arts Council of England supported 7 dance companies and organisations, in 1998/99 this number had grown to 74.

In 1999 there were an estimated 1,472 dance performances given in theatres around the UK, in addition to drama, opera, musical and other productions which incorporated dance.

Estimated ticket sales for these dance performances reached £20,682,000, while the Arts Councils of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland gave out a total of £54,900,000 in subsidy for dance.

The Diversity of Dance

There are many types of dance practiced and performed in the UK including:

African, Ballroom, Bellydancing, Bharatha Natyam, Bodypopping, Breakdancing, Classical Ballet, Contact Improvisation, Contemporary, Flamenco, Historical / Period, Irish, Kalari, Kathak, Jazz, Jive, Latin American, Line Dancing, National and Folk, Raqs Sharqi, Salsa, Square Dancing, Street Dance, Tango and Tap.

Beyond the traditional theatre context, dance artists create work for particular locations. Dance performances have been created for castles, disused factories, sports centres, shopping centres and other unusual locations across the country. Increasingly dance is being created for the screen and digital dissemination.

Dance Organisations

The UK has a well-developed network of strategic support and development organisations for dance. They include:

  • Dance UK
  • The Foundation for Community Dance
  • The Place Dance Services
  • Youth Dance England
  • Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD)
  • The South Asian Dance Alliance
  • The Council for Dance Education and Training
  • National Dance Teachers Association
  • Dancers' Career Development
  • Equity
  • The Independent Theatre Council
  • The Society of London Theatre
  • The Theatrical Management Association
  • The network of National Dance Agencies and smaller dance agencies in England, plus agencies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which support, develop and promote dance for all and provide space, classes, performances, information and events.

Together, these agencies provide an infrastructure of support for innovation and experimentation that is the envy of much of the world, and of other art forms in the UK. Further information on and links to many of these organisations can be found on the Links and Resources section of this website.

Dance and Audiences

Audiences for dance are growing.

The Target Group Index (TGI) found that audiences for dance had grown by 13.7% over the last six years, and had increased by 18% between 1997/98 and 1998/99.

Comparing TGI figures for contemporary dance for the five-year period of 1990/01 to 1994/95 with those for the period 1995/95 and 1999/2000 shows an increase of 28.8%.

In addition to this, when dance is broadcast on terrestrial television its audiences reach hundreds of thousands, often surpassing those for televised opera.

Learning Dance

Dance is part of the National Curriculum, and can be studied at further education and degree level, including MA and PhD levels.

The numbers of those taking GCSE Dance has increased from 2,752 in 1990 to 6,469 in 2000 (an increase of 235%). In June 2008, 17,855 candidates were entered into GCSE Performing Arts: Dance (source: AQA). On the other hand, those studying dance at AS and A level has increased from 352 in 1990 to 808 in 2000 (an increase of 229%).

There are around 22 dance colleges offering professional dance training courses accredited by the Council for Dance Education and Training and over 292 university courses with dance as a subject area.

An estimated 1,000 dancers graduate each year from the vocational training schools and university dance courses.

Dancing

Dance is important in education, health, social cohesion and regeneration. People dance for fun, recreation, social reasons and for health. Research undertaken by the Foundation for Community Dance identified over 73,000 participatory projects, engaging over 4.7 million people in 2000.

According to the Central Council for Physical Recreation, dance is a popular activity for 5 million participants, or 10 percent of the UK population.

Dance UK Facts

  • Dance UK was founded in 1982 and was originally called the National Organisation for Dance and Mime (NODM).
    It changed its name to Dance UK in 1991.
  • Dance UK's Founder Chair Bob Lockyer was succeeded by Christopher Bannerman in 1993, Jane Mooney in 1999 and Alistair Spalding in 2003.
  • Dance UK currently has approximately 1,000 individual members and 130 corporate members including dance companies and training institutions, and 117 others who are reciprocal members such as national dance agencies, regional arts boards and VIPs.

For information on membership see the Members and Joining Information page. For a list of Dance UK's staff and their contact details see the Contact Us page.

Sources of Information:

  • Cultural Industries Mapping Document 2001, published by The Department of Culture Media and Sport.
  • Siddall, J, 21st Century Dance, published by the Arts Council of England, 2001.
  • Inquiry into dance published by the Culture Media and Sport Committee (2004).
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