What’s next for Youth Dance England?

After five years of planning, Youth Dance England (YDE) is to merge with three other long-standing dance organisations: Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD), Dance UK and National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA) to form One Dance UK that will provide an improved, joined up service to support all of us working in dance. For the first time, we’ll have an industry body that offers specialist support for children and young people dancing, dance teachers in schools, professional artists, training institutions and organisations. The new organisation will be fully operational from 1st April 2016. At that point YDE, NDTA, Dance UK and ADAD will cease to exist as separate organisations. One Dance UK will embrace the role that has been delivered by YDE to champion children and young people’s dance in and beyond schools. The well-established programmes such as U.Dance, Young Creatives and Dance Ambassadors will continue to run. There will be specialist posts for children and young people’s dance within the new staffing structure to deliver the programmes. In addition, to ensure that specialist knowledge and advice is accessed by the new organisation an Expert Panel, with Chair, will be formed so that One Dance UK can continue to make the case for dance in and beyond schools.

Youth Dance England would like to thanks its supporters and ask you to get involved in this exciting new venture for dance. If you are already a member of Dance UK or NDTA your membership will be automatically transferred to One Dance UK. If you are not a member please join us to be part of the future for dance.

One Dance UK was launched on 7th December at an event held at the Royal Society of Medicine. Watch the live stream hear or visit the One Dance UK website.

Overview

You can download an overview of YDE's work here.

Youth Dance England is the national organisation that champions dance with and by children and young people. We believe that dance changes and enriches young people’s lives. We strive for every child and young person across England to have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of high quality dance, working with partners to increase access, raise standards and improve progression routes in dance. As a strategic delivery organisation, YDE delivers high profile national programmes reaching over 450,000 young people and their teachers/leaders between 2008 and 2014.

We aspire for every child and young person to be able to access high quality dance in their school and near where they live, and progress their interest to whatever level they wish and are able.

We are now working in a consortium with Dance UK, the Association of Dance of the African Diaspora and National Dance Teachers Association to create a new single body for dance. Offering excellent dance provision for children and young people and support for dance professionals from training through to transitioning out of their dance careers.

Youth Dance England's Child Protection Policy can be downloaded here.

Youth Dance England's Equal Opportunities Policy can be downloaded here.