Dance agency proves its worth

Youth Dance England (YDE), whose existence beyond August 2012 is under threat since its omission from Arts Council England’s portfolio of regularly funded organisations, is fighting back with the publication of an independent report endorsing the quality and impact of its work. In the final evaluation report of its National Development Programme 2008–2011, author Alun Bond has reported that young people’s participation in dance programmes at national and regional level increased year on year during the life of the scheme, and “there is clear evidence that it was taking off just as it ended”. He concluded: “Overall, and on limited resources, [YDE] has achieved a remarkable transformation in the range and spread of opportunities, geographic spread of provision, information and support, standard of dance leadership, and quality of dance work with and by young people.”

YDE was at the heart of Government plans in 2008 (see AP166) to boost dance opportunities for young people, both in school and out of school hours, but its future is now uncertain. The integrated national dance structure it created, including a national network of dance providers, is unlikely to continue in the form in which it has been developed beyond March 2012, when its core funding ends. But a successful Grants for the Arts Lottery bid means that a dance event bringing together hundreds of young dancers from across the UK in July next year will go ahead at Southbank Centre, London, and YDE is now considering its options for how it might continue after August 2012.