Editors Letters

London International Dance Film Festival

Thursday, 6 December, 2007

Thank you for your polemical and fabulously ill-informed op-ed bit. However, better to be talked about than [not]. Have much to discuss about grown up attitudes to creativity generally and dance film in particular and not getting bent out of shape choreographically, pre-supposing one has the vaguest notion of what "shape" might be in the first place.

Put your name and credentials where your mouth is please and by the way, vis-a-vis calendars. South East Dance operates the Arts Council Calendar which I believe bears absolutely no relation to any other temporal orientation whatsoever.

We had no option [on] our dates, driven as we were by the expediencies of Riverside programming and for your information - until September 2007 SED did not give the dates to anyone other than the group at MEDIA & DANCE, approximately three months after we had announced the LIDFF dates, however, for the last 18 months, owing to a clearly defined curatorial policy which has been wilfully and occasionally mischievously identified as "anti" conceptualist, we have been deliberately ignored by a huge swathe of what could be arguably referred to as the "dance" film community, AKA the scholastic tendency.

Anti nada, please check our programming for a practical rebuttal of any revisionist or reactionary accusations. hmmmmm..............

Sandy Strallen
Curator LIDFF

Difficult Perspective Kickback

Monday, 3 September, 2007

Companies are restricted by touring funding and you can't perform in Manchester AND Blackpool because they are considered too close! This is the difference between college students getting a bus to the venue, or a trying to organise a coach with the extra cost and the travel.

I always thought a better way to organise a tour would be to visit the home area of every dancer in the company, in turn they would give a list of contacts to marketing that would include family members, their primary school, secondary school, old workmates, youth group and offer workshops lead by that dancer in their old school, I have found that schools are usually quite supportive of their old students.

Kema

Dance Company Communication

Friday, 8 June, 2007

I would like to get something of my chest. It’s about the don’t call us we’ll call you culture in the dance industry (amongst others). I have spoken to quite a few colleaugues, working and not working and the way a lot of auditionees are treated in terms of notification whether they have been taken on or not is really disappointing.

Of course there is the infamous don't call us we call you line, and than you never hear back. Or we will tell you as soon as possible, and you will hear exactly the same line at the same audition next year.

In truth I don’t understand why it so often is like this. In many other professions, companies manage to organise themselves and notify any interested employees of the outcome of an interview. In the day and age of the internet communicating has been made so easy.

We can send monkeys to the moon but not notify someone whether they have the job or not! I think it is only courteous, to let someone know what the situation is so they can actually plan and organise there lives, it's already hard enough as it is. I have questioned some choreographers on this behaviour.

Their explanation is that they are too busy with the production, and they trust that I will understand. Truth is that we are all busy, some working, some trying to find work.

Why am I writing to you about this. Article 19 has a big voice/is a voice in the dance community and I am hoping you will find this issue important enough to give some attention in your magazine.

I hear many dancers complain about the don’t call us we’ll call you culture, change tends to happen very slowly in this industry. And I am hoping that this could be a possible first step.

Please let me know what you think, any answer will be greatly appreciated.

Name and Email Supplied

Nothings up with Hip Hop

Monday, 4 June, 2007

Just a very quick response to your 'What's up with hip hop' article. I don't think it's necessarily fair to say that contemporary dance has moved on and hip-hop hasn't.

Some comtemporary work has moved on and some hip-hop hasn't, that's fair enough, but the reverse is also true.

Yes, there's a lot of hip-hop dancers out there who think if they take their top off and spin on their heads then they're really pushing the boundaries (man) but then there's a lot of contemporary dance companies who think the same when they do a load of physical movement which is a lot less innovative than what Ultima Vez, for example, were doing in the eighties.

Bad dance is bad dance whatever genre and whoever's doing it. Thankfully, as Article 19 consistently demonstrates, there's a lot of fantastic contemporary work out there. But there's also quite a bit of good hip-hop dance too.

Paul

Health Insurance

Saturday, 12 May, 2007

Hello there. Hope all is well. Just reading some of your articles and thought it would be useful for all dancers to know about the medical insurance that Norwich Union offer.

There are no penalties to pay for dancers, which is great!! I pay in the region of £23 per month and when I had my brain hemhorrhage they contributed £18,000 so I did not have to go on a waiting list and stop my dancing, marvellous!!!

So, for all you dancers out there I think this is a pretty great insurance!!

Helen Parlor

ACE's Arts Debate

Sunday, 1 April, 2007

We were really interested to read your article about the Arts Council's arts debate. I'd like to encourage you to show your support and backing for the arts by taking part in the debate.

Why don't you and your readers make the case for the arts on the arts debate website? artsdebate.org.uk. These are the comments that will be used to shape our future policy.

Jo Saucek, Online Editor, Arts Debate

Dancers in the Slammer

Friday, 16 March, 2007

Did you know that it is a potential criminal offence to organise a performance of dance in England or Wales - without a licence issued under the Licensing Act 2003? The maximum penalty for unlicensed performances, where a licence is required, is a £20,000 fine and six months in prison.

Some places are exempt, like places of public religious worship, royal palaces, and, oh yes, the back of a moving lorry.

You're OK too if it is morris dancing, or dancing of a similar nature (so long as the accompanying music is unamplified).

The government says the licensing regime is necessary for public safety, the prevention of nuisance, crime and disorder, and the protection of children from harm. But big screen broadcast entertainment, football or music, is exempt, anywhere, anytime.

Hamish Birchall

Oppose this daft law! Join more than 50,000 who have already signed the online petition: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/licensing/

No More NDA

Tuesday, 13 March, 2007

Oh dear Article 19 is very out of date. Technically there is now no such thing as an NDA. They are Dance Houses or development agencies.

And in this list of website reviews you should have included the fabulous Dance South West and its even more fabulous e-newsletter Fresh!

Our website isn’t perfect and is due for review and revamp very soon – but at least it’s up to date…

Kate Castle, Director, Dance South West.

Feeling The Love

Monday, 5 March, 2007

Does the dance world like or maybe even love you or your website? I think you are very funny and say the things that more dance people need to hear, can you and I open an Australian version of this website, because we really need it down-under!

Sorry to be so boring, I do find this dance world very silly sometimes and your website seems to be impossible to please?

I'd like to know what sort of dance creation would your web analysis present as a dance work, why what when how and please for god sakes, keep up the good work.

Ivan

Equity

Saturday, 6 January, 2007

I have been in this wonderful business of performing arts and contemporary dance working professionally for the last 3 years. I know I'm one of the lucky ones and of course I've come up against a number of hurdles, thousands of auditions and an abundance of bad practice.

I have always prided myself that I would remain honest to myself and stand up for both my own rights and the rights of others with whom I've worked - of course this isn't always met favourably by those in positions of power and I have to confess has prevented a couple of people calling me back to work for them again, but anyone worth their salt is willing to discuss the issue at hand and come to a compromise.

Anyway, my point is that over the course of the last 3 years I have also been paying a great deal of money to Equity without ever really understanding why - yes I did fall into the trap of doing that blonde as a child thing of paying because I was told to be a member at college!

I am now a little more well informed of its benefits particulary as I had to call on them recently when dismissed from working with a company, and I have to re-iterate that they were most helpful. I spoke to normal people who were willing to tolerate any questions I had to ask and [they] really did want to stand up for me and inform me of my rights - I know some might say it’s their job, that's what they're their for but I don't think I really understood that [until now], and I'm sure a great number of performers aren't members!

So I guess my point was to inform others that although I hope no-one else should have to deal with a situation like I had to, I will never have any qualms in paying my membership again and would advise others to become join. I know it’s a lot of money but one day you might just need it and you can write it off as expenses anyway!

A word of advice from a seasoned audition goer who wishes under these circumstances to remain anonymous!

Email Address Supplied, Name Withheld

Choreographers Directory

Monday, 16 October, 2006

This [ choreographer's directory ] is so f@#:ing funny! I've just graduated and was trawling through the web for auditions and came across it, you perked up my evening (how sad am I?) but seriously it's funny - it's just what everyone thinks but never says.

Jemma

Where Are The Dancers? No, Seriously!

Monday, 25 September, 2006

I do not understand this pay thing. I think we, dancers and the companies, are running in a vicious circle. I think the industry believes there is not enough money to pay for all of their expenses and that includes us, the dancers.

Another thing I do not get is as a young choreographer running her 1st research and development period, I paid my dancers 450 pounds per week, if I can do it, why can´t everyone else?

That pay level was advised by West Midlands Arts, so why are all companies not following this? Please, if you have any answers please tell me...

Stand up for yourselves guys, :)

Helen Parlor

Cut Throat Company?

Friday, 15 September, 2006

I'm fuming. Fuming I tell you. Not on my behalf, but for a situation slightly amiss. A company (who I would dearly like to name but won't due to the fact I only know all of this through fairly reliable, yet potentially biased word of mouth) has disappointed me.

Last year a production of theirs was sincerely lauded, its cast of actors and dancers praised by the influential and the resulting action was a co-production with ...... (even here if I go in to details I'll no longer remain opaque).

The directors kept some of the original actors, but auditioned for dancers with sparkling CVs, possibly more on-paper experience than the originals, rather than keep those who worked well for them in the past, part earning them their present situation and more high profile status.

Apparently some of the current dancers have not even seen previous work and while this should never be mandatory, knowing the specifics of the company's tendencies, it would have made sense.

So what do we have: companies feeling the pressure of The Big Time and dropping it's stalwarts (with, I'd like to add, absolutely no communication as to their decision). A little shallow, cowardly and unfair? Or just the reality of a cut 'n thrust artistic world?

Maybe their decision was for the sake of the work. Still...just thought I'd let you know how cross it makes me. Is there to be any solidarity among choreographers and perfomers - and where does decent levels of communication and tact come in?

Best wishes to you. I am so very glad Article19 exists. I'm likely to be in contact again though possibly under my real guise.

Name Witheld

Where are the Dancers Reply (4)

Sunday, 20 August, 2006

Dancers, from a young age are continually being told that what they are doing isn't quite good enough, should be better, and that you should work harder if you want to make it in this competitive world.

These are but a few comments that are drummed into our consciousness whilst our brains and bodies are still forming as a young dancer. Is it any wonder that we are a breed of insecure artists that feel we shouldn't complain because we are lucky to have a job! The majority of the time dancers are treated like children. Using one example, the person leading a rehearsal will quite often be heard to say "let's take it from the top of the 'girls' section" - 'girls!' - I am a 34 year old WOMAN!

A small example, but it clearly indicates the mentality in the dance world. The reason why I feel dancers endure the poor conditions of the dance world is simply because we love to dance and only feel truly ourselves when we have the opportunity to do so.

But enough is enough. We now need some recognition for all those hard hours of discipline and commitment. I would be very grateful if you could pass on some information to me as to who to contact to start to try and tackle this problem. Reading your article has stirred a range of emotions within that need to be spoken.

Charlotte Broom

Where are the Dancers Reply (3)

Thursday, 17 August, 2006

I completely agree with this article there is real culture of silence about important issues. Such as working conditions, auditions etc... I think there is a fear of making yourself unemployable if you speak out.

As a young dancer in college you are taught to put up with a certain amount of unfair and off hand treatment. I have friends who are singers and musicians and there is NO way that they would put up with the working conditions and treatment that dancers put up with.

I don't know how you can change this code of silence when jobs are so few and far between and dancers feel completely dispensible. I have, and have heard, many stories of unfair treatment etc., but would feel incredibly uncomfortable sharing them under my real name on a website like this.

Name Witheld

Where are the Dancers Reply (2)

Thursday, 17 August, 2006

Thank you for this article, I have often felt in this profession that you have to either shut up or walk. I'm tired of it, and to be honest when I do speak my mind to whoever I'm working with, whether it be about money, schedules or working conditions, it has always helped.

To to be open and honest about it, and discuss options and whether there are any available, and if it has lost me a job...then it really wasn't the right job for me in the first place. I really feel that some fo my contemporaries will put up with hell, knowing that there are at least 20 other dancers out there wanting to take their place, but would we put up with as much working in any other profession?

I have walked out of offices, where my health and safety were at risk, but less at risk than dancing in some of my project work. But somehow it makes it alright to loose a little of my self respect, because it's my "Passion". I think it is time to step up and make ourselves counted, not just as dancers but as the people underneath as well, I am more than just a line in space !

Kathleen Doherty

Dance and Football

Wednesday, 16 August, 2006

It's all very good stating the obvious, that footballers are paid ridiculous amounts to be crap in this country (face it they never actually do their job properly) but the problem remains that dance doesn't have the audience in this country that football has' the main reason being that dance isn't unpredictable and people can see dance for free on MTV.

There's no live atmosphere like there is with football because dance isn't interactive, so people won't be interested on a larger scale like they are with football. What we need is anoher theatrical revolution to reform dance in a way that makes it more entertaining and appealing to a larger audience, basically someone who can do what Brecht did for theatre.

Otherwise dance as an artform will never be as lucrative as football and therefore the job propescts will always be bad, but regardless people will still do it because we'd rather do this than being stuck in the rat race.

Carl Pattrick

Where are the Dancers Reply

Tuesday, 15 August, 2006

Yes, I quite agree! It always does feel like you can't speak up. Perhaps because this profession is so damned competitive (and I enjoy being a competitive person to a point) that one step out of line puts you out of consideration for a job or opportunity/. I know, I've seen it many times. The positive recognition is inexcusable; but let's face it, how often do people stand up to the world and pontificate about the greatness of, well, anything?

One point: the £375 p/wk Equity minimum? Well, I was paid that for 1 job. With a theatre company, not dance. Where all the actors were horrified at the pittance contemporary dancers are paid. I was living in ignorance of the difference between West End dancers salaries (even just the ensemble) and contemporary companies. Oh yes, my point? What was your point on that score? That the £375 should be enforced or that it is low anyway? The contemporary dance world is so far removed from the rest of society I can't tell anymore.

I was at Impulstanz this year and met a lot of dancers from all across the world. They all said to me they were surprised I was from London. Very few of them have any intention of coming here (to London), despite the recognition that there are more companies here than in many of their countries. However, they already know it is such an expensive city that quality of life just goes down the drain and the likelihood of finding a dance job is miniscule anyway. British contemporary dance is an island culture, and it's not helping itself.

I'm not sure if it can actually, but I'm also not sure it's aware of it. Many huge companies in continental Europe don't tour to London or anywhere else in the UK due to the cost. Much of the fluidity comes from individuals taking their own initiative. Perhaps this is what art is about? In our high speed culture of global communications we should be educating our audiences and practictioners faster than ever.

The gates need to be open for dance to evolve. I know hundreds of dancers and the vast majority would say there are no, or a very very few, UK based chroeographers or companies they really connect with artistically. It's hard enough to squeeze a toe in the door of any company. I want to feel the effort is worthwhile with a British dance culture that is vibrant, innovative and relelvant to contemporary society.

Name Withheld

Dancer Activism, Where Is It?

Wednesday, 31 May, 2006

Just reading some of the past letters that have been sent in and I have to say C'MON GUYS!!! Get with it!!!! It is refreshing that Article19 has the balls to REALLY give opinions as it does not happen that often in the dance world. We have often been trained to keep our mouths shut if we are going to question what is performed out there, or taught etc.

But, let us start to take pride in our work again and not just be accustomed to saying 'oh that was lovely' or accepting any old pay rate as dancers. Let's stand up for our art form and say what we like and what we dislike, with our reasons of course.

General slagging off is not healthy but as the philosophers say, questioning is!! So people, reply not with anger but with reasoning and explanation, everyone is entitled to their opinions, dance as an art form should be open to that and should respond. Then perhaps things for dancers could get a bit better and maybe more people would go and see dance instead of watching reality TV.

HP

Value vs Cost A Response

Friday, 7 April, 2006

Read your article with much interest. I believe that you are being extremely diplomatic.

And the double edged sword for the dancer is.......

Blow the whistle on companies that demonstrate bad practice and potentially you could be seen as difficult and word does spread fast so don't work much in future. Say nothing and hope the choreographer/company trips over their own feet again and make too many mistakes that they land face first eventually.

Alternatively here's a novel one... Actually ask the dancers to contribute to the project evaluation / report. Oh... but I had forgotten the independent dance manager's want to ensure their own future so paint the rosie picture in their reports to the funders. Ask the people that took part in the creative process what really happened... don't be silly.

So the dancers, independent dance mangers, National Dance Agencies don't want to rock the boat and for what reason? Are they afraid of what little money that receive from the Arts Council will be removed or refused? Clearly this question needs to be thrown open to your readers, a varied bunch, who may shed more light? Are their other people experiencing this kind of treatment? Is it regional? Does it happen more in small companies or larger organisations?

Maybe we could take a leaf out of the government's own book. Isn't NAME and SHAME the governments latest ploy on improving standards in its' public service industry. Perhaps the Arts Council could do a public funding fraud hotline to out bad practice or maybe Article 19 it's time for you to step in and provide the platform for debate?

Amanda Drago
FallingCat

Dance Europe, Israel

Monday, 20 March, 2006

I am enclosing a letter I wrote to the editor of Dance Europe magazine. It was written in response to your article regarding their policy on companies from Israel. Thank you for reporting on this subject.

'To whom it may concern:

Your magazine's policy regarding companies from Israel is abhorrent. Irrespective of the policies of the Israeli government (of which I am often morally opposed) art remains a vehicle for transpersonal communication.

To assume that this censorship is a productive means of achieving valuable results regarding this sensitive issue only ensures that your magazine undermines the very values you hope to inculcate. Some of the products of Israel's dance has vitality that is agreed upon by many serious critics. It seems to this reader that to expurgate artists thus is to indulge in a societal ill no less grievous and one that is a potential catalyst for the very same trespasses you protest.'

Michael Salonius
New York, USA

IBM401 A User's Manual

Friday, 17 March, 2006

I'm French, living near Geneva where I discovered Erna Omarsdottir last year in her Solo IBM1401. I just want to thank you for giving me the chance to see the video of this solo on your website.

It's just wonderfull to see this work again. Like an chance to remember what dance can be. I'm a photographer and musician, and would like to be sure I can find part of this energy in any work I will do in the future.

Thank you so much.
Philippe.

Dance on Camera

Wednesday, 15 March, 2006

Just a short note in response to the first rational article I have ever seen on Dance Film. Fabulous article, although I think it falls short to highlight some of the main problems concerning dance on screen.

One of the main problems that isnt highlighted,however, is that consistently the wrong people have been invited to make Dance Films or have been able to acquire the funding to do so, due to the following mistaken assumptions:

1. That a good stage choreographer will be able to make equally good screen choreographer. (when they are clearly VERY different crafts)

2. That the same timescale works for dance on screen as it does for dance on the stage i.e. 1 hour of stage dance will translate to the same on screen.

I have seen some VERY good dance on screen, although with very few exceptions (Charlotte Vincent) most of them have been produced by young people or dancers working in the community.

I would seem to me that it isn't the genre that's in trouble, but the way that people who commission dance film decide who to commission.

Perhaps the way forward is to stop making huge expensive and pointless forays into 35mm film and actually feed the new exciting dance screen works on video to be shown as virals or as phone video messages or other cheap distribution networks.

This way, we could identify people with actual talen or ability who could help drive the artform forward.

Lets play with it, rather than produce overblown grand gestures that frankly, the rest of the arts world is unable to take seriously

Neil Simpson

DCMS Plays the Mi5 Card

Tuesday, 21 February, 2006

******* forwarded to me your e-mail to her from this morning.

Although I have no wish - nor am I qualified - to get into the detail of the policy matters you raise, I must take issue with your closing point on 'naming' Government press officers. This is a convention that is, to the best of my knowledge, observed by the entire UK media, old and new.

The reason is quite simple. As civil servants we are required to describe and explain Government policy. We do this regardless of the political complexion of the Government of the day, or the identity of the ministers in office. In my case, for example, I was a spokesman for Virginia Bottomley when she was the Conservative Secertary of State here in 1997 and then, literally overnight, became the same for Labour's Chris Smith. Had the Government changed in 2001 or 2005, I would have switched again.

That's how it goes, and that's how the media get - as far as possible - an honest, objective and impartial news service on the department's (publicly funded) work. It would clearly be impossible for us to do this if our names became synonymous with the ministers in post at the time. Overwhelmingly, the media are happy with this arrangement and understand the reasons behind it.

You are, of course, perfectly entitled to declare that 'Article 19 is not governed by the rules of the DCMS' but, unless you can assure me that you are content to follow the convention, we will (reluctantly) have to insist that ALL future contact between DCMS and Article 19 is in the form of written answers to written questions, directed through me.

**** ******
Deputy Head of News
Department for Culture, Media and Sport

(names have been blanked to protect those that shouldn't be allowed out of doors without adult supervision)

Accountability

Friday, 13 January, 2006

I take your point, but surely writing a very negative review of someone's work won't do their career much good either?!? I just feel that it would enhance the reviews and make them more considered and balanced if they were not anonymous. Surely you shouldn't write something under a pen name that you are not prepared to back up in person?

I'm not a dance maker so don't have a personal axe to grind in this, but I am a journalist and do feel quite strongly about owning your opinions, and being prepared to discuss your work with those that you write about. Surely taking on board other people's views of their work is something that the people that you write about do on a daily basis - surely they don't undertake personal vendettas against everyone who comments on their work?

Suzie Bell

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