Profile: Leeds Dance Partnership

VERVE. Photo: Justin Sloe

Having already been awarded the title of City of Dance in 2014, Leeds is now looking to become an international centre of excellence for dance.

The Leeds Dance Partnership aims to provide leadership for dance in the North and to offer opportunities for those involved with the art to develop locally, nationally and internationally. What looks promising is that the Partnership is open to everyone in the dance community. This means that anyone from nascent independent artists to major dance companies can get involved, which can only be a positive if the result will be a wide variety of dance productions.

The Leeds dance scene could really benefit from the Partnership as it will be an instantly accessible platform for new and emerging talent. In terms of further benefits, the partners will have ownership and the chance to be at the forefront of driving activity. New resources and assets will lead to the development of more talent and more productions. With a diverse range of members already, Leeds hopes to attract the best in world class dance.

Chief Executive of the Arts Council, Darren Henley OBE says: “When it comes to dance, Leeds is a hotbed of creative and artistic excellence. The Arts Council invests in a range of dance organisations across the city and I’m looking forward to seeing how the Leeds Dance Partnership will develop dance here, offering more chances for dancers and audiences to become involved in this brilliant artform.”

See https://northernballet.com/leeds-dance-partnership