Dedicated to dance

Established in 1993, Greenwich Dance Agency (gDA) occupies a substantial Grade II listed 1930s municipal building near Greenwich town centre. Two large halls serve as both dance studios and performance venues, while a number of smaller spaces provide offices and meeting rooms. GDA provides a meeting place for dance artists and the local community, with an eclectic programme of courses, classes, performances and events. GDA is committed to delivering an accessible programme and creating an inspiring environment for dance practitioners. Artists and companies supported by or regularly rehearsing at gDA include Jonathan Burrows, Candoco, Akram Khan, Random and Jasmin Vardimon. Being located in an Olympic host borough, gDA is also working alongside East London Dance, English National Ballet, Sadler’s Wells and Siobhan Davies Dance to deliver the Big Dance programme for the Capital. 

While gDA is considered an industry leader and is often cited as a model of good practice, the building is in a terrible state of disrepair. Ten years into the 21st century, and we are still without showers. On paper, the organisation has done everything right, including cultivating an excellent relationship with the local authority, which provides the building at peppercorn rent and offers substantial financial support. GDA delivers a massive programme of community work and has a near-perfect track record of strict financial management. Why then is it still operating in such substandard conditions? A simple answer could be that dance did not do well out of the original Lottery bonanza. This is a massive oversimplification of what was a very complicated situation. A variety of circumstances conspired against gDA becoming one of the Capital Lottery winners. For example the ‘London factor’ meant that many of the smaller organisations operating in the capital had to navigate in the wake of the big London blockbuster projects.
The critical question was how many building-based dance organisations were ready to take on the responsibilities of a large capital project when the big money was available. GDA was just born and, despite funding for a feasibility study, did not have the track record to justify the level of investment necessary to breathe new life into such a complex building. The good news is that Arts Council England’s new consultation document acknowledges that there are many organisations working in dilapidated buildings, and that some artforms may need more attention. The dance section makes a plea for the development of a network of dance houses and choreographic workspaces. If, as widely expected, money is going to be tight, maybe this could be the time to make the case for new capital investment. Buildings do cost money, but, with the right business model, they can also generate income. Perhaps this is not the moment to sit tight and weather the storm...