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Dancers United is an annual dance event at Plymouth?s Barbican Theatre, bringing together community and professional dancers from the region. Catharine Milner charts its evolution.

Dancers United began in 1999 with a single platform performance and by 2003, had developed into a week-long event involving 700 dancers and several venues. A typical Dancers United platform includes professional dance from local and regional companies, dance artists and graduates, and community dance from regional and local youth dance companies, community groups and schools. It has also extended an opportunity to visual artists and photographers, whose images of dancers have been exhibited during the festival.

Dancers United deliberately blurs the boundaries between community and professional dancers and makes dance accessible to a larger section of the community. Careful programming ensures that community dance pieces of the highest artistic quality are seen alongside exciting new professional work. This gives status to community dancers and allows all the work to be seen by a wider audience. Programming in such a way also emphasises that Dancers United is not a competitive event. Everyone involved gets the chance to watch each other?s work during the technical rehearsals, encouraging support and respect and ensuring it is an inclusive event.

The juxtaposition of very different styles of dance performed by a wide variety of ages and abilities makes the event accessible. Break dancing is programmed alongside Time to Dance (a social inclusion project funded by Arts Council England for the over 50s) and youth dance companies appear next to professionals such as Transitions Dance Company. Over a number of years, it has become apparent that being part of such an inclusive dance event promotes feelings of self-worth and has a beneficial health and social impact on individuals and communities. Sheila, a Time to Dance participant, says, ?When I dance I become ageless... I lose all inhibitions using the dance to create a mood, an expression. No longer am I someone?s mother or grandmother.?

Professional dance artists often observe that community dance pieces have a unique power to move an audience. Developing the work around the physical capability of the dancers enables the choreography to express the real experience of the people who have inspired its creation, allowing their stories to be communicated through dance in an honest and engaging way and producing work that becomes uniquely theirs.

Bringing together community and professional dancers also educates a potential dance audience and for professional dancers it is a good opportunity to showcase new experimental work to full houses. It also provides links to the local dance network of promoters, agencies and other dance companies.

It has taken seven years of dance activity and development to increase access and participation to capacity at the Barbican Theatre. Community dancers ranging in age from 3 to 83 take part in regular classes. Continuing professional development and performance opportunities are also regularly provided for professional dancers and teachers. Dancers United continues to develop with new partners to create an even more diverse and culturally inclusive event.

Catharine Milner is Marketing Manager at the Barbican Theatre, Plymouth.
t: 01752 267131;
w: http://www.barbicantheatre.co.uk