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Animated Edition - Spring 2009
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Focus on: London 2012

From the editor

Dance takes the lead
As soon as London was awarded the 2012 Olympics we began to explore the potential opportunities for dance artists working with communities, and for those communities to engage with dance in the context of 2012 and the upcoming Cultural Olympiad promised in the bid.

It's very easy with the current downturn in the economy to be cynical about the Olympics, and the cultural element built into the enterprise. The Cultural Olympiad, even before the credit crunch, was never going to be a cash cow for the arts, and an article in the Guardian of the 25 March gathered together a group of the arts 'great and good' to dismiss the opportunities offered by the Cultural Olympiad. Dance has not been included specifically within the major projects of the Cultural Olympiad, but in the past six months representatives from across the wider dance sector have been meeting to develop proposals to change that. Our early thinking has been received positively by the people at 2012, so watch this space.

The Arts Councils of the UK have established Artists Take the Lead, a series of high profile commissions across the UK. We certainly hope that dance will feature amongst them. What we are urging is that the community dance sector seizes all the opportunities on offer as a way to raise the profile of community dance artists, the work and the communities that participate, wherever they arise.

In this issue we feature the perspectives presented at Going for Gold, our members meeting held in Birmingham at the end of February 2008. These demonstrate that there are some very real opportunities for dance to take the lead - but don't expect anything to be offered on a plate, just go out and get pushy about it. We also bring you up to date with our plans for a National College for Community Dance, and offer some reflections about how we non-disabled people view disabled performers in dance and how dance can contribute positively in the field of dementia.

Ken Bartlett, Creative Director, Foundation for Community Dance

In this issue
From the editor
Ken Bartlett, Creative Director, Foundation for Community Dance
Critical faculties
There's more to community dance than playing by numbers, as Donald Hutera was destined to discover via Destino
The focus: London 2012
The Cultural Olympiad - a once in a lifetime
Bill Morris outlines the opportunities within the Cultural Olympiad
London calling disabled dancers
Marc Brew reflects on his experience of dancing at the Beijing Olympics in 2008
THE FOCUS: LONDON 2012
People Dancing - dance at heart of the West Midlands 2012 cultural programme
Paul Kaynes sets out the ambitions for dance in the cultural olympiad in the West Midlands region
The people and the place - a joined-up approach to the Cultural Olympiad
Sarah Cobley describes how becoming involved from the start has reaped rewards for dance across the South West
The focus: London 2012
Norfolk is rising to the challenge!
Claire Gulliver, Norfolk Development Officer for the 2012 Games, explains how...
THE FOCUS: LONDON 2012
Taking the lead for dance
Polly Risbridger on East London Dance's active engagement with all things Olympic
Dance and Disabled People
Re-constructing the image of the disabled performer
Fiona Campbell gives some serious thought to how we watch disabled dancers
Dance and Health
Perfect partners?
Leonie Haines on her developing practice with older people
Professional Development
A workforce for the future?
Ken Bartlett asks if we need to develop new methodological approaches for community dance to suit the needs of both people and dance?
The art of moving people
Lisa Craddock introduces the National College for Community Dance - a major new professional development iniative for the community dance sector