Well Met, the conferencing office of Leeds Beckett University, will host the One Dance UK Conference at its Headingley Campus 23-24 November. Organisers were keen to bring the national two-day event to Leeds: As the home of Northern Ballet, Phoenix Dance and Yorkshire Dance, it’s a natural dance hub for the north.
Helen Laws, head of industry and artist support, said: “As a national sector support organisation we are committed to making our conferences accessible and as such, it was important to move it out of London. With such a vibrant dance hub, and home to acclaimed dance organisations such as Northern Ballet and Phoenix Dance, Leeds, and the Headingley Campus provides the perfect venue.
“We want to use our annual conference as a platform to reach the whole dance community in the UK. With the theme of ‘Leading the Way – a stronger future for dance’, we’re bringing together teachers, dance artists, managers, directors, dance scientists, students and healthcare practitioners from the dance sector together.”
The conference will provide the opportunity for dance professionals to learn, develop and network with others in the sector.
Around 300 participants are expected to attend the conference that features keynotes from David Nixon, artistic director of Northern Ballet, and Michael Ellis MP and Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism who will open day two of the conference. Sessions will focus on areas such as teaching, fitness for performance, the language of dance and building resilience as an independent artist.
Clare Vidler, conference manager at Well Met, said: “We are delighted that One Dance UK has chosen Well Met, and Leeds, for its annual national conference. There is an extensive dance community in the city there will be locally based content featured in the two-day event. Leeds Beckett is also a member of the Leeds Dance Partnership, so we are delighted that One Dance UK has chosen Headingley Campus to host the conference outside of London.”
