Dance is on the up!

Having seen a huge influx of dance related TV shows throughout 2012 and into 2013. A survey conducted by YouGov in 2011 revealed, even then, that just over 1 in 5 British adults (21%) have become interested in dancing as a result of shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Got to Dance and So You Think You Can Dance. The survey was completed in the prelude to the Dance Proms, a new festival which took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and went on to be produced again in 2012 and for 2013. Dance Proms features acts selected from a competition held to find the most talented dance students to representing all genres of dance, and was opened to international entries for 2013. The YouGov survey also revealed that roughly the same number of adults (1 in 5) currently participate in some form of dance, with just over 1 in 8 adults (13%) having taken part in a dance class in the last five years. This is sure to grow in the future, with the introduction of extremely popular “dance-fit” activities such as Zumba, favoured amongst many celebrities such as Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. The survey further discovered that the most popular form of dance to take part in was social dancing (13%), followed by Zumba (5%). 66% of those participating in a dance class in the last five years did so to have fun, with fitness motivations following closely behind (63%). With the dance sector developing at such a rate, what must the figures be like for 2013? Further findings from the Dance Proms poll included Fred Astaire being named as the participants’ favourite dancer with 17%, with a surprising 1 in 10 (10%) of 18 to 24 year olds having voted for him. Michael Jackson was second (14%) followed by Ginger Rogers and Michael Flatley who were joint third (13%). The lack of current dance artists speaks volumes, suggesting that the dance sector is not a fleeting trend, but one grounded in its roots, the past very much influencing the present.