The Royal Academy of Dance's Dance Gazette

I was thrilled when I was provided with a copy of Royal Academy of Dance's Dance Gazette to review for this blog. Dance Gazette is their highly-respected dance publication which is received internationally, enabling to be part of their mission to promote the knowledge, understanding and practice of dance. The publication itself is published three times a year (crikey!) and distributed to around 14,000 members that RAD has as well as being available to non-members as either a single issue or subscription. For me it is particularly interesting as a young person how organisations approach their younger audience into features that discuss the specific things that need to about the dance sector that they're probably developing a professional career within.

One of the best things about Dance Gazette straight the way (and I think you would agree) is the striking image chosen for their cover as well as the many wonderful, and just as striking images throughout the pages of the publication. It really relaxes you as the reader especially as some of the features are very tough subjects to discuss with young people.

Two of the particularly strong features that struck a cord with me as a young person was Tea and Sympathy and The Weighting Game. Tea and Sympathy touches upon the discussions of whether dance teachers should be involved in their students emotional and personal lives. Believing as an individual that I received an appropriate increased level of pastoral care throughout my training that I would have had a better, more positive experience of the dance sector. It's hard to understand what an injury or idealistic body of a dancer and being surrounded by different shaped bodies does for a young persons state of mind. It's also really important to support those who may not have the idealistic support of their friends and family outside of the studio. I remember the first time I properly danced in front of a mirror at a dance school, my head filling with dread as I started to notice the flaws so visible on my young body. I really hope the help and support for young people to access this support is there for them in and outside the studio, it's so vital in the development of a young person. It was great to acknowledge what it is that happens over in Australia to support young people and their additional support available in dance organisations.

The Weighting Game feature discusses the increasing concern in dance teaching for body image that is still cemented in countries around the world, particularly in this feature China. It discusses how China approaches body image in their dance sector. It is often seen as something which is all about 'push, push, push' and I think it's a really interesting feature to discuss. The last part of the feature is very interesting to read where we see see someone discuss how we should stop taking weight issues so seriously and whether we care how thin they are when we go to the Ballet world. Personally it's a great way to open up discussion, myself I really care about the weight issues and do so when I go and see the Ballet. It's obvious to be a challenging dance whilst I do believe dancers can be seen as athletes.

The Dance Gazette really explores the width of the dance sector in the issue, even touching on Disability in Dance which is really great for a magazine which will land on the doorsteps of the younger audience. It's really important for them to notice these parts of the sector and open up discussion on these areas. Epic Fail? for me as someone who is particularly in this area of the Dance sector really interesting to read and gives me specific interest in exploring whether things will develop for examination boards so that young people with disabilities can fully embrace the Dance sector and everything that it has to offer. It also discusses the Dance audience and positivity in Dance training.

There isn't much negativity that I can pull away from the pages of Dance Gazette, they leave the features to do the talking and add a touch of advertisements to the back. I think this is really great and shows where there interests lie in this Dance Gazette. I am really interested now in applying for the magazine subscription myself and seeing what other features they have to offer in the issues. 

I would really urge Dance professionals and students just as much as anybody interested in the Dance sector to grasp a copy of the Dance Gazette and give it a read.  

You can check out more about RAD and it's Dance Gazette on their website.