One Dance UK, DanceHE, People Dancing and Society for Dance Research have released a joint statement about dance course closures in Higher Education.
The statement opens, "it is of deep concern to learn of more announced closures of undergraduate dance degree courses ahead of the 2024/25 intake. One Dance UK, DanceHE, People Dancing and Society for Dance Research are working collectively to draw attention to the increasing need to address the reduction of access to dance across education sectors."
It goes on to mention recent announcements from Arts University Bournemouth, University of Bedfordshire and Leeds Beckett University about the closure of undergraduate dance courses to add to previous similar announcements from University of South Wales, University of Plymouth, University of Surrey, University of Winchester, University of Derby, University of Central Lancashire and University of Wolverhampton.
The statement asks, "without a comprehensive dance offer at HE level, where students can see the value of studying dance and the many possibilities of work after graduating, where will the next generation of dancers, choreographers, teachers, designers, administrators and dance researchers evolve from?"
Further data and statistics can be found in the 2023 Dance in HE Report Taking it Higher.