On 6 July 2016, Dance Umbrella hosted a debate on gender inequality in choreography at City Hall introduced by Emma Gladstone, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Dance Umbrella and chaired by Alistair Spalding CBE, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells.
Panel members were Tamzin Fitzgerald, Artistic Director of 2Faced Dance, choreographer Vicki Igbokwe, Uchenna Dance and Lucy Kerble, Director of Tonic Theatre.
In a year that has seen a triple bill choreographed by women alone, investigations into gender bias, a conference and a social media storm around the issue, more than 80 people participated in a heated discussion which reflected a strong desire for change.
Dance Umbrella is to meet with the Mayor’s Office and One Dance UK over the issue in the next month.
The debate was followed by a reception for Dance Umbrella: Framing London, a photographic exhibition of photographs of DU Festival 2015 artists against London landscapes commissioned by Dance Umbrella from photographer Jevan Chowdhury which has been extended until 27 July 2016.