Recommendation 1011 (1985)

Situation of professional dance in Europe

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - See Doc. 5416, report of the Committee on Culture and Education. Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 4 July 1985.

The Assembly,

1. Wishing to see dance, and in particular professional dance, have a place in European Music Year ;

2. Noting that in recent years considerable development has taken place affecting all forms of dance, at both professional and amateur level ;

3. Noting that, although in certain countries this development has been launched and supported by the public authorities, it has not always been accompanied by a parallel development in the structures and policies set up by the public authorities ;

4. Convinced of the importance of the role that dance can play in the artistic and physical, intellectual and psychological development of society and the individual ;

5. Recalling the specific problems encountered by dancers in the practice of their profession, particularly the regulation of teaching, and their reintegration in a new working life when they reach the age of retirement ;

6. Recalling its Resolution 624 (1976), on the democratic renewal of the performing arts, and its Recommendation 781 (1976), on Council of Europe action for the future of the performing arts ;

7. Welcoming the work of the Council for Cultural Co-operation on aid for artistic creation ;

8. Welcoming the support given to dance by the European Communities and particularly to initiatives such as its international dance course for professional choreographers and composers, and hoping that activities of this type will continue ;

9. Welcoming the encouragement given to dance by European broadcasters and in particular the 1985 Eurovision competition for young dancers ;

10. Noting the activity undertaken at world level by the International Dance Council, and wishing that such non-governmental co-operation be intensified among the states signatory to the European Cultural Convention ;

11. Considering that dance is part of Europe's cultural heritage and that as such it must be preserved ;

12. Noting that most of the problems lie in the field of professional dance,

13. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

a. take the opportunity presented in 1985 by European Music Year to devote particular attention to the situation of dance and dancers, for example by asking the Council for Cultural Cooperation to broaden the study of relations between dance and the media ;

b. encourage European initiatives in aid of dance, for example by awarding the Council of Europe prize for artistic creation to a joint work by a young choreographer and a young composer ;

c. invite the governments of the member states :

13.3.1. to give greater support to the training of dancers through :

13.3.1.1. improved subsidies to a greater number of private schools of dance which respond to the criteria established by the state ;

13.3.1.2. training programmes that are as complete and diversified as possible, permitting access to various kinds of diplomas and providing alternative careers for dancers reaching retirement age ;

13.3.1.3. fellowship schemes for dancers attending private or public schools, or courses held abroad ;

13.3.2. to improve the training of dance teachers by :

13.3.2.1. the creation of a state diploma of dance teaching, in the interests of both teachers and students ;

13.3.2.2. the organisation of training courses in new subjects ;

13.3.2.3. a social and fiscal status for qualified teachers equivalent to that of teachers in the national education system ;

13.3.3. to encourage professional dancers and choreographers to become better acquainted with the new audiovisual techniques ;

13.3.4. to invite local authorities to provide dancers with the necessary infrastructure for the practice of their profession ;

13.3.5. to take the necessary legislative measures for the protection and preservation of choreographic creations, for example by creating a film archive ;

13.3.6. to encourage all measures likely substantially to increase and diversify funds available for dance ;

13.3.7. to ensure professional dancers a suitable pension scheme and& mdash ; at the end of their career& mdash; free retraining.