Click here for all links

Social media links



Message for Dance Day: 29 April 2006


April 28, 2006

Dancers are notoriously reluctant to join collective organizations.

They are probably afraid that organizing will restrict their freedom to express themselves.

Or they think that the time spent and the membership fees are not worth the benefits gained.

Many associations or federations have only a few dozen members: a small fraction of the total in their area or field.

Lacking in representativity they lack credibility, thus they cannot act as interlocutors of governments and other high-level bodies. They cannot inspire confidence in non-members.

This explains why the art of dance is lacking in legislation, in visibility, in financing, when compared to other arts.

Belonging to a wider structure does not limit the way one performs, or teaches, or researches, or makes choreographies. Without influencing one's everyday work, it improves the framework, the environment of one's action.

Collective bodies provide a wider spectrum of services to their members. Deprived of such services by acting in isolation, schools, companies, clubs, festivals will remain handicapped.

CID encourages the strengthening of regional, national or branch associations by enlarging their membership.

Let us combine our actions, let us orchestrate our music by escaping the cacophony of isolated sounds.

Dancers of the world, unite!

Prof. Alkis Raftis
President of the International Dance Council
CID, UNESCO, Paris



1. The official Dance Day message is mailed to over 100,000 dance professionals in 200 countries. It is translated to dozens of languages. Please ask for a translation, or translate the message to the language of your country; send it to dance organizations and the media. You can find guidelines and previous messages at the CID web site.

2. Dance Day has been established in 1982 in view of attracting attention to the art of dance, every year on the 29th of April. On that day, dance companies, dance schools, organizations and individuals, professionals as well as amateurs, are asked to organize an activity addressing an audience larger than their usual one.

3. The International Dance Council (Conseil International de la Danse - CID) is the official umbrella organization for all forms of dance in all countries of the world.

It is a non-governmental non-profit organization founded in 1973 within the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where it is based.

It is a worldwide forum bringing together international, national and local organizations as well as individuals.

It represents the interests of the dance world at large and consults accordingly governments and international agencies.


Click here for all links
Articles | Home | About | Address Bank | News | Info Centre | Featured Columns