• USW BA Dance course closure

The programme for CDF15 (back in autumn 2015) was exuberant and diverse, and the freshly launched BA Dance course at the University of South Wales (USW) added important context to what we wanted to achieve. The partnership between Cardiff Dance Festival and USW’s BA Dance course has been mutually dynamic ever since. What is education without the experience of the professional sector and what is professional without the integrity of good education?  

Under the insightful leadership of Matthew Gough, USW’s BA Dance course has swiftly become highly regarded in the dance and wider arts sector. Its well-founded collaborations with industry and its vigorous partnerships with the independent sector are admired by many. They are catalysts for students to both gain from and contribute to a wealth of professional opportunities. Rooted in practice, with its eyes wide open to the horizon, the BA Dance course has educated and graduated its first cohort of talented young dancers.

This is wonderful for dance, locally and internationally; it is brilliant for Cardiff, creatively and economically; it is an accomplishment for Wales, in the face of challenging circumstances for contemporary dance education the world over.

Cardiff Dance Festival is, therefore, profoundly disappointed that USW has taken the speedy decision to shut its BA Dance course. First year students had barely started their new term when USW made its announcement mid October 2019. There are many calls for USW to re-consider the decision. 

CDF19 is here to celebrate dance. We do so with our many brilliant practitioners, partners, organisations, friends and dance family. USW’s BA Dance course is a valued partner, again, for CDF19. We absolutely celebrate you, all of you.



Image:
USW BA Dance degree students performing as part of Interruption, CDF17