‘So much talent is going to fall by the wayside’
Darcey Bussell tells Mark Monahan about the effects of Covid on her industry and her fears for the big ballet companies
‘It’s so tough,” says Darcey Bussell. “I remember if – because of any injury – I missed even half a season, I was on my hands and knees going ‘Noooooo!”
The retired Royal Ballet star, former Strictly judge and current president of the Royal Academy of Dance has much empathy for the plight of Britain’s dancers, now able to head out for a movie and a pint, but still, by the looks of it, some while off being given permission to perform to a live, indoor audience. We talk soon after the news of the £1.57billion arts bail-out, of which she says: “It was quite something to see that, and so wonderful to see the Prime Minister acknowledging that the arts, and our talent in the arts, are some of the most important assets the UK has – and he is completely right. We are exceptional in the arts and we should never ever forget that.”
But, without wanting to be drawn into the lockdown and distancing debate, the definitive British ballerina of her generation – appointed DBE in the 2018 New Year’s honours – can’t help lamenting the fact that, although training in a studio is now allowed, we may be well into 2021 before live dance performances restart.
“Dancers have tried to keep in shape and keep their technique ticking over,” the 51-year-old tells me from her house in France, where she and her family have spent lockdown. “But that’s almost impossible in a kitchen or a living room. They desperately need to be back in studios, they need to work with all the various people – other dancers, choreographers, musicians – so, they’ve been incredibly limited by lockdown. To get back into practice does take a good month, so thank goodness that’s starting.”
She says: “As an industry we will bounce back strongly, as soon as we are given the green light. I think there will be more purpose, more humility, more technology and greater artistic vision in the next body of work that we produce. And I am truly excited by that.”
As Bussell points out, because of the brevity of most dancers’ professional lives, the ramifications of lockdown and distancing could affect the dance industry in unique ways. “If you think of all those dancers who are near the end of their careers,” she explains, pulling off the impossible coup of looking completely glamorous while talking on Zoom from her kitchen table in France, “maybe they’re going to finish those careers earlier than they should do because of this gap. There isn’t enough time in a dancer’s career to be able to withdraw temporarily.”
Then, there’s the matter of freelancers, who aren’t looking likely to benefit from the handout. “Oh, it is horrible, really scary,” she says. “There’s so much talent that’s going to fall by the wayside.”
But, as Bussell explains, it is not only dancers and choreographers who are so often freelance.
“I come across a lot of dance teachers, and I see how brilliantly they connect to their community, and to young kids and the elderly. As Seb Coe says, participation in sport and physical activity is the UK’S most valuable social worker, and I completely agree; it gets people involved and brings people together. I look at all these dance teachers that haven’t been able to do that, and how devastating it’s been for their tiny, tiny businesses, their small dance schools, going to
the local church hall, giving their classes – that’s just died, and they’ve lost all their kids and
clients…. they haven’t been able to provide their community service.” In this, the mother of two girls (Phoebe, 19, and Zoe, 16) touches on the topic that fires Bussell above all else: education. Intriguingly, when I bring up the subject of the bailout, having sung its praises she then immediately adds, “Well, if change is in the air, we should keep changing, let’s not be afraid... We should call on Boris to change a few more things.” Such as? “I suppose it comes from the grassroots, really,” she explains. “We know we have such a great talent for culture as a whole, from dance to music to theatre to the production side, so I think we should formally recognise this as a society and make sure that the arts are a staple of everyday education. At present this isn’t the case. We can change that, it is easily achievable.” Inevitably, in all this, dance and movement are Bussell’s chief concerns.
“The Government recommends that schools deliver just two units a week of physical activity for a KS2 child [Years 3 to 6],” she says, “so some state schools don’t even deliver these two units as it is just a recommendation. I believe one of the most important things we can do for the long-term benefit of this country is to make four units of physical education per week mandatory for all KS2 and KS3 [Years 7 to 9] children. Physical education must be on the same level as English and maths for that age group. It will put our young people on the path towards good health for life.” Certainly Bussell has already taken action as regards instilling a mens sana in corpore sano in the nation’s state schools. Three years ago, she launched her not-for-profit
Diverse Dance Mix – or DDMIX – programme; billed as “an inspiring dance fitness programme that gets kids moving”, it is already in 45 schools, and awaiting charity status.
“Dance is a brilliant tool for developing the motor and coordination skills that you need in sports, as well as for mental health,” she says. “Even footballers now do dance classes these days to quicken up their footwork.”
Changing government policy is a titanic task, Britain’s theatres remain closed, and, while fearing intensely for the nation’s many small dance troupes, Bussell also cautions whichever allknowing beings wind up dividing up that £1.57billion from being too complacent about our flagship dance outfits. “They’re large companies,” she says, “and it’s even tougher to make sure that all their employees stay employed.”
However, Bussell believes that lockdown might not have been entirely fruitless for the dance world, especially in the proliferation of behind-the-scenes footage that many companies have been putting online. “It has really opened the doors to what goes on in a dancer’s life, to show how they practise, how they keep tuned. I’d encourage dancers to maintain and develop that, and show even more of the details that go into their art – that would create even more appreciation of them.”
You could argue that few phenomena have already done more to instill a nationwide love of dance than Strictly Come Dancing, on which Bussell was a particularly sparkly judge, first in 2009, and then from 2012 until last year. Its return in the autumn now appears to be a certainty, though this new series’s start date, run length and contestants all remain a mystery.
“What really generates a real energy is people seeing live shows,” she says. “And the reason Strictly has survived so well is because it is live. It is not pre-recorded, it is not manufactured, not made so that everything is squeaky-clean and perfect.”
This takes Bussell back to Britain’s currently dark dance houses, about which she is also, despite everything, optimistic. “I believe that people are chomping at the bit, desperate to come and watch shows,” she says.
‘There’s so much talent that will fall by the wayside’