One Dance UK Awards

 

The One Dance UK Awards are an annual celebration for people from across the dance sector to unite, celebrate, acknowledge and reward the people who have made an impact on the vibrant UK dance landscape! Championing the excellent work of dance artists, teachers, practitioners, educators, schools, choreographers, companies, venues, scientists, and writers, this is a glittering evening of celebrations, all for those who contribute to the dance sector throughout the UK.

Last year the event was hosted in the dramatic backdrop of The Mount Without in Bristol. The shortlisted nominees and recipients truly reflected the commitment and innovation that exists across the many parts of the dance sector. A panel of expert judges, drawn from the dance sector reviewed thousands of nominations to arrive at a shortlist of nominees for each category.

The evening was hosted by Bristol based Dr. Mena Fombo with performances coming from Bristol Ballroom Community and Impermanence Dance, resident company of The Mount Without.

 

Did you know...?

global majority dancer with hands infront and around face on hot pink studio background. Wearing marbled purple crop top.

Celebrate

Last year we received over 1000 nominations

Two global majority LGBTQ+ male voguing dancers, one crounched down on knees with hands met above head and the other in a half squat behind with hands met above head . Wearing white and black net and platform shoes on pink studio background.

Discover

Each year the ceremony is held in a brand new location in the UK

global majority dancer flicking long brown hair back with arms infront of face on blue studio background. Wearing orange crop top and camo jeans.

Connect

Our judging panel is comprised of over 50 leading experts in their field

South Asian dancer holding one hand to face and the other towards her elbow on hot pink studio backdrop. Wearing traditional orange dress with gold belt bracelets necklace and head jewlery with gold nose ring.

Spotlight

You can nominate anyone in the sector for an award!

Nominations for 2023 are now closed. 

White female wheelchair dancer with black hair. With one arm up and one down with wheel chair side on. Wearing silver sparkle dress and silver high heeled shoes in front of hot pink studio background.

Community Champion Award

This award is for any person or organisation who is using dance as a tool to create, strengthen and /or build communities with non-professional groups in any setting and with any age group.

Global majority male LGBTQ+ vogue dancer with slick back blonde hair, kneeling with one hand behind head and the other hand stretched out gesturing stop. On bright purple photo background.

Dance Changemaker Award

This award recognises bold, brave, and impactful individuals or organisations that have driven progress across our dance ecology. This can include improving access to dance and championing diversity and inclusion.  

white male dancer lunging to the right with arms pointed to the left. Black outfit and white trainers. On blue studio background.

Health & Wellbeing in Dance Award

This award is for any person, team or organisation whose work has had a transformational impact on the wellbeing of people who dance. Their work will have contributed to improve the physical and/or psychological wellbeing of dancers, communities, patients for example. 

global majority dancer with hands infront and around face on hot pink studio background. Wearing marbled purple crop top.

Science and Research in Dance Award

This award is for a piece of research relating to dance that is pushing the artform forward with academic and scientific enquiry 

White female wheelchair dancer with black hair. With one hand holding her ear and the other arm pointed to the right hand side of the image, her head and wheel chair side on. Wearing black top and trousers in front of hot pink studio background.

The Bob Lockyer Award for Digital Innovation in Dance

This award showcases individuals or organisations that use technology and digital to innovate how we see, experience and understand dance.  

LGBTQ+ voguing dancer with curly red mohawk and black beard, holding onto his elbow. Wearing see-through black top on purple photo backdrop.

The Dance Spotlight Award

This award is a chance to shine a light on those whose work is vital to the production and support of dance. Bringing those back of the house to centre stage, this could be a Producer, Programmer, Venue, Admin teams, School & community leaders to name just a few.

contemporary dancer flicking hair to the right side of the image with hands held either side of her face on bright blue studio backdrop. white blonde females wearing a long purple dress.

The Green Dance Award

This award celebrates any form of work that uses dance as a tool to spotlight and respond to environmental & climate issues.

South Asian dancer holding one hand to face and the other towards her elbow on hot pink studio backdrop. Wearing traditional orange dress with gold belt bracelets necklace and head jewellery with gold nose ring.

The People’s Choice Award

The People’s Choice Award recognises an individual or organisation that has made a significant contribution to the dance industry throughout the last year. This award is decided by the public.  

South Asian dancer holding both hands crossed over her chest and under her chin looking to the topof the screen. Wearing traditional purple dress with gold belt bracelets necklace and head jewlery with gold nose ring. Bright purple studio background.

Young People’s Dance Champion Award

This award spotlights individual dance educators championing dance to be experienced by all young people, regardless of style, genre or setting.   

Two global majority LGBTQ+ male voguing dancers. Wearing pink tops in a purple studio. Standing next to eachother with outside hands leaning over their heads and joining together in the middle over eachother.

Artistic Innovation in Dance Award

This award recognises those who are innovating across artistic elements of dance, including stage design, choreography, costume and lighting, to unlock new ways of storytelling, exploring themes, and challenging how we think.

contemporary dancer looking up to the top left of the image holding her face with one arm behind her head on hot pink background. White, long curly blonde haired female wearing black trousers, purple leotard, black blazer and a diamond head cap.

The Jane Attenborough Award

The Jane Attenborough Award honours an individual working who has
made an outstanding contribution to dance throughout their career.

Celebrating the 2022 Recipients

 

Health and Wellbeing in Dance Award: Dr. Roasaria Gracia

Science in Research in Dance Award: Joseph Shaw

Young People’s Dance Champion Award: Amy Burdon

Community Champion Award: Rubicon Dance

The Dance Spotlight Award: Dawn Prentice

The Dance Changemaker Award: Lucy McCrudden (Founder: Dance Mama)

 

The Green Dance Award: Eliot Smith Dance

Artistic innovation in Dance Award: BirdGang Ltd.

People’s Choice Award: Sander Blommaert

The Bob Lockyer Award for Digital Innovation: Alexander Whitley Dance Company

The Jane Attenborough Award: Gail Claxton-Parmel MBE

Social media graphics for all the recipients can be downloaded here 

"We are delighted to shine a light on the work, dedication and talent of these incredible people who are truly making a difference to the dance sector every day."
Andrew Hurst MBE, Chief Executive One Dance UK
Two global majority LGBTQ+ male voguing dancers. Wearing pink tops and blue jeans on purple studio background.

Honouring Jane Attenborough and Bob Lockyer OBE

The prestigious Jane Attenborough Award and the newly named Bob Lockyer Award for Digital Innovation in Dance awards honour the lives and work of founding members of Dance UK.

The Jane Attenborough Award

The Award is named in memory of the founding Director of Dance UK, Jane Attenborough (1955 – 2004).

A dynamic and passionate advocate for the arts and in particular, dance, throughout a 25-year career, Jane made a huge impact on the arts sector working for the Royal Academy of Dance, Arts Council of Great Britain, Rambert Dance Company, and Dance UK (one of the four organisations that merged to form One Dance UK). 

Throughout her career, and particularly as a founding executive director of Dance UK, Jane used her vast experience in arts management, lobbying, fundraising and administration to contribute to promoting the dance sector and improving conditions for dancers.  Her forward-thinking work resulted in ground-breaking and long-lasting legacies for the dance community, including the creation and development of our Healthier Dancer Programme.

Every year One Dance UK recognises the incredible lasting impact Jane had on the dance sector by dedicating an Award in her name. This Award is presented to individuals who, like Jane, have gone above and beyond the call of duty to move dance forward and enable the art form to thrive.

Bob Lockyer OBE

This Award is named in memory of one of the founding members of Dance UK, Bob Lockyer OBE (1942 – 2022).

An innovator, a collaborator, a director, a patron, a founding member of One Dance UK and so much more, Bob Lockyer OBE truly was an inspiration, a mentor and a friend to all of us in the sector.

The Bob Lockyer Digital Innovation in Dance Award aims to pay homage to Bob and his incredible legacy. This award – one that showcases work using technology and digital to innovate how we see, experience, understand and use dance – will also pay tribute to Bob’s incredibly vibrant mind and all the innovation he bought to the sector.

Every year One Dance UK recognises the incredible impact Bob had on the dance sector by dedicating an Award in his name. This Award is presented to individuals who thrive on technological innovation, digital creativity and more. 

With thanks to 2022's supporters

Silver Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor

 

We are also grateful to our event contributors and associates and would like to thank Gordon & Co. for their generous support towards the Awards programme.

 

 

For full T&Cs regarding the One Dance UK Awards, please click here