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Disabled dancers fight funding crisis
24 Oct
Summary
- Dance school struggles with hidden costs and lack of funding.
- Founder aims to make disabled people taken seriously as dancers.
- Academy needs £20,000 to continue operations.
The Kate Stanforth Academy of Arts, a disabled-led dance school, is in jeopardy as it grapples with substantial hidden costs and insufficient funding. Established online during the pandemic by Kate Stanforth, the academy became a Community Interest Company in 2023. It continues to offer online classes to ensure accessibility for all dancers.
Stanforth, who developed her own adaptive dance practice over 15 years, aims to ensure disabled individuals are recognized as serious dancers. The academy has supported over 500 dancers and received national accolades for its inclusivity work. However, keeping classes affordable for many disabled individuals has impacted the CIC's financial stability.
Expanding in-person opportunities is a key goal, but the prohibitive costs of accessible venues, travel, and equipment present a major hurdle. The academy is currently striving to raise £20,000 to maintain its operations, highlighting that the challenge lies not in a lack of demand but in the recognized expense of true accessibility in dance.
