BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CAREER IN DANCE.
YOU’VE TRAINED IN DANCE. WHAT COMES NEXT?
Moving from training into a professional career can feel like a big leap.
You've spent years developing your skills as a dancer. But knowing how to dance and knowing how to build a career in dance are two very different things.
Do you know what insurance you need to work freelance? What about DBS checks, safeguarding and First Aid? How do you find paid opportunities, apply for funding or build a career that provides a sustainable income?
There's a lot more to making a living in dance than what happens in the studio.
Our Building a Sustainable Career in Dance CPD day is designed to help you navigate the practical realities of working in the industry, with guidance from experienced dance artists and professionals who understand the challenges.
Whether you're approaching graduation, starting out or looking to return to the industry, this is your opportunity to gain practical knowledge, ask questions, build connections and take your next steps with greater confidence.
WHO IS IT FOR?
The day is for:
❋ recent graduates from university, conservatoire or vocational dance training
❋ early-career dance artists
❋ students preparing to enter the professional dance sector
❋ dancers looking to return to or further develop a career in dance
You don’t need to have your career mapped out. The day is particularly designed for people who are ready to move forward but may be unsure about where to start or what their next step should be.
WHAT WILL YOU EXPLORE?
Freelance essentials
Understand some of the practical foundations of working as a freelance dance artist, including DBS checks, first aid, safeguarding and appropriate insurance.
Building a sustainable career
Consider the different shapes a career in dance can take, including portfolio and interdisciplinary careers.
Explore professional presence and digital profiles, documentation, websites, showreels, biographies and professional communication, alongside wellbeing, managing workload and sustaining a healthy long-term creative practice.
Connecting locally
Discover how local cultural networks can support your career and explore opportunities for connection, collaboration and engagement within Swindon’s arts and cultural sector.
Developing your creative practice
Explore working and teaching across different settings, how approaches and expectations can change between environments, and how this can become part of a developing professional career.
Funding, collaboration and professional networks
Develop your understanding of funding and fundraising, project planning, applications and proposals, collaboration and professional networking.
Explore where opportunities are shared, how relationships develop across the sector and how professional networks can support your creative practice.
WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?
The aim of the day is to leave you with practical knowledge, greater confidence and a clearer understanding of the different routes available to you.
You’ll also receive a resource pack to take away and have opportunities throughout the day to meet and connect with other artists and professionals.
By the end of the day, you'll have:
A better understanding of the practical requirements of freelance dance work, including insurance, DBS checks, safeguarding and First Aid.
Greater awareness of the different ways to earn a living through dance, including teaching, performance and portfolio careers.
Practical guidance on developing your professional profile, promoting your work and identifying opportunities.
A clearer understanding of funding applications, project planning and collaboration.
Insight into managing your workload, wellbeing and long-term career development.
Opportunities to make connections with established dance artists and industry professionals.
A resource pack to refer to as you take your next steps.
You don't need to have all the answers before you arrive. That's what the day is here to help with.
Event details
Date: Friday 15 January 2026
Time: 10.00 - 4.30
Location: Swindon Dance
Cost: £55 incl. resource pack.
YOUR DAY AT A GLANCE.
10.00 - 11.15 Welcome & Building Essentials for Freelance Dance Artists
Start the day with introductions and practical guidance on the essentials of working as a freelance dance artist, including DBS, First Aid, safeguarding and insurance.
Presented by:
Katie Purcell - Head of Activities at Swindon Dance
Sarah Fletcher - Head of Education & Development at Swindon Dance
Practical guidance for moving from training into paid teaching, plus resources to support your next steps.
Presented by:
Charley Logan - Independent Artist & Swindon Dance Alumna
11.15 - 11.30 The New Teachers Roadmap & Resources
11.30 - 12.45 Creative Practice Lab
Explore teaching in different settings and how to adapt your approach, language and delivery for educational, community and professional environments.
Presented by:
Helen Ganberg - Independent Artist
12.45 - 1.30 Lunch & Networking
Time to refuel, meet other participants and make new connections.
Explore different career pathways, portfolio careers, professional presence, wellbeing and ways to build a creative career that can develop and last.
Presented by:
Adrienne Hart - Neon Dance
1.30 - 2.45 Building a Sustainable Career in Dance
2.45 - 3.00 Break
3.00 - 4.15 Funding, Collaboration & Professional Networks
Build confidence around funding applications, project planning, collaboration and developing professional relationships across the dance sector.
Presented by:
Richard Chappell - Richard Chappell Dance.
Round off the day with an opportunity to ask questions, reflect on key insights and learning, and discuss practical next steps to support your future career in dance.
4.15 - 4.30
More On Our Guest Speakers
Speaker 1
Charley Logan
Independent Artist & SD AlumnaCharley Logan is a professionally trained dancer, yoga teacher and facilitator based in Berlin. An alumna of Swindon Dance and its Centre for Advanced Training (CAT), she trained at London Contemporary Dance School before performing professionally with Danish Dance Theatre and Black Box Dance Company in Denmark.
She has since expanded her career into yoga, combining her dance background with somatic exploration and nervous system awareness. Charley teaches across studios, workshops and retreats in London and Berlin, alongside offering private sessions and mentoring. Her career journey highlights the diverse opportunities and pathways available beyond professional dance performance.
Helen is an experienced dance educator, choreographer and mentor with over 30 years’ experience in dance education and professional practice. A former Education Manager at Swindon Dance, she has led education programmes, teacher training, creative projects and fundraising initiatives. She founded Swerve Dance Theatre Company in 2006 and has worked extensively with schools, community groups and professional organisations, including the ISTD and BBO. Helen has also taught choreography for Swindon Dance’s Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) programmes.
Speaker 2
Helen Ganberg
Speaker 3
Richard Chappell
Richard Chappell is an internationally renowned choreographer. Since 2013, Richard has lead his own ensemble Richard Chappell Dance as a platform for his choreographic research and critically acclaimed performance work.
Based between Wales and the South West of England, Richard is currently a commissioned artist for Swindon Dance and Associate Artist at Exeter Northcott.
As a guest choreographer, Richard has created work for renowned dance companies and theatres, including the Royal Opera House, Stuttgart Ballet, National Dance Company Wales, BalletWorks, English National Ballet, Belfast Ensemble, Transitions Dance Company and Frontier Danceland (Singapore).
Richard works regularly with young people through organisations such as One Dance UK, National Youth Ballet and the Centre of Advanced Training programmes at Dance City, Swindon Dance and DanceXchange.
Richard Chappell Dance
Speaker 4
Adrienne Hart
Adrienne Hart (she/her) graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2002 and now work internationally as a choreographer and as Artistic Director of Neon Dance. She has worked in Russia, Belgium, Norway, France, Germany, Kosovo, Japan, USA, and extensively in the UK. Her work has been commissioned and supported by Arts Council England, British Council, Creative England, Sadler's Wells, The Place, Modern Art Oxford, Glastonbury Festival, Reversible Destiny Foundation, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, South West Creative Technology Network, Pavilion Dance South West and Art Front Gallery amongst others.
Neon Dance