Awards The RAD at the One Dance UK Awards

The RAD at the One Dance UK Awards 

The One Dance UK Awards took place at the Patrick Studio in Birmingham Hippodrome last Friday. This event is an annual celebration for people from across the dance sector to unite, celebrate, acknowledge, and reward those who have made an impact on the vibrant UK dance world.

The awards champion the excellent work of all professionals in the sector including dance artists, teachers, practitioners, educators, schools, choreographers, companies, venues, scientists, and writers. 

The event began with an insightful panel discussion on the state of dance in the Midlands and the UK, its economic impact and future, and how partners plan to map the sector. The panel included Pawlet Brookes from Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Paul Russ from FABRIC, Chris Senton from People Dancing and a senior representative from Equity. The discussion centred around the political and economic outlook for dance and the importance of collaboration between dance organisations when advocating for the dance sector. 

The RAD was proud to sponsor the Young People’s Dance Champion Award, won by Sarah Shorten, Artistic Director of Stacked Wonky. Stacked Wonky is an innovative arts organisation that creates experimental, site-specific performance worlds using movement, choreography, sound and objects, and empowers young people to get involved in every aspect of creating the work. 

Susi Pink and Penny Cotton (above) represented the RAD at the awards event. 

It was an uplifting evening and wonderful to connect with friends from the dance sector, including Sonia Lawson, an RAD Silver Swan licensee who won the People’s Choice Award in recognition for her work creating Dance with Sonia Brown

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

Photo Point of View Photography

Sonia said: “My school, Dance with Sonia Brown, is a Berkshire-based dance school for adults, specialising in over-50s classes; Silver Swans ballet, Low-Impact Jazz and Low-Impact Tap. We advocate that anybody is a dance body, actively facilitate inclusive dance practice so every person can benefit from the joy of moving to music, and have a mission to beat ageism in dance and wider society. We’re still in a state of shock as this is our first ever award and it was a national one! Receiving this award means so much more than an acknowledgement of our hard work over the past six years. It means we’re putting the Over-50s dance sector on the map, giving it the recognition and exposure it deserves!” 

We are so proud of Sonia’s achievements and this well-deserved award in recognition of work. Many congratulations to all the inspiring nominees and winners whose creativity, courage, and ingenuity are shaping the dance landscape every day.