Frequently Asked Questions

I am winding down my dancing career and I have an idea of what I want to do after. How do I get started with making a career change?
Firstly, you would need to contact the office by either telephone or e-mail to make an appointment with a Career Coach, who will then take you step by step through your application. For further information see contacts & links.

I have no idea which direction to take in my post-dancing career and feel emotionally unable to deal with the dramatic and stressful changes in my life. How can you help?
DCD can help you through this sometimes traumatic period of your career with one to one emotional counselling, a strong support network and psychometric testing. We have helped thousands of dancers to make a successful and satisfying transition into a post-dancing career, so you will meet people who really understand your situation.

I know exactly where I would like to retrain and what equipment I will need to achieve my goal. Can I simply print an application form from your website or do I need to speak to someone at DCD first?
You can print DCD application forms and guidelines directly from this website. However we would strongly advise you to arrange a personal or telephone appointment with DCD prior to applying to us.

I live outside London and travelling into central London is very expensive but I need to speak to someone about my retraining plans, can you help?
We can help you fund your travel costs if you are coming for a DCD meeting. Please mention that you will need help with your travel expenses when booking your appointment and keep the receipts. If you live too far away you can always arrange a telephone appointment instead or call us to find out whether we will be conducting any workshops in your area soon.

I currently work in a West End Musical and whilst talking to my colleagues we realised that we would all be interested to learn more about Dancers' Career Development. How can we receive further information?
DCD is happy to arrange informative talks about all our retraining services in musical theatre productions, other shows or for independent dance companies. Speak to your Equity Representative or give us a call directly.

My daughter/son has just been accepted into a vocational dance school, can you help funding the fees?
Unfortunately not. DCD exists to help professional dancers to retrain at the end of their professional performing careers. We only fund accredited training in professions other than dance.

Can I retrain overseas?
Overseas training may be undertaken when there is no comparable accredited course in the UK or if you are moving to live overseas. In this instance, DCD would request additional progress reports.

Can I apply for assistance from both the Independent Application and the Company Application?
A dancer can only qualify for grant assistance from either the Company division or the Independent division or DCD. If you are unsure which division to apply to please contact us directly and we will help you determine your funding eligibility. All dancers are eligible for all practical and emotional DCD support services, which include career coaching, educational advice, on-going support (from initial enquiry through to the end of retraining), psychometric testing and emotional counselling.

I am not eligible for grant assistance from DCD. Can I still obtain advice and information?
DCD offers a wide variety of career services to all professional dancers regardless of their funding eligibility. Whilst we may not be able to provide funding for you we can still help with careers advice, or direct you to other organisation which may be able to support you further.

I have performed overseas and do not have enough dancing years in the UK to qualify for DCD grant assistance, where can I get help?
Whilst DCD services are available to all dancers who have performed in Britain, those dancers who do not qualify for grant assistance are re-directed to relevant supporting organisations. You may find the links page useful. DCD is also a founder member of the International Organisation for the Transition of Professional Dancers (IOTPD) which has currently over 20 country members worldwide, who may be able to help. See “international work” for more information.

I have performed for a number of years in the Netherlands prior to dancing in the UK. However I do not seem to be eligible for funding from either DCD or the Dutch Retraining Fund. What should I do?
We have a collaboration agreement with the Netherlands so if you have danced in both countries you may be eligible for funding. Contact us directly to learn more.

Can I retrain whilst still performing?
Yes you can. Once you are eligible for financial assistance you can apply at any time to prepare for you post-dancing career or to support your income as a dancer with a second career.

Is there a time limit between finishing my performing career and applying for assistance?
No. A professional dancer may apply to DCD for assistance at any time during their performing and post-performing career.