On the 29th of April, as every year since 1982, World Dance Day will be celebrated all over the world by the international community of dancers and dance enthusiasts.

Official message for Dance Day
29 April 2006

Dancers are notoriously reluctant to join collective organisations. They are probably afraid that organising will restrict their freedom to express themselves. Or they think that the time spent and the membership fee are not worth the benefits gained.

Many associations or federations have only a few dozen members: a small fraction of the total in their area or field. Lacking in representativity they lack credibility, thus they cannot act as interlocutors of governments and other high-level bodies. They cannot inspire confidence in non-members.

This explains why the art of dance lacking in legislation, in visibility, in financing, when compared to other arts.

Belonging to a wider structure does not limit the way one performs, or teaches, or researches, or makes choreographies. Without influencing one's everyday work, it improves the framework, the environment of one's action.

Collective bodies provide a wider spectrum of services to their members. Deprived of such services by acting in isolation, schools, companies, clubs, festivals will remain handicapped.

CID encourages the strengthening of regional, national or branch associations by enlarging their membership.

Let us combine our actions, let us orchestrate our music by escaping the cacophony of isolated sounds.

Dancers of the world, unite!

Prof. Alkis Raftis
President of the International Dance Council
CID, UNESCO, Paris