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Specialist Online Classes Designed For Parents With Dance Careers Live and on replay Option 1 Silver Members Monthly subscription to replay library + more JOIN Option 2 Pro Class Weekly Technique Classes inclusive of perinatal artists - online ​ WAIT LIST Step 1 - Join our site FREE before choosing your session Option 2 - Weekly Professional Technique Classes Inclusive of pre-postnatal people Want Strength, Confidence & Connection? ​ ​ Welcome to Dance Mama’s live online class programme. Our Pre/Postnatal Dance Class - Pro Level is a pioneering, dance session specifically designed to support parents who work professionally in the dance sector. The classes draw on release, yoga and Pilates techniques. ​ Accessible and Affordable to get you on your A-Game ​ This fun and uplifting dance session is led by Caroline Lofthouse , who will mindfully guide you through a release-based technique class designed with the maternal individual front and centre. ​ Caroline will lead you through a grounding technical class that will give you the opportunity to explore alignment, posture and musicality, giving you the opportunity to move and be expressive and importantly, give you time to connect to yourself and your art form. ​ ​ Pss st! Want 30% off? Join Dance Mama Live: Back On The Road giving you community, access to our 21/22 recorded content of over 20-hours of webinars and workshops and to qualify for the discount. ​ All sessions must be booked by 6pm the day before. ​ BOOKING CLOSED - ON SUMMER BREAK PRO What our participants think... olivia roberts “...thank you for the work you are doing. I really appreciated class this week and being able to connect with people. I’ve found the position I’m in, being a dancer and new mum, a lonely one. It was lovely to be in accepting environment that was full of understanding and free of judgement and really nice to see other people in a similar position. Even just the conversation about backs and how they feel so different after pregnancy was super reassuring for me, I don’t have people to discuss things like that with and it was nice to know I wasn’t alone, I’d been beating myself up a little about it! I’m really looking forward to the live session and connecting with people in the flesh! Thank you again, see you next week!" ​ ​ ​ [Olivia, pictured here with her baby and fellow peers who she has danced with online and here in real life at Dance Mama Live , Birmimngham, March 2023 @onedan ceuk Photographer Anthony Shintai @anthonyshintai] CP Spring 22 Campaign - Sarah Poekert Play Video CP Spring 22 Campaign - Michaela Collings Play Video Class Programme Participants Watch Now CP Spring 22 Campaign - Michaela Collings Play Video Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Sign in Close ​ Disclaimer: Remember to consult with your medical team before undertaking any exercise programme, and particularly new mums should not be undertaking any exercise before passing their 6-week check with their GP. Whilst we want you to be the best that you can be, Dance Mama does not accept any responsibility for your health and wellbeing. Your body, your responsibility.

DANCING TOWARDS CONNECTION Specialist Postnatal Classes For Parents Who Enjoy Dance Do you love to dance and have a baby under 9 months? ​ Want to get moving and meet other Mums? Then come along to Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre, Crown Court Carpark, Godalming GU7 1DY and join our 8-week programme of brilliant dance classes for postnatal mums. Starts Thursday 18 April, 9 - 10am for 8 weeks (excl. half term) 1st class free, just £64 - kids welcome! ​ ​ "Really enjoyed connecting with myself & sharing something special with my baby." - participant ​ ​ Dance Mama™ is an award-winning, non-profit organisation based in Surrey, advocating and celebrating professional dancing parents internationally, highlighting the issues that they face and providing a ‘unique and vital resource,’ of inspiration, information and support. We are passionate about bringing our knowledge working with professional artists to all mums who love dancing. ​ These classes have been specifically created with you in mind, to bring you a fun and frien dly dance session. The focus is on connecting you to the joy of moving in your postnatal body with other like-minded mums where you can bring your baby. You do need to have completed your 6-8 week check with your healthcare professional to take part. ​ Lead Dance Artist and Mum of two, Laura Harvey and Dance Mama Founder and Mum of two, Lucy McCrudden , are experienced dance professionals leading on this work globally, who work with organisations including English National Ballet and the Active Pregnancy Foundation. ​ Use the button below to book your spot - we look forward to meeting you! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ BOOK MY SPOT Images of Olivia Roberts and child: Dance Mama Live, Birmimngham, March 2023 @onedanceuk Photographer Anthony Shintai @ant honyshintai ​ Our Dance Artists hold clear, enhanced DBS checks. "I really enjoyed the session. It felt very relaxed and so I was able to join in as much as possible whilst also tending to my babies needs without feeling any pressure. Was so nice to move my body and learn some dance sequences." "I really loved it. Wonderful chance to connect with your new body postpartum - strengthen, stretch out & mobilise. Also to share something special with you baby. Thought the physical focus of the class (open chest, move feet/ankles & a bit of cardio) was brilliant. Loved the massage bits in the warm up. Important as body feels so different & tired!!!." Not sure about dancing postnatally? Visit our Resources page to see how we work with Active Pregnancy Foundation. We contributed to this great information resource giving you a good understanding of how to take part. GO TO RESOURCES Our story The heart of Dance Mama's™ work is learning from sharing experiences. We always had the desire to share what we we learning working with professionals to the general public. ​ Work began on developing this idea back in 2021 when we piloted two online Dancing Towards Connection sessions for mums in the general public whose social isolation was increased due to the pandemic and may not have danced before. In 2023 our Lead Dance Artist, Laura Harvey (long-time colleague, mum, Head of Creative Programmes- English National Ballet), built on this work with our Founder/CEO, Lucy McCrudden , to develop an 8-week in person programme with the support of Arts Partnership Surrey and GLive. ​ In the video above Laura and Lucy share their findings from the 2023 research and development period which has led to our sessions in Godalming in 2024. ​ Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you would like further information hello@dancemama.org Image s of Olivia Roberts and child: Dance Mama Live, Birmimngham, March 2023 @onedanceuk Photographer Anthony Shintai @anthonyshintai ​ Supporters:

< Back EDEL QUIN Mother of two. Programme Leader BSc/MSci Dance Science, Senior Lecturer in Dance, University of Chichester, and co-author of Safe Dance Practice: An Applied Dance Science Perspective. What is the most challenging aspect of working in dance and being a parent for you? Time management. The nature of my work means that there is no clear delineation between the working day and home/family life. Shows in the evenings, marking of student work, e-mails, tutorials, admin, etc. all bleed across 24 hours rather than sit neatly within a nine to five working day. While this can have its benefits, such as getting admin done when the kids are in bed because you have been able to go see their Christmas concert in the middle of the day, it also requires strict time management. And even if I was good at being strict with my time management (which I am not!) it is hard for a 7 month old, or a 4 year old to understand, and therefore play along with, such time constraints. What support did you feel you had from work when you (your partner was) were pregnant? Both my pregnancies were (thankfully) not complicated. I was healthy and able to continue with work until I chose to go on maternity leave about 4 weeks prior to due date. My organisation had a HR liaison person that made sure the company and I were following legal requirements. Of course, friends and colleagues, in particular other parents, were extremely understanding and sympathetic on days when I felt less than my usual energetic self! Was there anything that may not have been in place that you felt could have been useful? No. Do you think being a dancer/ working in the dance industry made you think differently about your pregnancy/recovery Yes. I think being body aware made the whole thing less daunting, for me at least! Also, being fit and active was definitely helpful for the pregnancy, the birth and the recovery phase. I was less fit and active in the lead up to my second child being born and I do think I noticed the difference. If you were expected to dance postnatal (either by yourself or your employer) how did you approach your recovery? I took 9 months off with my first born, although I did author a dance textbook during that time. I slowly returned to action in a steady fashion. I was not over planned about it, I just went with what felt right at each stage. With my second ( I am just 7 months in now and I have not yet returned to full-time teaching) I am finding it harder, mainly due to time demands. What changed most for you on your return to work? I think I just had/have a different sense of priority and perspective. Although I also had/have irreconcilable conflicts of interest, at times, between my work desires and my family’s needs. ​ Does parenting help you in your work? I think it helps me as a person, so I guess indirectly it helps me in my work. Does dance help you in your parenting? Yes. It is great to dance, move, wiggle, be physically active with my kids. I love to introduce them to all kinds of dance, theatre, etc. It also helps me to think a bit more creatively when there are some challenging stand offs with my headstrong and very independent four year old boy! I joked once that being a parent requires the most use of all of my creative skills than anything else in life. ​ Do you know of any resources that already exist for parents who work in dance? No. I know of resources for pregnant dancers, but not for parents who work in dance. [Editor's note: This includes Safe Dance Practice: An Applied Dance Science Perspective which Edel co-authored, and has a chapter on the pregnant dancer]. Anything else you think would be worth raising? Recently, a dance company (forgive me, I can not remember who it was now – baby brain!) advertised a showing of their work at The Place that was scheduled for the middle of the day and was for parents (i.e. parents could bring small babies, but this this was still an ‘adult’ show, not a show for kids) and I thought ‘YES, THIS – We need more of this’. I have seen less live dance since having kids and I miss it! ​ Childcare. Childcare is an issue. A costly issue. A prohibitive issue. We have no family in the country. We both work – full time. It is a very delicate (and expensive) house of cards. If one of the four of us become sick the whole house of cards will teeter and risk collapse. If it collapses then it takes epic amounts of time and energy to re-establish it, but we are all already exhausted. ​ Attitudes towards children at work. In some establishments where I have worked there has been a ‘children at Work Policy’ where the policy is basically ‘no children at work’. I think this is short-sighted and prohibitive to the organisation, to the employee and to the employee’s family. Surely no one wants to bring their child to work with them unless they have to, or unless it may be appropriate to do so. I think in the dance world children in the workplace should be actively encouraged, where appropriate. ​ More about Edel Edel has over a decade of experience as a dance teacher, lecturer, researcher and dance scientist, specialising in the application of dance science theory and research to the teaching and practice of dance, across styles, ages and settings. Her co-authored book, Safe Dance Practice: An Applied Dance Science Perspective was published in 2015 by Human Kinetics and has been adopted as a key text on dance courses around the world. Edel has also published numerous papers and frequently presents her applied research at national and international conferences. She is on the editorial panels for peer-reviewed journals such as Frontiers in Psychology and Journal of Dance Medicine and Science. ​ Edel has extensive international dance teaching and lecturing experience. In 2017 she was nominated for a National Award for Inspirational Lecturer at a College, University or Conservatoire. Prior to coming to the University of Chichester, Edel was the Programme Leader of the MSc and MFA in Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (London), where she also delivered on the MA/MFA programmes, the BA Contemporary Dance and BA Musical Theatre Performance programmes and the Dance Diploma Courses. In recent years she has also taught at institutions such the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (Hong Kong), University of Wyoming (USA), University of Bern (Switzerland), Beijing Dance Academy (China) and University of Limerick (Ireland). ​ Edel is an active representative for many international organisations, supporting the promotion of dance science education to the global dance sector. She is a long-standing member of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS), where she founded the Student Committee. She currently serves on the IADMS Dance Educators Committee, in the role of co-editor of the Dancers and Teachers Bulletin. She is also an Associate of Safe in Dance International (SiDI), where she is a registered Course Provider and Quality Reviewer for the Healthy Dance Practice Certificates. Additionally, Edel is one of three people in the UK that has competed the Empowering DanceTM tutor training prorgramme. ​ Edel is a trained Irish and Contemporary dancer. Her professional performance experience includes touring full-time with ‘Riverdance the show’ (1996-2001) as a lead dancer. Other performance experience includes a year with Henri Oguike’s sister dance company H20, a season in the West End production of The Shaughraun (2006), and performing at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics (Dublin, 2003). Edel is a member of Dance Mama's Research Advisory Group. ​ ​

HELPING DANCE MAMAS MOVING THEIR WORLDS We empower parents who dance to blend their caring responsibilities with their artform Dance Mama™ is an advocacy entity celebrating professional dancing parents, highlight the issues that they face and providing inspiration, informatio n and su pport. ​ We believe that just because you start a family doesn't mean you have to stop moving. We empower parents who dance to blend their caring responsibilities with their artform. We can support you in a variety of ways so you can be inspired, be informed and stay connected. Founded by TEDx Speaker, Lucy McCrudden, it began as an article in One Dance UK’s magazine back in 2014 after she became a mum and was dissatisified with the lack of industry support. The site now holds over 70 stories (15 our now a podcast), a mentoring programme, information hub and most recently Dance Mama Live! A programme of professional development activity online, supported by Arts Council England and in partnership with Sadler’s Wells, One Dance UK, Yorkshire Dance, DanceXchange and Clearcut. TEDx WELCOME Hello - I'm Lucy McCrudden, Mother of two and Dance Advocate and Specialist. ​ How are you? ​ Working in a physically demanding industry like dance brings an extra dimension to your pregnancy and parenting experience. We are here to provide you with information , inspiration and connection to help you navigate your dance career and parenthood. ​ Back in 2014, when I was a 33-year old mother of one, I was dissatisfied with the amount of resources available for parents working in dance? It occurred to me pretty early on that these issues were hardly talked about, let alone supported adequately in the formal arena. ​ So I decided to do something about it. I asked the then-known Dance UK (now part of One Dance UK), if I could write an article on the subject. This started our foundations of collating a series of profiles of industry parents in many different situations. Dance Mama has built upon this, creating a Dance Mamafesto , sharing over 60 stories, now in podcast format, delivering our Mentor Mama service, information hub and learning events with a variety of partners including The Royal Opera House and Dance East. ​ 2021 saw the launch of Dance Mama Live! a one-of-a-kind online professional development programme for dancing parents supported by Arts Council England and in partnership with Sadler's Wells, One Dance UK, DanceXchange, Yorkshire Dance an Clearcut. All 20 hours of sessions are free to access when you join this site. This continues into 2022 with Dance Mama Live: Back On The Road touring to 10 national dance partners and you can join here for replays and lives. ​ In 2021 I also started the Parenting And Dance Network (UK & Ireland) to connect the growing momentum for positive change for parents in dance. Taking this to the global community, I co-founded the International Parenting and Dance Network . Both are free to join for anyone working on this cause. ​ 2022 also marks the start of my taking this work further and commencing my PhD with Christ Church Canterbury University in researching this area. It is also the year I delivered my TEDx Talk . ​ Connect with our community via our Facebook page or our other social handles above. ​ You can read more here about my two decades career in dance learning and participation with organisations including The Royal Opera House, Rambert, The Place , DanceXchange and English National Ballet or visit my LinkedIn page, Dance Magazine US feature , The Rogue Monkey podcast and interview for Dance In Mind also gives you some insights to my background on-the-go. ​ My portfolio life is also a case study in business handbook Building A Portfolio Career – 3rd edition (Bourne, Lyons, McCrudden – Management Books 2000) – available on Amazon and at Portfolio Professionals Partnership . Dance Mama is also part of Maternal Journal 's 2021 book. ​ Hopefully, these stories will resonate with some, spark some discussions, give you some ideas and information for those already with families or others in our community who are thinking about starting a family and may not have the luxury of being close to a parent working in dance. ​ Enjoy! ​ ​ Lucy xo WATCH FILM ACCESS REPLAYS STORIES JOIN DANCE MAMAFESTO

< Back LAURA HARVEY Mother of two. Lead Guest Artist on Dance Mama's Class Programme and Head of Creative Programmes, English National Ballet What is the most challenging aspect of working in dance and being a parent for you? Working self-employed as a dance artist in this industry is particularly challenging. There are physical aspects such as getting the body back into shape and feeling like you can re-connect with the physicality of dance and then there are practical things like unsociable hours (this includes evening and weekend work), having the creative brain space and co-ordinating child care. I went back to work teaching just one class per week, six months after having my little boy. Like many people living in London, I don’t have family close by so my Mum travelled down from the Midlands once per week to look after my son for the two hours my class took place. There was also the logistics of breast-feeding, and trying not to worry that he would starve whilst I was away from him for those few hours. After 9 months I started back with my evening class. To help me the organisation I worked for agreed to put both my classes on the same day which meant I only needed childcare across the one day. As my son grew, he started to attend nursery which in London is nearly £100 per day. I had to balance out what I was earning self-employed vs what I was paying in childcare. As lots of work is often project based there was increasing difficulty in having to change his days every term which became impossible and meant he lacked consistency. In the end I only agreed to work two days per week and just had to hope that work fell on those specific days. [Dance Mama note: Laura was freelance Dance Artist for Rambert and Project Manager for English National Ballet when she became a Mum.] ​ What support did you feel you had from work when you (your partner was) were pregnant? I was mounting a production at Sadler’s Wells and preparing a number of other performances. I had assistants to help me for the rehearsals periods and individuals within the departments I worked within were supportive. The companies I worked for were paying me on a self-employed basis so they had no responsibility to me in that sense and I was very much self-managing my own time although I obviously had deadlines to meet in terms of the shows themselves. Was there anything that may not have been in place that you felt could have been useful? The biggest challenge is the responsibility of the employer if you are self-employed. What responsibilities do they have? We work in an industry that has a fluidity in artists coming and going and the nature of the work often means we aren’t on PAYE. I also think there maybe could have been some more support offered on the return to work specifically in terms of childcare and support to get your body back to full fitness. Do you think being a dancer/ working in the dance industry made you think differently about your pregnancy/recovery? I felt like I needed to get back sooner rather than later. This was partly because I wanted to get back into the creative space but also because I was aware of not wanting to drop out of the loop. It’s difficult when you are self-employed because you don’t have the security of a job to go back to so you don’t want people to forget about you. I don’t remember considering my recovery. I think I was too busy worrying about a new baby, earning money, organising childcare and the general madness of logistics that come with having a family! Nearly three years on I don’t feel like my body is back to where it was prior to having my little boy. Equally I have seen dancers in the profession come back after six weeks to get back into training, that wouldn’t have been an option for me. From your experience, what advice would you give to an expectant parent regarding leave? It’s all so individual. What suits one, might not suit another. I would say try not to worry. When I returned to a more usual pattern of working a year after my son was born, nothing had changed, and I felt like I picked up where I had left off. There was also a surprising transition of work now not been my sole focus. The time away gave me space to reflect on my career and I realised I had been running manically from one job to the next, working seven days a week, evenings and weekends and now I questioned more why was I doing this. Having a baby has made my work choices since then more considered and I guess I now always ask the question is this worth the time away from my son. I learnt to let go of things and filter out anything that felt like it would put too much pressure on me. If you were expected to dance postnatal (either by yourself or your employer) how did you approach your recovery? This is a difficult one. I wasn’t dancing as a professional dancer on stage but in returning to teaching I was expected to lead technique classes, teach phrases of repertoire and often for prolonged periods of time. I continued going to the gym as much as possible, (which was also challenging with sleep deprivation and childcare logistics) but in honesty I just got on with it and gradually got stronger over time. My own self was pretty low down on my priority list! What changed most for you on your return to work? Everything and nothing. I fundamentally was changed from having my son but everyone still perceived me in the same way and I guess you still want to have that persona as that is your profession. As a teacher in the context of my work, it can often feel like a performance and even on the days when I’d been up for half the night, I still had to be energetic and vibrant and physical. It was hard but I think it also allowed me to tap into that part of myself that was me before I also became ‘Mummy’. I picked up some freelance work that enabled me to do things at home. The producer on the project also had a child so we would have meetings with the kids which was refreshing. I did have a few occasions on that project where I would be trying to have a work conversation with a venue and my son would be howling in the background. This didn’t look very professional and I remember thinking I’m not doing a good job at work or as a Mum. My husband also took annual eave from work to come and help me when I was on tour for longer periods of time. It wasn’t an ideal scenario in any sense. Those few months became a turning point for me and I realised that I needed to separate my work life from my home life. This has definitely influenced my career choices since then. Does parenting help you in your work? I think becoming a parent gave me perspective and allowed me to re-address the work/life balance. The responsibility of motherhood also helps in general terms of been the one on charge, the decision maker, finding solutions. I also think it filters into the creative aspects of my work. Does dance help you in your parenting? Certainly in doing improvised performances for my son which he finds hilarious! Dance has been part of my life since I was young so I think it must help me in some ways because it is part of who I am. Do you know of any resources that already exist for parents who work in dance? Only Parents in Performing Arts (PIPA) ​ Anything else you think would be worth raising? When I look back over the last few years, I can see that there were really mad, challenging times. Are these any different to what other working parents deal with, I don’t know. I have since shifted my career to be more office based as my son likes routine and he benefits from his set days at nursery. Equally I benefit from knowing what I am doing on a weekly basis. This compartmentalisation of my work life and home life has enabled me to be clearer with who I am when, and feel like that when I’m at work I can give 100% and when I’m at home I can do the same for my son. ​ As a working parent in dance, this is a topic we need to keep talking about and I would encourage organisations to be scrutinising what procedures they have in place for working parents who are employed by them in any capacity. This doesn’t have to mean paying for maternity leave but could be more practical in terms of childcare, help with recovery, catch up meetings and how work is scheduled for those artists. ​ ​ More about Laura ​ Laura is part of team #dancemama and is our Lead Guest Artist . Laura began her career at Rambert leading on the youth dance programme, touring nationally as an animateur and teaching on the Dance for Health programme. She is the Artistic Director of Quicksilver, Rambert’s youth dance company. In 2007 she joined English National Ballet as Learning & Participation Officer and went on to become Creative Associate choreographing and directing their flagship programmes. She has worked for Disney, Ballet Boyz, Richard Alston Dance Company and Sadler’s Wells amongst others. Laura is currently Head of Creative Programmes at English National Ballet leading on their professional artist programme Choreospace, Schools Link and Dance for Health programme. Laura has a BA in Dance & Arts and Cultural Management and an MA in European Dance Theatre Practice. Laura is a Board Member for PiPA Campaign. ​ ​

Choose your pricing plan Silver Membership £ 5 5£ Every month Essential for all parents working professionally in dance to stay on track with their careers 30 day free trial Start Free Trial Monthly, live 1-hour AMA webinar session with the Dance Mama Full access to our library of expert webinars and workshops Monthly e-updates Private Facebook Group 30% of all our classes, courses and workshops 30% off 121 Mentor Mama sessions Offers on merchandise

7 out of 10 parents and carers (72%) are considering abandoning their career in the performing arts. *PiPA Campaign Covid19 Survey Dance Mamafesto DANCE MAMAFESTO Parents in dance face many challenges - sometimes insurmountable. Our approaches to changing things for the better outlined below. DANCE MAMAFESTO Here are the seven beliefs we have on what professional dancing parents need WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? Enjoy these visual minutes captured by @juliamirandaart from a conversation from Dance Mama Live! with Kate Flatt OBE, Amanda Britton and Sharon Watson MBE STORIES LUCY BIO SHOP

DANIELLE MANTON-KELLY I had a baby at uni while studying drama and theatre, and though this didn’t define me, it did completely change my life. Getting through everything that went with having her so young, meant that I came out the other side with enough resilience, positivity and resourcefulness to create three successful and award winning companies. ​ Mother of three. Director, The Wedding Crecherz , Portabella Childcare, Portabella Parties @theweddingcrecherz @portobellachildcare @theaccidentalparentguide ​ What is the most challenging aspect of working in your industry and being a parent for you? For me, it’s the constant childcare challenge. Whenever I am in my element – working and creating, I generally have to be away from my little ones. I want them to be safe, happy and content and receiving the best possible care. Working long and often tricky hours makes finding this sort of care very difficult, and I have to put them first, which means that I often miss out on amazing opportunities. What support did you feel you had from work when you were pregnant? At uni it was a real mixed bag. Half of the individuals I came into contact with (lecturers, students etc.) were disappointed and almost offended by my situation while others met this disgust with as much kindness and support as they could muster. There was help at the uni to find access to learning grants but other than that, I felt like I was the first person to fall pregnant at that uni – they didn’t really know what to do with me! At work as a teacher I didn’t feel that I received any support. My pregnancy was a burden on the school and I felt I had to leave permanently. Was there anything that may not have been in place that you felt could have been useful? Access to information regarding my return to work/uni – in both situations there was none. Also access to childcare. Do you think trading to be an actor made you think differently about your preganancy/recovery? Being surrounded by the thing that made me happiest always helped to lift my spirits on the hardest of days. Keeping mobile also helped with pregnancy aches and also with my recovery. From your experience, what advice would you give to an expectant parent regarding leave? Make sure that you are as informed as possible regarding rights and time frames and right everything down. Reach out to organisations that can advocate for you, and don’t let your voice go unheard – no matter how much tiredness makes you feel like giving up. If you were expected to move postnatally for your studies how did you approach your recovery? Again, all of these decisions were left to me – I was responsible for my own recovery, and considering how young I was, I really didn’t know anything abut what was happening to my body; what was safe and what wasn’t. What changed most for you on your return? The responsibility I had towards my daughter meant that I worked even harder, with much more focus and determination. I wasn’t just having fun any more – I was building a life and a future for us both. I had to become very resilient and resourceful in order to balance training and parenthood, this also meant that no minute away from my baby was ever wasted or taken for granted. Does parenting help you in your work? Yes absolutely – I find that I am now much more receptive and appreciative of the ideas of others. I look at things with different eyes now. Does your work help you in your parenting? Absolutely – I am known as the creative Mummy – apparently my children always have the best World Book Day Costumes! I am very patient, and again receptive to my children’s thoughts and Ideas. I also make sure that art is a huge part of their life – specifically performing. Do you know of any resources that already exist for parents who work in your industry / art form? No ​ Anything else you think would be worth raising? I am currently building a flexible childcare company, that will bring the highest quality childcare to any venue – I am hoping that this will help parents in a similar situation to the one that I faced. ​ ​ BACK

SOMETHING FOR EVERY PARENT IN DANCE How to take part ​ Whether you are in a studio, behind a laptop or on stage, we serve every parent in dance. ​ In addition to browsing all the free content on our site (enjoy a mooch!), we have three levels of membership to suit all budgets and needs; Bronze, Silver and Gold ​ Looking for Dancing Towards Connection project? Whilst a majority of our content is aimed at professionals, we have a strand of our work with workshops aimed at anyone who enjoys dancing and is a parent. To find out more click here . IMAGE: Dance Mama Live,Birmimngham, March 2023 @onedanceuk Photographer Anothony Shintai @anthonyshintai. SUBSCRIBE JOIN ENQUIRE Bronze Level - FREE Unlock 20 hours of webinars and workshops from Dance Mama Live Season 1 ​ ​ ​ Subscribe FREE to our site to access this content and keep in the loop with quarterly e-updates MORE INFO Gold Level - from £500 Maximise your parent employee's performance and potential, increase your organisations creative value and make good on your EDI statements, with a bespoke package of our award-winning support and expertise. Enquire about our Gold Membership level. Silver Level - £5 pcm Join our inspiring and informed community of parent dance professionals, monthly live webinar, and access to all 40 hours of content +more benefits Join our Silver members to unlock FULL access to our suite of support, live and recorded. MORE INFO WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S IN OUR REPLAYS? COME VISIT OUR REPLAY GUIDES SEE REPLAY GUIDE STORIES TEAM J OIN

< Back MARC BREW 'At the hospital where our son was born in Scotland, we were the second parents to start a family through surrogacy, so it was all very new. ..Try to gather as much information as you can and don’t be afraid to ask questions.' Father. Artistic Director & Choreographer. TW: @marc_brew IG: @marcbrew @marcbrewcompany What is the most challenging aspect of working in dance and being a parent for you? As a freelance Director, Choreographer, Dancer and Teacher, a lot of my work is travelling away from my home base and being on tour. The most challenging aspect for me is being away from my new born child and the difficulty of not having the support needed to be able to tour or travel with my child. As a new parent, my child is 5 months old, I started working again after 3 months and there wasn’t the financial support of infrastructure in place to take my child with me on work trips. I also had to take time off work with no pay and then go back to work after 3 months because that’s all we could afford as I needed to earn money for my family. Naturally I wish I could have stayed longer at home or if it was financially viable to take my child with me while working away from home. What support did you feel you had from work when your surrogate was pregnant? Being self-employed, I did not receive any support and my partner being an employee did receive flexibility of work hours when needed to attend medical appointment and scans. All our focus was to support our surrogate the best way we could. What support did you feel you had when you were on paternity leave? As mentioned, I took my own time off for 3 months. My partner was able to get government support to take the equivalent of adoption leave for same sex couples in regards to our surrogacy which is up to a maximum of 12 months off but of course that is at a reduced rate and the last 3 months is no pay. It's already now 5 months so we are now looking at Matthew having to go back to work due to needing more financial support. We also did receive support from the NHS having our Health Visitor come to visit. Our son was born premature so we were seen by a midwife quite quickly once we were able to leave the hospital, which was 6 days after he was born. We then had our Health Visitor come to us once a week and that turned into a monthly visit and are now waiting for our 6-month visit. Was there anything that may not have been in place that you felt could have been useful? I think being a same sex couple starting a family through surrogacy is still uncommon in some places. At the hospital where our son was born in Scotland, we were the second parents to start a family through surrogacy, so it was all very new. The staff and midwives were amazing but there was still some learning needing to be done. A lot of people had assumptions and perceptions and we were often told only one of us was allowed in the room with our surrogate as they assumed that our surrogate was with one of us. We had to continually explain that our pregnancy was through surrogacy and eventually we were both able to go into the room for the scans. But it was a challenge at times, so I think more information and support for people seeking to start a family through surrogacy would be helpful. Do you think being a dancer/ working in the dance industry made you think differently about your surrogate's pregnancy/recovery? As we started a family through surrogacy, it wasn't a traditional pregnancy as such, so in some ways we had to learn a lot to not be overbearing. All we could do was trust and support our surrogate with whatever they needed. As a dancer I was conscious of health and fitness and just wanted to provide the best support we could for our surrogate carrying our child to ensure our baby was growing healthily and would have the best start being born. From your experience, what advice would you give to an expectant parent regarding leave? I would say research, join family groups on social media or in your local area. We were able to join Surrogacy UK (www.surrogacyuk.org ) which was a great resource for us, so we could ask any questions in regards to surrogacy. Building your network and being as informed as you can be because every pregnancy and birth is different. Try to gather as much information as you can and don’t be afraid to ask questions. What changed most for you on your return to work? I didn't want to go back to work! I was so immersed in the experience that I didn't want to leave my son. I wanted to be there, I am sure every parent feels that way but then reality kicks in and we need money to survive, we didn't have access to any government support or financial aid so I had to go back to work. The first time I had to leave, I had to travel to the USA for a 2-week commission. I said goodbye to my son and partner at the airport and I just broke down in tears. It was extremely emotional, I felt like I was letting my family down, I knew I needed to go but I wanted to stay. A big change was that my priorities shifted, I've always been very focused on my work and career and now it's about my family and my son and what he needs. Naturally caring for a newborn there is also sleep deprivation so then going back to work it was hard for me to adjust to regular long working hours, trying to accomplish everything I used to do but then having to prioritise and making sure I am home and having quality time with my family. Does parenting help you in your work? It's definitely helped me after all these years to try to find a better balance. Even when working abroad, as I am now, I have to make time to be able to speak to my family and see my son on facetime and check in with my partner to make sure that he feels supported as much as possible while I am working away from home. Working away I am always thinking about them and worrying about them but parenting has definitely helped me in my work not only to find balance but also to prioritise what is important and to have more patience and finally to find rest/sleep when I can. Does dance help you in your parenting? Definitely, as a dancer with a disability I'm always trying to find solutions to obstacles in my daily life and as a disabled parent who uses a wheelchair, I'm having to adapt and find other ways to raise my child; how to pick up my child up and change his nappy. Being a dancer who is versatile and adaptable has definitely helped me as a parent to be able to do things differently that work for me and my child. Do you know of any resources that already exist for parents who work in dance? I was aware of parents and carers in the performing arts (PiPA) but I don't know of any resources specifically for dance or disabled parents who work in dance. Any other thoughts? I believe there could be more conversations and resources around parenting in dance for non-traditional forms of parenting such as with same sex couples, parents who have gone through surrogacy journeys, adoption and parents with disabilities. These would be great support groups to have. More abour Marc Acclaimed International Dancer and Choreographer Marc Brew trained as a professional dancer at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and The Australian Ballet School. He has been working in the UK and Internationally for over 24 years as a director, choreographer, dancer, teacher and speaker; with the Australian Ballet Company, State Theatre Ballet Company of South Africa, Infinity Dance Theatre, Candoco Dance Company and AXIS Dance Company. Marc was Associate Director with Scottish Dance Theatre, Associate Artistic Director with Ballet Cymru in Wales and was Associate Artist at Tramway Theatre in Glasgow and Artistic Director of AXIS Dance Company from 2017-2021 #fathersday #fathersday2023 #pridemonth #pridemonth23 https://www.marcbrew.com/ 2023

Actor Mama - Hannah Young 'Creatively the two parts of my life do enrich and enhance each other, something that I have really loved experiencing after my 5-year break from acting. Motherhood is as creative an act as performing; both require real patience, intuition and love.' ​ Mother or two. Self-employed Actor (including theatre credits at The Print Room, Royal Shakespeare Company and Birmingham Rep, and TV) and Educational Practitioner for the Royal Shakespeare Company. @palindromeHNH @the_printroom ​ What is the most challenging aspect of working in your industry / art form and being a parent for you? I would have to say that it is access to the work. It felt very much to me that from the moment I fell pregnant with my first child I was no longer seen as someone available/happy/ready to work, even when it came to playing someone who is actually pregnant! Then there is the minefield of how one begins to reorganise your life and childcare once you do have work. This is all doable but you need to be given the opportunity to at least try it. What support did you feel you had from work when you were pregnant? As a freelance actor there is no support, maybe if I had fallen pregnant during a job then I would have had a different experience. Was there anything that may not have been in place that you felt could have been useful? PIPA Campaign wasn’t around in 2013 so it really was a matter of seeking help/support from the Citizen’s advice bureau about matters such as maternity benefits and leave. There wasn’t a forum on which to discuss matters specific to our industry; another subtle way that women feel distanced by the profession during such a transformative and potentially stressful time. Do you think being an actor made you think differently about your pregnancy/recovery? I was very concerned about money and made the decision to focus on my Educational work during my pregnancies and children’s early years as it felt like a sensible and more sustaining option for me. I am very fortunate to have a great support network from family and friends so any feelings of fear during my pregnancy and recovery could be talked through and managed. I did feel like I had to make a choice not to be an actor during that time, this was the only way I could make it work for me. What changed most for you on your return to work? I feel like my job is a smaller part of my life now than it was, and when I do perform I love it but it is sandwiched between all the million things that need doing in the day when being a mother of small children. Trying to find time to rest before a show is impossible so I have to be more creative about how I use the little time I do have. I have started meditating to gain some head space before a show which I am finding really helpful. I am far more organised and planning ahead is crucial to the success of a job. Ultimately you are trying to fit a career that is really quite untameable and unpredictable around the very real routines of having a family and these two are often at odds with each other. However creatively the two parts of my life do enrich and enhance each other, something that I have really loved experiencing after my 5-year break from acting. Motherhood is as creative an act as performing; both require real patience, intuition and love. ​ Anything else you think would be worth raising? One of the biggest game changers for me would be the legitimising of part time contracts/job sharing in larger repertory companies. Being in one or two plays in a season rather than the expected three, would make such a massive difference to people with families. Large companies should be able to offer this within their remit as a sensible and viable option, it makes such sense to me and I am amazed that this isn’t happening enough. So many women leave the profession after having children as they can not or do not want to commit to typically full time contracts which take them away from their families for such extended periods of time. This is a form of discrimination and should be seen as such. ​ We all appreciate that the creative work place would benefit hugely from being more diverse and parents who wish to work part time are an essential voice in any community of practice. It’s entirely possible!! ​ More about Hannah Trained:Exeter University. Theatre: Act and Terminal 3 (Print Room) The Tempest, Antony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, The Winter’s Tale, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Coriolanus, The Drunks, Little Eagles and American Trade (RSC) Corporate Rock (Nabokov) The Lady From The Sea (Birmingham Rep) Songs of Grace and Redemption (Theatre503) The French Lieutenant’ s Woman (Yvonne Arnaud) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Desire Me (West End) Time and the Conways (Theatre Royal Bath) First Love (Royal Court) A Chaste Maid in Cheapside (Almeida) Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Liverpool Everyman) The Importance of Being Ernest (Deptford) The Stringless Marionette (Orange Tree) Screen: Doctors, The Robinsons, Waking the Dead, Offenders, Alan’s Breakfast ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ BACK

LEARN Maximise Your Potential From bespoke support, workshops and events to training online, we want you to be supported in your development. Click on the images to find out more... Silver Membership Join our inspiring community, accessing monthly online sessions, our unique collection of 40 CPD workshops and webinars created with national dance organisations + benefits. Mentor Mama Bespoke mentoring support 121, in groups or organisations to enable parents in dance to thrive. Project Management Masterclass - Digital Course Turning your project management hell, into saintly sensible steps to success! ⚡️ Now in digital format to learn at your convenience. 💥 In demand for over a decade, learn the tried and tested approach of Lucy McCrudden (Dance Mama Founder/CEO) to arts project management from her wealth of experience in world-class projects. Lucy will lead you through 3, glorious lessons of online training on the ins and outs of project management in a dance learning and participation context which is applicable to most arts projects. Project Management Masterclass has been delivered to a variety of people via Dance Mama’s online sessions in the pandemic stand alone, as well as in collaboration with the Royal Opera House, Dance East and New Adventures since Lucy made this available in 2013. 💯 of attendees have said: 😀 they felt more confident in their project management abilities 📝 found all three parts very useful 🤖 loved the digital resources 🔗 said they made useful new connections ❤️ would recommend it to others Topics covered include initial ideas, building partnerships, finance, delivery and evaluation across three sections: Consolidating Your Idea, Planning and Delivery, Self-Management. With over 20 years’ experience in leadership and project management in high-profile projects with organisations including the Royal Opera House, The Place and Rambert as well as the creator of award-winning Dance Mama, Lucy will give you a good understanding of best practice on how to get your idea up and running. '[I came away with a}...greater understanding of the most efficient way of running a successful project' - previous participant, January 2020 ‘Just want to say thank you Lucy for a really wonderful and inspiring masterclass. One of the most helpful and relevant workshops I've attended this past year and I feel that I have a much better grasp on project management as a whole, what it involves and how to run my project!’ – participant 2021 ‘Thank you so much Lucy for making something that felt quite daunting a lot more achievable and giving me confidence in what I am looking to do in the future’ – participant 2022 Who is this relevant for? Anyone who wants to up-skill their project management, confirmation of best practice for new and early career project managers and a fresh perspective for the seasoned project manager. The added bonus of networking with other like-minded individuals who have the desire to deliver artistic projects of this nature. You do not need to be a parent - all project managers and aspiring are welcome to take this course 😀 This Mum Moves This is an awareness-raising session about the Chief Medical Officer guidance for pre and postnatal activity in the UK and how we can apply it to dance contexts. Created by Active Pregnancy Foundation and Institute of Health Visiting, Dance Mama leads this session for dance professionals only who are working directly with colleagues or participants who are either expectant or people who have birthed, taking you through the current CMO guidance. Participants gain access to the exemplary digital tool kit in addition to the knowledge gained in the session (and a certificate!). We are unique in being able to provide this opportunity in dance at the moment and it is a great step forwards for the sector in considering how to approach and support the pre/postnatal population when they dance. Our Founder/CEO, Lucy McCrudden, delivers these sessions, bringing her expertise from her 20-year career in dance, her PhD knowledge and lived experience as a mum to empower and give agency to the dance sector to support and work with parents with confidence and facts. One-off workshops and events From TEDx to Move It, see where Dance Mama pops up next. Dancing Towards Connection Postnatal dance classes for the general public. Inspired by the professionals, accessible to all. PMMC (SM & MM) RESOURCES & RESEARCH Learn More