Dance Management Students Travel to United Kingdom

One of the many wonderful things that students in OCU's School of American Dance and Arts Management get to take part in are the opportunities to travel to other countries and get a first hand look at the entertainment business world wide. The American Spirit Dance Company has traveled to places such as Beijing and Malaysia, and this year, six Dance Management students got the chance to travel to the United Kingdom to get a first hand look at entertainment British style.

The six students along with Dean John Bedford left November 4th on a week-long trip to Birmingham England. First on the agenda, after a long day of travel, the students attended the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Concert. The next day the students got the chance to meet and talk with Desmond Kelley (Associate Director), Derek Purnell (Chief Executive), and other staff of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, a branch of the Royal Ballet housed at Covet Garden in London. Following this meeting the students met with the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce to discuss policies and activities to strengthen and promote the arts in Birmingham. The government in Birmingham has made a commitment to change the industrial city image to that of a modern city encouraging arts, culture, and entertainment.

The students also met with the General Manager of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and took a trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare. While visiting Stratford-Upon-Avon, the students met with directors of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, producer of the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as toured the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Complex.

On the students last day in England, they were able to meet with David Massingham, Artistic Director for The DanceXchange (DX). DX is the National Agency for Dance for Birmingham and the West Midlands and serves many purposes from providing a facility for dance companies to have class and rehearse, providing community dance instruction, presenting performances and so much more. To find out more about DX visit their web site at http://www.dancexchange.org.uk

This was a great opportunity for the students to get an up close look at just how the entertainment industry thrives not only in America, but across the world.