Big Dance

What Big Dance does

Big Dance was a UK-based biennial participatory dance festival programme operated from 2006 to 2016 under the leadership of the Mayor of London in partnership with the Foundation for Community Dance (trading as People Dancing) and a UK-wide network of Big Dance Hubs. Its three core offerings were Big Dance Week (the main biennial festival of free dance events held at venues including lidos, shopping centres, parks, palaces, schools, high streets, and squares), Big Dance Pledge (an annual free global choreography-learning and simultaneous-performance programme, reaching over 500,000 dancers from 60+ countries since its 2012 launch), and Big Dance Shorts (a Channel 4 partnership commissioning dance films for the Random Acts strand). The programme served general public participants, schools, and professional dance artists and companies who contributed annual choreography from artists such as Wayne McGregor, Akram Khan, English National Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Hofesh Shechter, Kate Prince, Shobana Jeyasingh, and Arlene Phillips.

The underlying platform was a modestly built WordPress-style website (bigdance.org.uk) distributing choreography teaching resources as embedded YouTube and Vimeo videos, music tracks, and choreographic guides, supported by Google Analytics for traffic measurement. There is no evidence of proprietary software, APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML capability in the technology stack. Distribution combined self-serve online registration with a regional hub-partner network across the UK and selective international extensions.

The business model was entirely grant-funded: Big Dance generated no commercial revenue, offering all programming and resources free of charge to participants. Funding came from the Greater London Authority, Mayor of London's office, and Arts Council England, with cultural-diplomacy co-funding from the British Council and broadcast partnerships with Channel 4. The UK programme concluded in 2016; resources are stewarded in perpetuity by People Dancing, while Big Dance Australia operates separately through Ausdance NSW and Ausdance Victoria from 2018 onward. The Foundation for Community Dance is structured as a company limited by guarantee and registered charity (no. 2415458 / charity no. 328392), with no venture capital, private equity, or commercial ownership.

Name

Big Dance

Legal name

Foundation for Community Dance

Website

https://bigdance.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Big Dance was a UK biennial participatory dance festival programme (2006–2016), led by the Mayor of London with People Dancing. It delivered free dance events, the Big Dance Pledge global choreography programme, and Channel 4-partnered dance films to the general public, schools, and dance artists, reaching 500,000+ participants across 60+ countries before the UK edition concluded.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Dance Programs / Cultural Festival Services

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Community dance programs
• Participatory dance festivals
• Choreographic resources
• Dance film commissions
• Public dance engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Government and Cultural Funding: Big Dance was funded through public sector partnerships including the Greater London Authority and Arts Council England, with support from the Mayor of London. The programme operated as a free public-facing initiative rather than a commercial enterprise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Big Dance was a free biennial participatory dance festival that combined mass-participation events (Big Dance Week), a global learning-and-performance choreography programme (Big Dance Pledge), and a commissioned short dance-film series (Big Dance Shorts) developed in partnership with Channel 4. Activities were orchestrated by the Mayor of London, People Dancing (Foundation for Community Dance), and a UK-wide network of Big Dance Hubs, and were offered free to the public.

Product overview

Big Dance was a UK-based biennial festival of participatory dance events led by the Mayor of London in partnership with People Dancing and a network of Big Dance Hubs. The program consisted of three main offerings: Big Dance Week (the main festival of dance events from 2006-2016), Big Dance Pledge (a free global choreography learning and performance program), and Big Dance Shorts (dance films commissioned in partnership with Channel 4). Big Dance as a summer festival concluded in 2016 after ten years, with resources now held by People Dancing for ongoing free use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Dance Shorts: Partnership with Channel 4 to stimulate new collaborations between dance and film professionals, creating dance films for Channel 4's Random Acts strand.
• Big Dance Pledge

Products and services

• Big Dance Week The main biennial festival of participatory dance events held across the UK at diverse venues, designed to make dance accessible to everyone regardless of ability. Targeted general public, community groups, and schools. The festival ran from 2006 to 2016, with Big Dance 2012 being the largest edition incorporating 3,500+ events.
• Big Dance Pledge A free global dance programme where participants learn original choreography created annually by different guest choreographers (Wayne McGregor in 2012, English National Ballet in 2013, Scottish Ballet in 2014, Akram Khan in 2016) and perform together on a worldwide performance day. Over 500,000 dancers from 60+ countries have participated. Designed for individuals and community groups of all ages and abilities.
• Big Dance Shorts A partnership programme between Channel 4 and Big Dance that commissions short dance films by stimulating collaborations between dance and film professionals. Multiple series produced: 2012, 2014 (UK–Brazil theme, presented in association with BAFTA), 2016 (Dance Decades theme celebrating a decade of Big Dance), and a 2017 India series (four 3–4 minute films for Channel 4's Random Acts as part of UK/India 2017).
• Big Dance Choreographic Resources Free online choreography films and teaching resources created by renowned choreographers, available in perpetuity through People Dancing for community groups, schools, and individuals worldwide. Features works by Akram Khan, Hofesh Shechter, Kate Prince, Shobana Jeyasingh, Wayne McGregor, and Arlene Phillips.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ dancers participated from 60+ countries in the Big Dance Pledge
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mayor of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary leadership partner for Big Dance UK. The Mayor of London led the biennial festival in partnership with People Dancing and the Big Dance Hubs network. The Mayor's office provided strategic direction and public platform for the programme.
• People Dancing (Foundation for Community Dance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore programme partner managing Big Dance alongside the Mayor of London. People Dancing continues to maintain the Big Dance Pledge resources in perpetuity after the programme concluded. Organisation is a company limited by guarantee (no. 2415458) and registered charity (no. 1036733, updated to 328392).
• Channel 4coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner for the Big Dance Shorts programme. Commissioned 15 dance films (2012, 2014 & 2016 series) for Channel 4's Random Acts strand. The partnership stimulated creative collaborations between dance and film professionals.
• British CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Big Dance Shorts India as part of UK/India 2017 season led by the British Council and Indian High Commission. The British Council led the cultural exchange programme between the UK and India.
• BAFTAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociated with Big Dance Shorts 2014 series. Films were presented in association with BAFTA, adding prestige to the dance-film commissions focused on UK-Brazil creative relationships.
• Big Dance HubscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of leading dance organisations across the UK that served as regional delivery partners for Big Dance events and activities. The hub network enabled broad geographic coverage and local expertise.
• Ausdance NSW and Ausdance VictoriaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian dance organisations that led Big Dance Australia in 2018, hosting events on International Dance Day (29 April 2018). Part of the Ausdance National Network providing advocacy, programs, services and resources for dance.
• Shape ArtsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAccess partner that reviewed the Big Dance website and advised on accessibility improvements to ensure the site meets W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
• Mayor of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Big Dance Shorts India programme alongside Big Dance, Channel 4, British Council, and People Dancing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DanceEast: One of England's national dance development agencies running participatory community programmes, classes, and touring productions; comparable in its regional dance participation and community engagement focus.
• Dance City: Newcastle-based dance development organization delivering participation, learning, and performance programmes; shares Big Dance's model of combining professional commissioning with mass community participation.
• People Dancing (Foundation for Community Dance): The UK charity that managed Big Dance alongside the Mayor of London and now stewards all Big Dance choreographic resources in perpetuity; operates community dance participation programmes with overlapping mission and target audiences.
• Yorkshire Dance: Leeds-based dance development agency running community participation programmes, artist residencies, and education work; shares Big Dance's hybrid participation/professional-development model.
• South East Dance: UK regional dance development agency producing participation and artist-development programmes across the South East; comparable as a publicly-funded dance participation and outreach peer.
• Ausdance: Australia's national dance advocacy and development body; Ausdance NSW and Ausdance Victoria now operate Big Dance Australia, making it the most direct operational peer to the original Big Dance UK programme in terms of mission, audience, and community-led festival model.
• Dance Umbrella: London-based international dance festival producer presenting contemporary dance work across multiple venues each autumn; directly comparable as a UK dance festival/participation programming peer.

Broad incumbents

• International Theatre Institute (ITI) - International Dance Day: Coordinator of International Dance Day (29 April), the global observance that Big Dance Pledge anchored its worldwide performance to; relevant peer as the global organizer of the umbrella cultural moment Big Dance activated.
• Sadler's Wells: London's leading dance house programming contemporary dance productions and running participation programmes; comparable as a UK dance programming/participation entity though it also operates its own venues.
• One Dance UK: The umbrella body for dance in the UK, formed by the merger of the Dance UK, National Dance Teachers Association, and Association of Dance of the African Diaspora; broader in scope than Big Dance but operates in the same community dance advocacy and policy space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/peopledancinguk
• Facebookfacebook.com/communitydance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-dance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Dance