Home > Support Us > Messages of Support

Here is a selection of the messages we've received since we announced the launch of our Keep Derby Dancing campaign.

If you would like to send us your comments, please sign our petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepderbydancing/

Visit http://bit.ly/savederbyarts to submit your reaction to Derby City Council's proposals (the section that directly relates to culture in the city is 'Neighbourhoods') - until 18 November.

It's where it all started for me. Without the support of Déda, there would be no me in Trinity Warriors or Flawless.
Paul 'Steady' Steadman, Flawless

I have been associated with Déda since it's inception 15 years ago as Derby Dance. I have worked with Déda and within the Derby region bringing South Asian Dance to the local communities instilling curiosity and nurturing a passion for dance. Déda is a bubbling vessel of creativity at the heart of Derby, providing a huge range of opportunities to young people through to the mature members of the community to explore their creative self, boost self esteem, develop and share a taste for the arts and indeed allowing them to craft a hidden talent or use spare time in a positive and fulfilling way, through participatory classes, performances, masterclasses, creative residences etc. If Derby was to lose Déda Derby will lose it's soul. The people of Derby will lose a vessel that will have allowed them to believe and given them confidence that they can be creative and do it well.
Sonia Sabri, Artistand Artistic Director of Sonia Sabri Company

Déda is a brilliant purposefully-designed facility for dance which any city would be envious of. The atmosphere in the building is vibrant, with a sustained programme of classes, artist's projects and public performances, and a wondeful cafe.
Jonathan Burrows, Artist

Arts and culture are vital to the health of any city: they help to create a sense of identity, pride and focus; they offer a channel for the expression of ideas across barriers of language, culture and religion; and they provide an outlet for creative energy. Organisations like Déda have a crucial role to play, providing a visible and accessible centre where different communities can meet and explore common themes through a shared language such as dance. At this moment in time, as the challenges of economic uncertainty threaten to drive communities apart, this must be more important than ever before.
Deborah Bull, Creative Director of the Royal Opera House

With the support of Déda, Maison Foo has grown into a national touring company in just three years. During their two-year residency at Déda, Maison Foo began creating Memoirs of a Biscuit Tin.

Everyone needs a mentor at some point in their lives, someone to take you under their wing, to believe in you and help you grow. Our residency at Déda was just that.
Bethany Sheldon and Kathryn Lowe, Maison Foo

I ask that you use any influence you have to prevent these drastic cuts from being made and that you do all you can to help preserve cultural resources such as Déda, QUAD and the Feste during these difficult times.

It is precisely during difficult economic times that Derby's residents need the inspiring and uplifting activities provided be these organisations and without council funding their future is in serious jeopardy.
Cilente Bosman

I have heard Derby described as a cultural desert and Nottingham’s poor relation. As someone who was born in Derby and returned here after a few years in Birmingham this perception makes me sad and I feel that if we are not careful this will become an actuality.
Anne Dunning

Déda absolutely makes Derby a better place to live and work.
Susan Myers

Having started my career down in London there were plenty of dance opportunities to apply for, as is the artistic nature of the city. Once deciding to take my work up to the East Midlands I thought it would be hard to find as many opportunities. But Déda was right there with open arms and provided me with more opportunities than I had ever had down South.

In addition, being a tutor at Déda has shown me how important dance is to many individuals. They have a stressful day at work, come to a class and leave feeling calmer, satisfied and healthy. Children similarly get so much from a dance class.

I go home at the end of teaching feeling happy because I know that the people in my class have managed to escape for an hour or so from all the negative issues happening around us. Giving people that escapism and creativity is why I value Déda so much.
Alice Vale, Dancer and Déda Class Tutor

I was really disappointed to hear that Déda is under threat... it's played such an important part in my life. I'm not originally from Derbyshire but now live in Turnditch, near Belper. However, when living and working in Leicester, back in 1999 I used to travel to Derby each Thursday to take part in a jazz class and salsa class with my sister who lived in Derbyshire. It really felt like my refuge during a time when I had a very stressful job... walking into Déda was a wonderful escape for me and the classes really helped me to relax.

I met my husband, initially at a 70's night at Déda in 1999 and got to know him better through the salsa classes which he also attended... we've now been married for almost 10 years! Déda has been part of my life for the last 12 years or so and I would hate to lose it.
Kerry Grant