From the 1960s and 1970s, dancers aspire to assimilate the British dance-world with diasporic experiences and astonishing artistic diversity. Movements, legacies, and choreographies inherited from ancestral homelands enmesh with those of the adopted homeland. Dancers and artistic directors are tested for prowess and choreographic inventions while they aim to create durable repertoires which will resonate with first- and second-generation artists. Once marginal, dance makes room for more provocative presentations defying prejudicial expectations, producing performance work in a variety of genres and styles. Visiting companies on transnational tours garner audience and promise innovative dance encounters with Britain’s dancers.
Dance institutions and enterprises - London Contemporary Dance Theatre (LCDT, 1967) founded by Robert Cohan, Robing Howard, and William Louther, The Academy of Indian Dance (Akademi, 1979) led by founding director Tara Rajkumar, MAAS Movers (Minority Arts Advisory Service, 1977) spearheaded by Naseem Khan, begin to build and expand their artistic vision. They persevere to patron traditional arts and make way for cutting edge choreographies to bloom. New companies - Ekomé (1972), Steel ‘n’ Skin (1974), Kokuma (1977) and Company 7 (1978) - programme, gather, and train several performers of colour. Their dance is no longer an art Britain can ignore.