Dance School of Scotland under threat

one-non-blonde

I'm not sure how many of you will be aware of the Dance School of Scotland based at Knightswood Secondary in Glasgow which for 26 years has been Scotland's ONLY NATIONAL centre of excellence for vocational dance and musical theatre - described by the late Donald Dewar as “a shining jewel in the crown of Scottish education”. The school is open to talented youngsters (S1-S6) from all over the country and as such, accommodation is provided and funded by the Scottish Government for students who live outwith a reasonable commuting distance (the hall of residence also houses students of the national music school at Douglas Academy). :T

However, under a new concordat between the Scottish Government and Local Authorities, ring-fencing has been removed from income streams and Glasgow City Council are proposing the closure of the residence and diverting these funds elsewhere. :mad: The closure of the residence is a severe threat to the Dance School itself as the majority of students are housed there and would be unable to continue their training as a result. These children, despite their natural talent, have sacrificed a lot and worked very hard to get where they are and cheerfully undertake a gruelling timetable of training and academic study (classes typically finish c.6pm during the week along with weekend classes in the run up to exams and shows). They are future cultural ambassadors for our country as well as being a source of home-grown talent for the Scottish Ballet.

There have been articles in both the Glasgow Herald (see also here and here) and Evening Times this week regarding this.

Robert Brown MSP for Glasgow has tabled a motion (S3M-5241) against this proposal. I urge anyone with any connection with the school or an interest in the performing arts to contact their MSP asking them to support the motion. There's a 'contact us' form on your MSP's details page which makes sending a direct message extremely easy.

Momentum is growing in support of the School and there is now an online petition and Facebook Group.

PS. This is moneysaving as I, and many other parents, would not be able to afford the cost of alternative accommodation or public transport (if this were even a feasible option).