The Stage

‘Child labour’ displacing professional dancers

Published Monday 24 May 2004 at 09:20 by Sally Bramley

Professional dancers may become an “endangered species” unless the practice of using students and children in shows such as pantomimes rather than trained performers is reversed, choreographer councillor Teri Scoble has warned.

Managements, in particular panto producers, which replace professional dancers with dance school pupils are exploitative and seriously reduce the amount of work and experience available for young trained performers when they do graduate, she said.

“Professional dancers are becoming an endangered species,” added Scoble. “We are facing an invasion from free child labour - and we thought that had gone out in the 19th century. In the old days, panto babes were a charming addition to the professional dancers. But that subsidiary role has now been turned into a main part for the panto season. An apprentice in a carpenter’s shop wouldn’t usurp the carpenter. It is not acceptable.”

Caryl Griffith, Theatre in Education and young people councillor, said many children got roles in pantomime until they were trained to a professional standard and eligible to be paid Equity rates, at which point they were no longer used.

The conference unanimously agreed to the council taking a serious look at all child involvement within the industry where they may be used to displace adult performers.