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Celebrating 500 issues of Dance magazine A journey through time with our Editor, Tamsin Moore. As we reach the remarkable milestone of 500 issues, and 116 years, of the ISTD’s magazine, let’s reflect on this incredible journey. The inception of the Society itself dates to 25 July 1904, when approximately 200 dance teachers congregated at the Hotel Cecil in London. In 1907, the Society took its first step in chronicling the world of dance by publishing the Dance Journal, with Charles D’Albert as the Editor. Our publication has had several titles over its 500 issues, with the name Dance first used in 1972. In this 500th issue of Dance we are thrilled to introduce a revamped ‘focus on faculties’ section.
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In 2007, on the magazine’s centenary, we embarked on a redesign project. During this process, I approached our esteemed librarian, the late Mollie Webb, whose remarkable career included decoding work at Bletchley Park. She established the ISTD’s Library in 1990 and received the Imperial Award in 2008 for her dedicated service to the Society. Mollie meticulously calculated that our Oct-Dec 2007 issue marked our 441st publication so it’s thanks to Mollie that we know that this issue of Dance magazine is our 500th! Mollie’s legacy will soon be extended thanks to a collaboration with Coventry University. We have
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secured a Midlands4Cities Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) for a doctoral student to work with our historic collection to create an accessible archive. As we approach our 120th anniversary in July 2024, we eagerly anticipate making our archives more open to all, both in the present and for the next 120 years. In the inaugural issue of Dance Journal in 1907, Charles D’Albert wrote to readers, saying, “This ‘Journal’ is yours, therefore make use of it.” This sentiment has remained unwavering across the span of 500 issues. Few publications can boast such longevity and a steadfast commitment to their mission. It is truly inspiring to contemplate
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