1978 – First seaon of Dance Umbrella Festival under Val Bourne

Val Bourne danced with Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet, but by 1976 was working within the Arts Council. She was inspired, along with other colleagues, to establish an initiative to support British contemporary artists with technical support in a programme that would evolve into a sort of transatlantic festival of contemporary dance. With their opening performances in 1978, Dance Umbrella festival was the first British venture to present Mark Morris, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and Michael Clark in performance, commissioning over 80 new works and presented at more than 81 different venues.