Dance Books to close

[alison]

"I am writing to you, with great regret, to inform you of the imminent closure of Dance Books.

Trading conditions during the pandemic have been very difficult and in addition to this we have recently been hit by two bombshells: earlier this year our book trade distributors, Vine House, went into liquidation, meaning that we have lost the ability to sell our publications to bookshops, and a month ago the company that hosts our web site announced that they too are closing, which means we shall shortly have no web site and thus no opportunity to sell our books to private customers. In these conditions our only option is to close down while we are still solvent. I have of course tried to find a company willing to take us over, but to no avail.

I'd like to thank all the many people who have supported us over the more than fifty years I've been running the company: our friends and customers and my fellow staff members, particularly my partner Richard Holland, our brilliant editor/designers Liz Morrell and Sanjoy Roy, and my co-editors of 'Dance Now', Ann Nugent, Sanjoy Roy, and Allen Robertson.

Our web site will remain active until mid-July, so if you'd like to order any of our wonderful books please do so soon: after that date they will no longer be available.

Very best wishes,

 

David Leonard

Managing Director, Dance Books Ltd.

As usual, you'll find full details and ordering facilities on our web site: www.dancebooks.co.uk "

[alison]

😢

[bridiem]

That's so sad. I still miss Dance Books every time I go to Cecil Court. Thanks to David Leonard and his colleagues for running this special company for so many years.

[MaddieRose]

I applaud and thank them wholeheartedly for providing such a useful range of books for so long, especially in regards to reprinting out of print works. There's probably a whole shelf on my bookcase of books I got from there. 

[Bruce Wall]

This surely marks the end of a truly extraordinary era for which those privileged to have experienced it are both hugely enriched and rightly grateful.

[Jan McNulty]

This is such sad news.  
 

When the shop was in Cecil Court my feet just took me there to browse and buy.

 

Many thanks and very best wishes to David Leonard and all his colleagues.

[Angela]

I still have one of these beautiful plastic bags from the store with the etching from La Sylphide, and everytime I need a tote to bring something for somebody, I think: Oh no, not this one, such dear memories. So I guess it will be a museum piece some day.

What a pity! Thank you, David Leonard. I also really miss Dance Now and cherish my collection.

[Swan]

I remember excitedly rushing to Cecil Court in my lunch breaks to buy the latest copy of Dancing Times.

[Jeannette]

This really saddens me.

I remember trips to London with my grandma & mom in the ‘80s & ‘90s…Cecil Court and Dance Books at the top of my must-do list…lugging heavy suitcases back to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

After the physical shop closed, at least we had the opportunity to order by post. Now that’s ending. Farewell and Thank You, Dance Books. 🥲

[Two Pigeons]

All those happy memories!

[Odyssey]

Such sad news. So many happy memories of visits to the shop in Cecil Court and finding such gorgeous books. Thank you David Leonard.

[LinMM]

I used to love the shop when it was there and couldn’t walk past it without going in. A sort of hallowed place back then. 
Thankyou to Dance Books for giving such long and loving service. 
Very sad news. 

[FionaM]

😔 thanks for the super memories 

[Suffolkgal]

Echoed! I still have a box full of rehearsal pictures from the 80s and 90s most of the signed - what a sad day 

[Vanartus]

End of an era….

[Dance*is*life]

On 17/06/2022 at 07:30, bridiem said:

That's so sad. I still miss Dance Books every time I go to Cecil Court. Thanks to David Leonard and his colleagues for running this special company for so many years.

Oh yes I so agree!  A trip to town without a browse in Dance Books was never the same after the shop closed. ☹

[LinMM]

There was also Watkins Books next to The Ballet Book Shop ( as then called) which was also a fascinating shop to browse around alas also gone!! 

[Sharon]

On 17/06/2022 at 05:30, bridiem said:

That's so sad. I still miss Dance Books every time I go to Cecil Court. Thanks to David Leonard and his colleagues for running this special company for so many years.

It wasn't a successful/happy trip to London unless I visited this shop. On one occasion i as so skint I could only afford to buy a couple of old copies of The House from the 60's, which I still have. I remember marvelling at the photos of all the glamorous ballerinas....Happy days.

[LinMM]

I suppose my most treasured possession for a very long time from the shop was a photograph of the very young Wayne Eagling which he later signed!