OPEN LETTER:  
13.06.2025
FOR:     MR JOHN GRIMSHAW 
ROLE:  CHAIRMAN 

Representation Is Not Optional, It’s Essential 

An urgent call to the global dance and performing arts community and all arts organisations shaping our diverse dance world 
 
Dear John Grimshaw, and the organisers of the Dance World Cup,

We write this open letter with the utmost respect for the artistry, history, and community that dance cultivates, but also with the weight of a truth that can no longer be softened, silenced, or sidelined: Racial representation is not a token gesture. It is a responsibility we all share. 

And in 2025, that responsibility has still not yet been met. 

The recently released panel of judges for the Dance World Cup World 2025 Finals has sparked widespread concern and deep disappointment across the global dance community. We are not disputing the undeniable skill, talent, or credentials of the individuals appointed, but we would like to address what is blatantly missing: diversity. 

With 51 countries competing at the competition, your event attracts thousands of dancers of different ethnic backgrounds, from across the globe.  The selection of the judging panel is at the very least questionable and displays a clear lack of understanding about the importance of representation. 
 
Where is the reflection of the global majority dancers, competing on your stage? 
Where are the leaders who represent the communities who have shaped, defined, and enriched dance across cultures and generations? 

When children and young people step onto a world stage, they deserve to see not only excellence, but also possibility — the living, breathing proof that they, too, can belong at the highest levels of our art form. If they do not see themselves reflected in positions of power, celebration, and judgment, the message is loud, even if unspoken: 
 "This space is not for you." 

We cannot, in good conscience, continue to fill our programs with diverse performers while keeping the decision-making panels homogenous. That is not inclusion. That is optics. 

This letter is not an attack. It is an invitation for the dance world to lead with courage, reflection, and change. We are not calling for charity. We are calling for fairness, equity, and representation that is long overdue. 
Diversity is not a checklist. It is a necessary ingredient in integrity, in credibility, and in the cultural relevance of any international platform. Dance, in all its forms, has never belonged to one group. It is a mosaic of stories, histories, and identities. Your judging panels must reflect that truth. 

We urge the Dance World Cup — and every organisation with the power to shape the narrative of this art form — to review, reflect, and revise its processes. 

Questions to be asked: 
Who is making the decisions? 
Who is not in the room? 
Whose voices are we uplifting? 
Whose voices are missing? 
And above all: Are we building a future where every child, from every background, can truly feel seen and celebrated? 

It is time to go beyond performance and into policy. Beyond hashtags and into hiring. Beyond silence and into meaningful change. 

We, the collective urge you to publicly acknowledge our concerns and invite you to share your policies, processes and procedures with the global dance community. 

We are ready to support, collaborate, and build this future together — but the first step must be acknowledgment, and the second, action. 

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely, Stacey Green and Laura Grant. 
Founders of the TIRED Movement (Trying to Improve Racial Equality in Dance) 
In solidarity with the global dance community.