Dancing in Utopia: Dartington Hall and its Dancers

Bought in 1925 by Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, the Devon estate of Dartington Hall earned itself a place in the annals of utopian schemes through the Elmhirsts’ conviction that arts, education and work could all be integrated into an abundant life for the participation of everyone. From the perspective of the time, when dance was not necessarily given equality with other arts, they believed in dance as an art for the betterment of society.

As early as 1932 a Dance School was built on the si...