DanceEast, based in Ipswich, works with a range of artists and companies across the UK and international partners and have recently announced their New Associate Artist partnerships with James Cousins, Tom Hobden & Kate Flurrie, Rosemary Lee, Alexander Whitley and Anna Williams.
These artists have committed to a mutually beneficial relationship with DanceEast and will contribute to raising the cultural profile of Ipswich by spending time staying and working in the town. They will have access to the Jerwood DanceHouse facilities.
Brendan Keaney, Artistic Director & Chief Executive of DanceEast said “We are really delighted to reveal the cohort of artists we have selected to become our new associates. All are producing work of an exceptionally high quality that will contribute to and complement DanceEast’s artistic and creative programmes. I am really looking forward to working with them both individually and collectively. Despite the fact that they are all following very different lines of artistic enquiry they are inspired not just by the amazing facilities that we have at the Jerwood Dancehouse but also by the opportunity to develop the cultural offer of Ipswich and the region. We are in for exciting times ahead.”
The scheme will be individually tailored to the needs of each artist and may include a bursary, studio space, use of and opportunities to present work in DanceEast’s studio theatre, opportunities to share research and receive feedback, an international residency, advice and guidance from the DanceEast team. Artists will have a significant artistic presence at the Jerwood DanceHouse, engaging with all departments including the Creative Programme to collaborate, devise and test ideas.
James Cousins
James Cousins trained at London Contemporary Dance School where he received the Robert Cohan Award for most promising dance artist. On graduating Cousins joined the cast of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. He has performed nationally and internationally and in Joe Wright’s 2012 film Anna Karenina. As a choreographer Cousins has been commissioned to create works for the UK’s leading conservatoires, two works for Scottish Ballet and a full length work for the National Ballet of Chile. In August 2012 he was announced as the winner of the inaugural New Adventures Choreographer Award. James Cousins company, set up in 2012 by James and creative producer Francesca Moseley, is the vehicle through which he explores new ideas with his team of collaborators and tours his critically acclaimed productions throughout the UK and internationally. At the heart of the company is a rich learning and participation programme, driven by his passion for nurturing and enabling young talent to grow. Cousins was recognised by Time Out magazine as one of the future faces of dance, creating new productions across the world on a number of high profile companies. He is a work place artist at The Place, London and has been an Associate Artist at DanceEast since 2012.
Tom Hobden & Kate Flurrie
Choreographer, Tom Hobden and film director, Kate Flurrie first collaborated in 2012 by a chance experiment and have continued to build a dynamic partnership which has since produced the highest quality dance, film and education performances. Their style lies between Flurrie’s detailed commercial film experience and Hobden’s love for charismatic community performers. Hobden originally trained to be an actor at DeMonfort University with a BA in Contemporary Performing Arts and pursued his study with an MA in Choreography at London Contemporary Dance School. His passion is in the community and working alongside everyday people to become the most extraordinary performers. In his career his has worked for or alongside: DanceEast, Dance United, Royal Ballet School, Re:bourne, Darren Ellis Dance, Tom Dale Dance, Matthias Sperling and New Art Club. Flurrie gained a BA (Hons) in Media Arts with Video Production and started her career in video production with a top agency in London. Within two years she advanced from production coordinator to Director, and over that period produced promotional videos for major clients including; Police sunglasses, Gordon’s Gin, Williams F1, Royal Bank of Scotland. Her exceptional skill is in her highly creative approach to direction and visuals and her most recent challenge has been to develop a unique filmic language that blends seamlessly with live performance. Tom Hobden and Kate Flurrie said: “We are over the moon to be selected as DanceEast’s Associate Artists. The two year scheme will offer invaluable support at a crucial time in our career and help us to develop a unique intergenerational company. We are so proud to represent DanceEast and are excited to bring innovative and challenging dance to Ipswich and beyond.”
Rosemary Lee
Rosemary Lee has been choreographing, performing and directing for over 30 years. Known for working in a variety of contexts and media, she has created large-scale site-specific works with cross-generational casts, solos for herself and other performers, installations and films.
Over the last five years Lee has created two major large-scale site specific works for Dance Umbrella – Common Dance (2009) included 50 performers of all ages and a young choir with sound score and choral works by Terry Mann, and Square Dances (2011), which took place in four squares in Bloomsbury London and involved over 160 performers accompanied by bells of all sizes. One part of this work – Melt Down originally involving 35 men of all ages has also been remounted in Rio de Janiero and Heilbronn Germany with local people.
Without, commissioned by and created with Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company, is a seven-screen video installation with sound score by Graeme Miller. It captures a panoramic view of the city of Derry/Londonderry as its inhabitants dance and move through the streets. The installation involved 470 participants in front and behind the camera. As artists in residence for The International Festival Milton Keynes, Lee has recently created on an outdoor participatory work to take place in a cathedral of trees – Under the Vaulted Sky with design by Louise Belson and music composed by Terry Mann. Lee also writes, guest teaches and lectures internationally. She is an Associate Artist at ResCen, Middlesex University, an Artsadmin artist, a Work Place artist, a South East Dance Fellow 2013, winner of the Bonnie Bird Award 2013, recipient of a JCRP Award and has recently been awarded an honorary doctorate from Roehampton University. Rosemary Lee said “As an East Anglian living in London I am delighted to be able to work in Ipswich and spend more time within the landscapes that have inspired me throughout my career. As an independent artist I really value dance bases like DanceEast that have such experience in bringing together mature and emerging artists, supporting the art form itself and creating opportunities for the local community to experience dance in all its forms and qualities. I look forward very much to working in this environment.”
Alexander Whitley
Born in Penrith, UK Alexander Whitley trained at the Royal Ballet School and throughout his career has performed with Birmingham Royal Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, Michael Clark Company, Sydney Dance Company, Wayne McGregor|Random Dance and New Movement Collective, of which he is a founder-member. Whitley has choreographed for the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, Balletboyz, Wayne McGregor|Random Dance, The Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School and Northern School of Contemporary Dance amongst others. Independently he has created work for the Royal Opera House’s Summer Collection and Exposure:Dance programmes, created the short films Atelic and Vantage with Duckeye, collaborated with design artists* Revital Cohen* and Tuur Van Balen and most recently, created The Measures Taken, a full length work incorporating motion-tracked interactive visuals in collaboration with digital arts studio Marshmallow Laser Feast. Whitley has been an Affiliate Choreographer of the Royal Ballet Studio Programme, is a New Wave associate artist at Sadler’s Wells and his recently formed company,* Alexander Whitley Dance Company*, is an associate of Rambert’s new South Bank building. He has twice been nominated for the Critics’ Circle National Dance awards and was shortlisted for the 2012 Arts Foundation choreographic fellowship. Alexander Whitley said “I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to work with DanceEast as an Associate Artist and look forward excitedly to building firmer connections and developing my company’s work within the region over the next two years.”
Anna Williams
Anna Williams is an award winning dancer and choreographer based in the UK. She has worked as a performer and maker in dance, theatre, opera and live art for over twenty years. She was the recipient of the Prix Individuel (ADAMI) performance award at the International Festival for Choreography Bagnolet, Paris and her choreography has been nominated for a South Bank Show Award (UK). Her choreography includes Clearing (finalist in The Place Prize for Choreography 2008), I Am Falling at The Gate Theatre London (South Bank Show nominee) The Thought That Counts for* Theatre-rites* at the Barbican London. She has made commissions for Lone Twin and Clod Ensemble and will premiere her new solo work This Woman’s Hour in the summer of 2014. She was an original member of the dancer-led Ricochet Dance Company performing and creating original works by choreographers such as Stephen Petronio, Javier de Frutos, Wayne Macgregor, Rosemary Lee and Nigel Charnock. She was a dancer and soloist with the Russell Maliphant Dance Company for seven years and has danced with Random Dance Company, Aletta Collins, Carol Brown Dances, New Art Club and Nik Haffner. She began working with the ground-breaking La Ribot in 2001 performing Anna Y Las Más Distinguidas which toured the art galleries and theatres of Europe after its premiere 2002. Anna re-joined the company to tour Paradistinguidas in May 2011. Williams has extensive experience as a teacher. She has taught professional class to Protein, Ricochet, Russell Maliphant on the professional training programmes at The Place and Greenwich Dance Agency, graduate courses at LCDS, Laban Centre, Leeds Metropolitan and Leicester De Montfort. She is currently the rehearsal director for Vincent Dance Theatre and is performing in the Red Ladies project with Clod Ensemble. Anna said “I am truly delighted to be appointed one of the associate artists at DanceEast. This appointment will give me the time, expertise and support I need to develop the next phase of my artistic career. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to be nurtured and challenged alongside the fantastic team at DanceEast.”
www.danceeast.co.uk