006 - Sufi dance from Karachi

For the last episode of the first season of The Experimenters, I am excited to bring you a conversation with two women that are role models for me. I hope you enjoy it! Alleyne Dance was founded in 2014 by sisters Kristina and Sadé Alleyne. Their aesthetic reflects their diverse background of athleticism and dance training. AD blends West African, Caribbean, Hip Hop, Kathak and Circus Skills within a contemporary dance context. Their movement is face paced and dynamic with infusions of lyrical and fluid motion, with a focus on rhythms and textures. Kristina and Sadé’s emotional bond and expression shine through in the physicality and fluidity of their movements as they portray stories in an abstract way. Over the past seven years they have built and developed the company, striving for high quality and excellence as they deliver their two main objectives: performance and education work. Alleyne Dance has received over 20 choreographic commissions. The Company’s productions, A Night’s Game and The Other Side Of Me, have toured nationally and internationally including Canada, Australia, Austria, Germany and part of the Rural Dance Touring Initiative UK. In autumn 2020, Alleyne Dance released a short, interactive dance film, (Re)United. Alleyne Dance is in creation for their new outdoor work, BONDED, commissioned by Without Walls. Their education work has been delivered in a range of settings around the world including training institutions, youth groups, online platforms, professional companies and dancers. The work is designed to support the individual creative mind, passion, determination, strength and most importantly, their intention and belief in themselves. Alleyne Dance has a slogan Passion and Sweat; passion will lead you in a sweaty situation. In their practise they study how physicality can create an emotion or character. Alleyne Dance audiences vary from different ages, with them feeling emotionally touched, charged and inspired.

For the final two episodes of this season of the Experimenters, I am bringing you a conversation with three "grandes" of the dance field.  They have immeasurable impacted the dance world with their work, what they stand for, and for how they have overcome the obstacles in their path.  Whether you are a veteran in the dance field, or an emerging professional, you will surely get a lot out from listening to these talks. Who am I talking with today? A few clues to unveil the mystery: In this episode of The Experimenters, I am talking with an International dance producer, a Londoner born in Pakistan, co-founded one of the most highly acclaimed dance companies in the world.  He is a regular guest speaker in cultural entrepreneurship including the Advanced Cultural Leadership Programme at Hong Kong University and the London Business School. He also supports the work of emerging artists and he is, a Tate trustee.

Paige Jarrett graduated from Kingston University in 2016. After graduating, Paige went on to work on Ignition Dance Festival produced by DanceWest (2016 – 2018) offering  producing support and event  management. In 2017, she became the first  Trainee Producer at The Place on the Arts Council Funded Changemakers Programme  working alongside Hakeem Onibudo.  During her role at the Place, Paige was responsible for producing 3 major events including LIVEVIBE, MIXIN’ MEDIA and TUNE-D IN. Paige is now on her way to establishing herself as one of the new leaders in the arts and can easily fill the role of any creative producer within any high-level arts organisation. She has been working for Impact Dance for the past two years as Creative Producer managing projects, events and performances for the  company.

Emma Evelein is a Dutch choreographer / dancer / teacher, she graduated at the Urban/Contemporary department of the Theaterschool Amsterdam. She danced with companies in Europe and Israel and trained with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company and Batsheva Dance Company. Now she has her own company and choreographes for theatre, film and music video. She won Amsterdans 2018, the AHK graduation price 2018 and the KURT JOOSS choreographic Preis (Germany) 2019. Emma was entitled emerging choreographer 2020 by springboard Montreal Canada. https://emmaevelein.com/

Dedicated to producing and presenting inspiring new dance for Pakistan and the world. About Wahab Shah: Of Pakistani origin Australia Director, choreographer,actor,producer of an International caliber. He acquired bachelors in acting from TAFE Australia; further training in professional dance from Sydney Dance Center in Contemporary. Which led to establishing Eastern Flavaz Dance Company in 2003 from Sydney. His portfolio includes tours and performances with AR Rehman, Sonu Nigam, Balvinder Safri, Usha Uttup, Merchants of Bollywood and many more. Since 2006 he has choreographed for every world performing arts festival held in Pakistan. Wahab Shah International portfolio includes work in Australia, Uk, USA Spian, Norway, France, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and India.

Ruth Brill is a choreographer and Artistic Director. Ruth is a former student of Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and English National Ballet School. She danced with English National Ballet (2007-2012) and Birmingham Royal Ballet (2012-2019), where she developed her choreographic work and created a number of commissions for the main stage. Ruth retired from dancing in 2019 to pursue her freelance choreographic career. Ruth is also the Artistic Director of London Children’s Ballet.  Recent projects include Peter and the Wolf for Birmingham Royal Ballet, My First Cinderella for English National Ballet, Domino for New English Ballet Theatre, re-staging Cathy Marston’s production of Ballet Shoes for London Children’s Ballet, dance enactments for a documentary film about the life of Dame Gillian Lynne and a new work for Company Wayne McGregor for The Grange Festival, commissioned by Wayne McGregor. Episode cover photograph by Alex Fine.

Hofesh Shechter is an Israeli choreographer, dancer and composer based in London. He is best known for being the founder and artistic director of the Hofesh Shechter Company.  Shechter was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Choreography in 2016 for his work on Bartlett Sher's revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Since 2016, he has been named as one of The Stage's 100 most influential people in theatre.

Erik Stern is a choreographer, dancer, musician and interdisciplinary educator. His work Demolition Derby brought together Alzheimer’s organizations and corporations. His collaborative projects Pattern Play and DanceScienceFest are being presented nationally. A Professor of Dance at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, he received his B.A. in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and an M.F.A in Dance from CalArts.

Karl Schaffer is a dancer, choreographer, mathematician, and math professor. He has pioneered dance performances and educational materials connecting dance and mathematics since 1990. Karl co-founded the Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble in Santa Cruz, California in 1987.  Drawing on their combined backgrounds in dance, mathematics, science, writing, music, theater, and athletics, they were drawn to uncommon fields as fodder for their choreography.  They have toured throughout North America, in Europe and Asia, most recently performing in Houston, Madison, Buffalo, Hungary, France, at the Museum of Mathematics in New York, and at the National Science Museum in Seoul, South Korea. The company has received five National Endowment for the Arts awards for their cross-disciplinary performance work and Schaffer and Stern are Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Teaching Artists. 

The Experimenters: Listen here to find out all about it.