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Each year, CoLab marks the perfect opportunity for our Dance, Music, and Musical Theatre students to unite in celebration of creativity and innovation in all its many art forms, culminating in two magnificent showcases. 900 students from our faculties come together with staff and visiting artists from around the world to create works rooted in imagination and innovation. 79 projects took place over two weeks in February, including 35 student-proposed projects, four international co-creative projects, and three visiting companies.

This year’s theme ‘Journey to the Heart’ prompted experimentation, risk-taking, and creativity, emphasising that collaboration in the arts is more important than ever. The fortnight-long festival saw students, colleagues, and guests explore and play outside of their comfort zone to reach new artistic heights.

International highlights included students working with musicians from Slovakia for the project Variations in Roma and Slovak Traditional Music, led by TL alum Zoltan Gayas, creating arrangements through improvisation and exploration. Singapore’s contemporary dance group, The Presence Project, led by TL alumnus and Honorary Fellow Peter Gn (PhD), collaborated with TL students to create the project No Detour at the Intersections. This multidisciplinary movement experience guided dancers and non-dancers through fun, in-the-moment contemporary dance routines and improvisations. TL also worked closely with the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, based in Los Angeles, to bring together four separate projects inspired by the year’s theme – a true testament to the creative strength of our community.

Trinity Laban students also thrived working with UK-based companies, including Clod Ensemble, an internationally renowned performance company delivering an award-winning artistic programme with public engagement at its heart. Artistic Directors Suzy Wilson and Paul Clark joined forces with students on a project exploring the ensemble’s unique approach to interdisciplinary collaboration. During the festival, they journeyed into the heart of 27-years of performance making, delving into archive materials to foster connections and creating opportunities to find a shared language.

Showcases of the students’ work took place at Laban Building and Blackheath Halls – each a resounding success and reminder of the beauty of artistic collaboration.