News

A roundup of alumni news, projects and performances in June.

Krystal Dawn Campbell featured alongside current student Lewis Sharp in new documentary Moving Forward Looking Back #2020 , uncovering the challenges young dancers have been faced with during the pandemic. Laura Rouzet was also among alumni who released new digital work in June, as she launched online exhibition Summer 21 is burning, commissioned by the virtual project space Skelf to make a new artwork as part of their ‘Movement series’ season.

Lucy McCrudden’s Dance Mama launched online dance sessions designed to support parents who work professionally in the dance sector, while Mayowa Ogunnaike wrote and performed Efforts in Action, a video tutorial bringing Rudolf Laban’s theory of basic movement qualities to life.

In June, Manu Delago released the official music video for his ‘ReCycling’ tour, documenting the triumphs and challenges of cycling a total of 1524km to play 18 concerts.

Georgi Mottram’s new single ‘Dream Believe’ topped the iTunes classical music chart, while Emma-Jean Thackray performed her new release ‘Say Something’ on Later… with Jools Holland.

Ayanna Witter-Johnson featured in new video ‘Feel So Alone’, created by the Randal Charitable Foundation and composer Rekesh Chauhan, aiming to raise awareness about loneliness, isolation and mental health issues.

Fellow alum and TL tutor Andrew Matthews-Owen curated and performed in a landmark recording of songs by Welsh composers of the past century and a half, Taliesin’s Songbook.

Alumni performed both in-person and virtually throughout June.

Curated by Evie Oldham in collaboration with Deptford Does Art, immersive experience ‘The Evening’ celebrated the art of screendance, visual art and music, while Leila McMillan’s duet curl of hair dove into the emotions of gaslighting and trauma in a performance at Birmingham International Dance Festival.

Flautist Jade Bultitude performed pieces by Bach, Gluck, Mozart, Chopin and more as part of Dubai Opera’s Music in the Studio series, while Alicia Mallace-Goulbourne’s opera startup Opera Asteria performed a semi-staged adaptation of The Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin Britten.

John Savournin’s family friendly Whistle Stop Opera: The Magic Flute, continued its UK tour, as fellow alum and composer Dai Fujikura and librettist Harry Ross received over £9,000 in National Lottery funding for their new opera, The Great Wave.

PYJÆN performed live at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, and, later in the month, Deschanel Gordon did a livestream from 606 Club, well-reviewed by London Jazz News.

Other alumni who were featured in the media this month were Nubya Garcia, who was featured in BBC Music Magazine, while Reuben James spoke to London Jazz News about his new music and favourite collaborations.

Coming up:

Book tickets for an evening of new music with Héloı̈se Werner (soprano), Kit Downes (organ) and Colin Alexander (cello) at St John’s Smith Square, 7 July.

Hampstead Theatre will revive Tennessee Williams’ The Two Character Play from 17 July to 28 August, with a creative team including movement director and TL alum Malik Nashad Sharpe.

Choreographer Elisabeth Schilling will bring contemporary dance directly to the heart of the city of Echternach with the TRIOLOGUE project as part of her residence, DANCING THE CITY, from July 12 to 18.