Dance Summer School is an intensive two week course held at the Laban Building.
Dance Summer School 2024 has not yet been confirmed. You can get an idea of the companies and artists that have delivered classes previously at Dance Summer School below.
Company Wayne McGregor
Studio Wayne McGregor is the creative engine for choreographer and director Wayne McGregor. It encompasses his ensemble of world-class dancers, Company Wayne McGregor; a portfolio of international commissions and artistic collaborations across genres including dance, visual arts, VR, film, theatre and opera; a highly specialised programme of creative learning for individuals and communities; artist development initiatives; and collaborative research projects across the interface of the arts with science, technology and academic research.
Studio Wayne McGregor has an unparalleled reputation for transformative approaches to how dance is taught, learned and talked about. Learning and engagement projects are carefully devised to reflect the professional artistic processes that Wayne McGregor uses with his own company in the studio, ensuring that all who participate in our projects experience cutting edge, high quality practice. The focus always lies in empowering individuals to develop their own creative skills, and all of the programmes are underpinned by continued scientific research into movement and creativity, innate human properties which have been a fascination in McGregor’s creative thinking for more than two decades. Over 100,000 people of all ages and walks of life have so far participated in learning and engagement projects across the UK and internationally, from school children to adults with no prior experience of dance, students in training to professional dancers.
Company Wayne McGregor classes will be taught by Eileih Muir or Rebecca Bassett-Graham.
Photo credit: George Harvey.
Boy Blue
Boy Blue was founded in London in 2001, by producer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante and choreographer Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy MBE.
Weaving their frontline stage and screen work around the elevation of hip-hop culture, artistic directors Asante and Sandy have created works that challenge common perception while delivering a new voice from the streets and clubs that have long inspired a generation.
In 2007 Pied Piper propelled Boy Blue to new heights in the world of UK theatre; going on to win a Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre.
By 2009, Boy Blue joined the Barbican as an Associate Artist, where the company is still based, going on to present Touch (2011), The Five & The Prophecy of Prana (2013), A Night With Boy Blue (2013, 2015, 2016, 2018), the Olivier nominated Blak Whyte Gray (2017 & 2018), Outliers (2018) – Asante’s musical debut in the Concert Hall – and REDD (2019). In 2018, Asante and Sandy co-directed their first film, R.E.B.E.L, a Sky Arts / Art 50 commission.
Boy Blue classes will be led by company artists.
Photo credit: Nicole Guarino, Show: Project Rebel Film 2018.
Thick & Tight
Thick & Tight is an award winning dance theatre company based in the UK. The company creates a mix of dance, mime, theatre & drag, taking influence from a wide range of historical, political, literary & artistic subjects.
Thick & Tight is co-directed by Daniel Hay-Gordon and Eleanor Perry, who have been working as Thick & Tight since 2012. Based in ballet and contemporary dance techniques, Thick & Tight’s choreographic style is intricate, distinctive and musical. It incorporates elements of queer performance such as drag, lip-syncing and camp humour, with a close relationship between movement & design. The company’s work is currently and continually investigating a range of LGBTQ+ issues and figures, current queer culture, and its link to dance.
Thick & Tight’s classes will be led by Co-Directors, Daniel Hay-Gordon and Eleanor Perry, or contemporary with Edd Arnold, a soloist with the company.
Photo credit: Rosie Powell
Adrian Look
Adrian Look is a dance artist and lecturer for Tanztheater based in London. He is also the artistic director and choreographer of Tanztheater Adrian Look (TAL), founded in 2014. TAL performed at Sadler’s Wells, Stratford Circus and The Place. Adrian studied Dance Theatre (Tanztheater) at the Fokwang University in Germany, whose alumni include Pina Bausch, Reinhild Hoffmann and Susanne Linke.
After graduation, Adrian was a soloist in the dance theatre company Tanztheater Bielefeld for three years, followed by two years of freelance projects in Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Adrian has taught workshops in contemporary dance, ballet, and improvisation for over ten years and has led classes for various professional companies, including Alvin Ailey II, Tanztheater Bielefeld and the Origen Festival in Switzerland. In April 2014, Adrian moved to London and has since taught regular classes and workshops at The Place, Trinity Laban, Chisenhale Dance, Siobhan Davies and Greenwich Dance. Adrian is a lecturer at Morley College and The Place (evening programme) and a visiting lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire, University of East Anglia, Trinity Laban, and Rambert School.
André Fabien Francis
André attended The Ailey School – training ground for the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre – Summer Intensive in 2013 and graduated with Honours from London Studio Centre in 2014. In 2020, following an internationally extensive career with performing credits including The Lion King, Wicked, Kiss Me Kate, Hairspray, Saturday Night Fever and A Chorus Line, André was headhunted to join the faculty at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance, and in 2022 to join the faculty at Artistry Youth Dance; stepping away from performing and making the exciting move towards continuing with more Lecturing, Theatrical Management and Creative work for organisations including Carrie for Trinity Laban, Mother Goose Pantomime for Hackney Empire and multiple choreographic works for Artistry Youth Dance.
Ben McEwen
Ben is a dancer, and since 2021 has been a member of Scottish Dance Theatre. He works extensively as a performer, including works by Joan Clevillé, Rosemary Lee, Vera Tussing, Emmanuel Gat, Charlotte Spencer, Colette Sadler, Botis Seva, Meytal Blanaru and Sofia Nappi.
Ben graduated from Trinity Laban, the training cycle at P.A.R.T.S., and completed an MA in Creative Practice at Independent Dance/Trinity Laban.
Alongside performing, Ben teaches classes and workshops throughout Europe for professionals and dance companies. He has been a regular guest teacher at Trinity Laban and London Contemporary Dance School, is a visiting teacher at several conservatoires and universities, including NSCD, and has been a teacher on the Trinity Laban Centre for Advanced Training programme.
He also practises the Japanese martial art Aikido at Tetsushinkan (London), and really loves to walk and run, especially if mountains are involved!
Photography credit: Becca Hunt
Daniel Hay Gordon
Daniel trained at the Rambert School (BA Hons) graduating in 2009. As a performer he has worked with the likes of Rambert Dance Company, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, The Young Vic, English National Ballet, National Dance Company Wales, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Aletta Collins, Itzik Galili, Lea Anderson, Nigel Charnock, Jonathan Lunn, Carolyn Choa, Fiona Shaw, Kim Brandstrup, Gary Clarke, Phyllida Lloyd and many others.
Outside of the work he makes as Thick & Tight, choreographically Daniel has worked at The Royal Ballet, Staatsoper Berlin, The Hollywood Bowl, Landestheater Passau, Aldeburgh Music Festival, The Print Rooms, Corali Dance Company, Tanzkompagnie Theater St.Gallen, Blind Summit, Akademi, Anjali Dance Company, the BBC, RWCMD and many others.
Photo credit: Jon Archdeacon
Eleanor Perry
Eleanor trained at the Rambert School (BA) and at Laban (MA). She has worked for choreographers, companies, filmmakers and artists including Gary Clarke, Lea Anderson, Julie Cunningham, Clod Ensemble, Nigel Charnock, Russell Maliphant, Jonathan Lunn, Jasmina Cibic, Lucy Guerin, Lucy Suggate, Martin Nachbar, Blind Summit, John Cameron Mitchell and Jacqui & David Morris. Eleanor was an Associate Artist of Impermanence Dance Theatre for 5 years.
Photo credit: Heloise Faure
Kasper Cornish
Kasper’s performing work ranged from Ballet Dancer to Wrestler for the BAFTA winning Channel 4 series Faking It, to creating the title role in The Snowman (Birmingham Repertory Theatre, West End & BBC film of the stage show). Other credits include The Phantom of The Opera feature film and national tour, playing the Prince of Transylvania in the National Theatre production of My Fair Lady at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and as a freelance principal artist danced ballet pas de deux as far afield as Japan.
Choreographic work includes: The Classical Brits, Comedy Shuffle (BBC3), “Canvas Bag” for Tim Minchin, Shakespeare’s Happy Endings (BBC4), The Terence Higgins Trust, Nickelodeon TV, Betty Blue Eyes, My Fair Lady, “Degas – A Passion for Perfection” (Exhibition on Screen)
Kasper has taught classical ballet and pas de deux since 1997 for performing arts colleges, conservatoires, international summer schools, dance companies and open classes.
Katie Cambridge
Katie trained at London Contemporary Dance School and graduated with a BA (Hons) Degree and a Post Graduate Diploma. Katie joined Tavaziva Dance in 2009 and danced, toured, and taught for the company for over five years.
Upon leaving, Katie worked as a freelance dancer and toured and performed extensively with companies including Moxie Brawl, Artscross and Pagrav Dance. Katie has taught throughout her career, both in education and to professionals. She regularly delivers adult classes within London, and has been creative director and choreographer for numerous youth dance companies. Katie is an associate artist for English National Ballet delivering education, choreographing and working within the community for the company.
Photo credit: Pari Naderi
Tom Davis-Dunn
After graduating from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2017, Tom has had the privilege of working with the likes of Lloyd Newson DV8/Rambert for the revival and world tour of Enter Achilles, Gary Clarke Company – Wasteland, James Cousins Company – We are as Gods, and currently with Akram Khan Company for the world tour of Jungle Book Reimagined. Tom has had a strong influence in the creation of prominent roles within each of these works.
Tom has a keen eye for detail and prides himself on delivering the best quality of work at all times with enthusiasm and rigour. He approaches his practice with curiosity and generosity, immersing himself into the depths of his thinking-body to find new paths, questioning his artistry with consideration and dexterity.
Nii Kwartey Owoo
Nii Kwartey Owoo is the director of Miishejeloi Dance Theatre (Accra/London), Miishe African Music and Dance (Leeds) and Asasaa Ensemble, and a Creative Associate at The Geraldine Connor Foundation (Leeds). He is also a Lecturer in African Dance for BA Diverse Dance Styles at IRIE! Dance Theatre.
Originally from Accra, Ghana, Nii draws on his Ga heritage, including spiritual beliefs, storytelling and symbolism, creating original choreography that blends tradition with current global dance styles. Nii grew up in a traditional royal household and was given the title Custodian of Culture by his elders at the age of 12; he incorporates this knowledge of West African culture and music in his work.
Photo credit: Shaho Abdulkadr Omar
Rebecca Bassett-Graham
Originally from New Zealand, Rebecca Bassett-Graham trained as a contemporary major at the New Zealand School of Dance. After graduating in 2011, she joined New Zealand Dance Company as an inaugural intern before moving to Townsville, Australia to work with DanceNorth. Rebecca freelanced between New Zealand and Australia working with various choreographers including Ross McCormack and Sarah Foster-Sproull. She moved to London in 2013 and continued to work as a freelance dancer across the UK and Europe. Rebecca has been a member of Company Wayne McGregor since 2017. Whilst working with the company Rebecca has been involved in the creation of company works such as Autobiography, +/- Human, Orpheus and Eurydice with English National Opera, Winged Bull in the Elephant Case, Gareth Pugh S/S 18: London Fashion Week, Soma, No One is an Island and ABBA Voyage.
Photo credit: Camilla Greenwell