Phoenix Dance Theatre
Encyclopedia
Phoenix Dance Theatre is a dance
company based in Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England
, which has grown from small beginnings in inner-city Leeds to be one of Britain’s leading contemporary dance
companies. The company tours nationally and internationally.
area of Leeds by three young men - David Hamilton (Artistic Director), Donald Edwards and Vilmore James who had begun dancing at Harehills Middle School. They were taught there by Nadine Senior, who went on to be the first principal of Northern School of Contemporary Dance. By the summer of 1982 Phoenix had acquired two other dancers, Merville Jones and Edward Lynch, both members of Harehills Youth Dance Theatre in Leeds, and in 1985 the company moved to its first permanent base in Chapeltown
.
In 1987 David Hamilton left the company to pursue a solo career, and in July Neville Campbell joined Phoenix as Artistic Director. This appointment marked a major expansion of the company and its repertoire. In the same year Phoenix moved out of Chapeltown and established a permanent base at Yorkshire Dance in Leeds city centre. Under Campbell’s direction, the company employed female dancers for the first time and increased to a company of ten. In 1990 Phoenix won the Grand Prize at the International Choreographic Competition in Bagnolet for Aletta Collins' piece Gang of Five and was nominated for the Lawrence Olivier Award
for the Most Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Dance.
Under Artistic Director Margaret Morris, who joined the company in 1991 Phoenix became established on the UK touring circuit and performed internationally particularly in the USA. Highlights in the company’s performing history during this time include the 1996 Cultural Olympiad in Atlanta, where Phoenix were the sole representative of British dance and the following year, when the company was commissioned to perform at the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Edinburgh.
Following Margaret Morris' departure in 1997, Artistic Director Thea Nerissa Barnes led the company until 2000. In July 1998 Phoenix was commissioned by the BBC to perform with Roni Size
at the Windrush Gala concert which was broadcast nationally.
He was succeeded as Artistic Director by Javier de Frutos
during whose tenure Phoenix won the ‘Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Modern)’ in the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards, 2006. In 2007 the company was invited to perform at the 5th International Festival of Contemporary Dance - La Biennale di Venezia, closing the festival with the final performance.
She returned to Phoenix in 2000 as Rehearsal and Tour Director following which she embarked upon a fellowship with the Clore Leadership Programme whilst continuing her freelance work mentoring emerging artists, lecturing in vocational dance schools and delivering bespoke training programmes.
In 2008 Sharon was one of 26 aspiring leaders from around the globe selected to attend Dance East’s fourth Rural Retreat, an intensive four day think-tank exploring the challenges of the role of Artistic Directors in the 21st century. Prior to taking up post at Phoenix she also spent eight months as Director of Learning and Access at Northern Ballet Theatre.
In 2010 she was named as one of the Cultural Leadership Programme’s Women to Watch, a list of 50 influential women working in arts and culture in the UK selected by a distinguished panel made up of figures from the cultural and creative industries.
. It is the largest space for dance outside of London and is the only space for dance to house a national classical and a national contemporary dance company alongside each another.
Declarations Programme Autumn 2010
Leeds in Barcelona Spring 2010
Ignite Programme Autumn 2009 / Spring 2010
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
company based in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which has grown from small beginnings in inner-city Leeds to be one of Britain’s leading contemporary dance
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
companies. The company tours nationally and internationally.
Early history
Phoenix Dance Company was formed in 1981 in the inner city HarehillsHarehills
Harehills is an inner-city area of east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately north east of Leeds city centre. Harehills is situated between the A58 and the A64 .- Overview :...
area of Leeds by three young men - David Hamilton (Artistic Director), Donald Edwards and Vilmore James who had begun dancing at Harehills Middle School. They were taught there by Nadine Senior, who went on to be the first principal of Northern School of Contemporary Dance. By the summer of 1982 Phoenix had acquired two other dancers, Merville Jones and Edward Lynch, both members of Harehills Youth Dance Theatre in Leeds, and in 1985 the company moved to its first permanent base in Chapeltown
Chapeltown, West Yorkshire
Chapeltown is a suburb of north-east Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England, and is the centre of the city's British African-Caribbean community. It is approximately one mile north of Leeds city centre...
.
In 1987 David Hamilton left the company to pursue a solo career, and in July Neville Campbell joined Phoenix as Artistic Director. This appointment marked a major expansion of the company and its repertoire. In the same year Phoenix moved out of Chapeltown and established a permanent base at Yorkshire Dance in Leeds city centre. Under Campbell’s direction, the company employed female dancers for the first time and increased to a company of ten. In 1990 Phoenix won the Grand Prize at the International Choreographic Competition in Bagnolet for Aletta Collins' piece Gang of Five and was nominated for the Lawrence Olivier Award
Laurence Olivier Awards
The Laurence Olivier Award is presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre. Named after the renowned British actor Laurence Olivier, they are given for West End shows and other productions staged in London...
for the Most Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Dance.
Under Artistic Director Margaret Morris, who joined the company in 1991 Phoenix became established on the UK touring circuit and performed internationally particularly in the USA. Highlights in the company’s performing history during this time include the 1996 Cultural Olympiad in Atlanta, where Phoenix were the sole representative of British dance and the following year, when the company was commissioned to perform at the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Edinburgh.
Following Margaret Morris' departure in 1997, Artistic Director Thea Nerissa Barnes led the company until 2000. In July 1998 Phoenix was commissioned by the BBC to perform with Roni Size
Roni Size
Roni Size is a British record producer and DJ, who came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and leader of Reprazent, a drum and bass collective...
at the Windrush Gala concert which was broadcast nationally.
Phoenix Dance Theatre
Darshan Singh Bhuller was appointed as Artistic Director in 2002 and oversaw a complete rebranding of the company, changing the name to Phoenix Dance Theatre. During his tenure as Artistic Director from 2002 to 2006 Phoenix also began performing in predominantly large scale venues.He was succeeded as Artistic Director by Javier de Frutos
Javier de Frutos
Javier de Frutos is a Venezuelan dancer and choreographer, best known for his award-winning work in the 2007 West End revival of Cabaret.-References: -External links:...
during whose tenure Phoenix won the ‘Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Modern)’ in the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards, 2006. In 2007 the company was invited to perform at the 5th International Festival of Contemporary Dance - La Biennale di Venezia, closing the festival with the final performance.
Sharon Watson
Sharon Watson became the 7th Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance Theatre in May 2009 continuing a relationship with the company that stretches over 20 years. She first joined Phoenix as a dancer under the stage name Chantal Donaldson from 1989 to 1997, during which time she choreographed the pieces Shaded Limits and Never Still for the company.She returned to Phoenix in 2000 as Rehearsal and Tour Director following which she embarked upon a fellowship with the Clore Leadership Programme whilst continuing her freelance work mentoring emerging artists, lecturing in vocational dance schools and delivering bespoke training programmes.
In 2008 Sharon was one of 26 aspiring leaders from around the globe selected to attend Dance East’s fourth Rural Retreat, an intensive four day think-tank exploring the challenges of the role of Artistic Directors in the 21st century. Prior to taking up post at Phoenix she also spent eight months as Director of Learning and Access at Northern Ballet Theatre.
In 2010 she was named as one of the Cultural Leadership Programme’s Women to Watch, a list of 50 influential women working in arts and culture in the UK selected by a distinguished panel made up of figures from the cultural and creative industries.
New Building
In autumn 2010 Phoenix moved from its home of over 20 years at Yorkshire Dance into a purpose-built dance centre in the centre of Leeds alongside Northern Ballet TheatreNorthern Ballet Theatre
Northern Ballet, formerly Northern Ballet Theatre, is a dance company based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, with a strong repertoire in theatrical dance productions where the emphasis is on story telling as well as classical ballet...
. It is the largest space for dance outside of London and is the only space for dance to house a national classical and a national contemporary dance company alongside each another.
Current Repertoire
Reflected Programme Spring 2011- Switch - Choreographer Richard Wherlock
- What It Is - Choreographer Philip Taylor
- Pave Up Paradise - Choreographer Lost Dog
- Melt - Choreographer Sharon Watson
Declarations Programme Autumn 2010
- The Audacious One - Choreographer Warren Adams
- Locked In Vertical - Choreographer Isira Makuloluwe
- Haunted Passages - Choreographer Philip Taylor
- Maybe Yes Maybe, Maybe No Maybe - Choreographer Aletta Collins
Leeds in Barcelona Spring 2010
- Never 2 Still - Choreographer Sharon Watson
Ignite Programme Autumn 2009 / Spring 2010
- 1976 - Choreographer Alesandra Seutin
- Beast - Choreographer Douglas Thorpe
- Class - Choreographer Darshan Singh Bhuller
- Fast Lane - Choreographer Sharon Watson
Dancers
- Azzurra Ardovini
- Chihiro Kawasaki
- Glenn Graham
- Genevieve Watson
- Phil Sanger
- Ryu Suzuki
- Josh Wille