The Greenwich Dance & Trinity Laban Partnership have announced this year’s Compass Commissions artists who will produce three innovative new works.
Three dance artists will each receive a range of resources to create innovative new dance work, having submitted inspiring proposals to the Compass Commissions panel.
Julie Cunningham will explore the Sarah Kane play Crave as inspiration for a new theatre-based work, looking at themes of mental health, featuring theatre as well as dance artists.
Charlotte Spencer will create a site-responsive, head-phoned live performance titled Is This a Wasteland? continuing her work bringing choreography to urban spaces. This new work will invite audiences to participate in conversations about sustainable methods of living.
Laura Dannequin will join forces with Stephanie McMann for the first time to dig into a choreographic territory that embraces abandon, precision and ‘untamednesss’ in equal measure. The duo will work closely with drummer Rachel Horwood for the creation of this site-responsive work.
Compass Commissions – now in its fourth year – is The Greenwich Dance & Trinity Laban Partnership’s flagship commissioning programme, supporting selected UK-based artists throughout the process of creation.
These exceptional artists each receive a bespoke package of support, including a minimum of £3000 commission fee, rehearsal facilities at Greenwich Dance and Trinity Laban and the Partnership’s Performance Lab at Laurie Grove, technical and production support and sharing and performance opportunities.
Speaking about Compass Commissions:
Julie Cunningham said
I am thrilled to be working with the Greenwich Dance & Trinity Laban Partnership on this new work, which will give me the opportunity to experiment with text and choreography.
Charlotte Spencer said
I am absolutely delighted to have been offered a Compass Commission to support the creation of this new work. Raising money for ambitious and experimental projects is always a challenge, particularly in the current financial climate, and so I am honoured that the Greenwich Dance & Trinity Laban Partnership have decided to step out onto this journey with me.
Laura Dannequin said
I’m feeling incredibly grateful to be in receipt of a Compass Commission, which will support us in unearthing what the impulse to embark on this collaborative venture is all about.
The announcement was made at the world premiere of 2015-16 Compass Commission artist Botis Seva’s commission Woman of Sun. Speaking at the launch, Brian Brady – Head of Laban Theatre Programme at Trinity Laban and Compass Commissions panel member – commented:
Once again, for our 4th round of Compass Commissions I am delighted by the range of challenging and inventive proposals. In Julie Cunningham, Laura Dannequin and Charlotte Spencer, we see a range of aesthetics and approaches from 3 of the most distinctive women working in contemporary dance today.
Paul Burns – Associate Director of Greenwich Dance and Compass Commissions panel member – continued:
I am really pleased with the response we had to this year’s Compass Commissions. The projects selected will see new dance works created for both theatre and site-specific contexts by three exceptional female choreographers. It is this range of contexts and styles, plus the bespoke nature of the support package available to each artist which is particular to the Compass Commissions programme, and I look forward to seeing how the works develop over the coming months.
Artists that have been (or are being) supported through Compass Commissions include Nick Bryson and Robin Dingemans, Tara D’Arquian, Dan Daw, Sarah Dowling and Kath Duggan, Mimbre, Wendy Houstoun, Tom Roden and Anna Williams, Botis Seva, Stephanie Schober, and Rahel Vonmoos.
