Choreographers And Composers For Mcnicol Ballet Collective's Compositions & Configurations Creative Residency Announced

McNicol Ballet Collective has announced the successful applicants for its inaugural Compositions & Configurations creative residency, taking place from 15 - 20 July 2024 at DanceEast.

Chosen from over 200 applicants, the cohort features three composers and three choreographers who will be paired together to explore original music and choreographic concepts during a week-long studio residency with McNicol Ballet Collective's professional dancers and live musicians.

Compositions & Configurations also offers pre-residency meetings and workshops, guest speaker sessions, and mentoring and support from a dramaturg throughout the creative process. The residency concludes with an informal sharing of the artist's work to an invited audience and industry professionals.

Nandita Shankardass trained at The Royal Ballet School and is a Clore emerging leader, artist in residence with Rambert and a Ballet Futures facilitator with English National Ballet. She has previously choreographed for Ballet Black, Ballet Zurich's Junior Ballett company and Compañia Nacional de Danza.

Nandita will work with genre-bending composer Kerrin Tatman, who writes music spanning classical, folk and musical theatre. Their recent year-long residency at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music saw the premiere of Requiem for a Fading World, chosen as The Crack Magazine's Album of the Month.

Former dancer with Rambert and Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, Otis Carr has previously created works for Rambert's season of new choreography at The Place, Moveo Dance Company, The Royal Ballet's Draft Works and Trinity Laban's BA1 Students' Performance Project.

Otis will be paired with David Westcott, a composer and arranger for film, TV, ballet, and dance. He previously composed the score for Ballet Cymru's Beauty and The Beast as well as for works by The National Dance Company of Wales and London Symphony Orchestra.

A former Young Associate at Sadler's Wells, Christopher Thomas has choreographed works for the Main Stage and Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler's Wells. He is currently working on his first full length creation that will feature The Royal Ballet's Joseph Sissens in the lead role.

Christopher will collaborate with composer Beatrice Ferreira who draws on traditional and contemporary materials to destabilise our perceptions of extra-musical sound. Her works have been performed at the Barbican Centre and Snape Maltings, and she is currently Artist-in-Residence for the label Nonclassical.

Following the residency, McNicol Ballet Collective plans to commission at least one choreographer and composer to further develop their work and present it as part of the Company's 2024/2025 season.

Founded by Andrew McNicol, “one of the UK's most talented young choreographers” (Bachtrack), McNicol Ballet Collective (MBC) is committed to creating new and collaborative work with an inspiring collective of artists. MBC commissions adventurous contemporary ballets, innovative dance films and meaningful education projects – strengthening our connection to dance and each other.

In 2023 the Collective presented its second programme, Devotions, to critical acclaim at the Royal Opera House's Linbury Theatre and on tour in North East England. Andrew's vision for the Collective is to create an enduring and distinct repertoire that will excite audiences, empower artists, and explore the full potential of contemporary ballet today.

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