Hofesh Shechter Company Reveals 2024 Cohort For The Shechter II Company Performing FROM ENGLAND WITH LOVE

Hofesh Shechter Company has announced the eight dancers selected to join the prestigious company Shechter II. The selected dancers represent the very best of the next generation of contemporary dance artists and will be performing in Hofesh Shechter's compelling new work, From England with Love.  The show will embark on an extensive UK and international tour throughout 2024, with full dates and venues to be announced shortly.

Over 1,200 dancers aged between 18 and 25 auditioned for Shechter II from 34 countries, with the final eight drawn from the most inspiring young talent across the world. They are Holly Brennan (UK), Yun-chi Mai (Taiwan), Eloy Cojal Mestre (Spain), Matthea Lára Pedersen (Iceland), Piers Sanders (UK), Rowan Van Sen (Netherlands) Gaetano Signorelli (Italy) and Toon Theunissen (Belgium).

From England with Love is a paean to the multi-layered complexity that is England. Through Shechter's choreography, the dancers will evoke the paradox at the heart of this open, generous, and soul-searching land, conflicted by its dark history and powerful attachment to deep-rooted traditions. They draw us into their search for identity and self-knowledge as they grapple with this complex system of values.

Playful and poignant, full of pride and paradox, From England with Love is performed like a ‘Dear John' letter, a farewell note to old England and a glimpse into the heart and soul of this beautiful, yet complicated place.

Performed to an original score composed by Shechter, this new piece will bring together the beauty, wit and invention of the best of English classical composers, presented in a clash with raging rock alongside echoes of choral song and electronics in an avant-garde cacophony.

Launched in 2018, Shechter II builds on Hofesh Shechter Company's firm commitment to nurturing young artists and helping to shape the future of contemporary dance. Few up-and-coming dancers have the chance to create and perform work and deliver our outreach in different spaces to different audiences, supported by an experienced creative and technical team. Shechter II provides a full programme of professionally aligned research and development which aims to develop young dance artists who deeply understand their practice, who are engaged, curious and who embrace self-reflection.

FROM ENGLAND WITH LOVE

Choreography and Music by Hofesh Shechter

Lighting Design: Tom Visser

Costume Concept: Hofesh Shechter

Additional Music: English compositions by Edward Elgar, Tomas Talis, Henry Purcell & William H. Monk

From England with Love is produced by Hofesh Shechter Company and co-commissioned by Château Rouge, scène conventionnée – Annemasse, Espace 1789, scène conventionnée danse - Saint-Ouen, Scène nationale de Bourg-en-Bresse, Düsseldorf Festival!, Escales Danse, with production support from Théâtre de la Ville Paris, Fondazione I Teatri Reggio Emilia and a production residency at DanceEast, Ipswich.

From England with Love premiered on 11 February 2021 at Zuiderstrandtheater in The Hague, The Netherlands, and was originally performed by Nederlands Dans Theater 1.

Hofesh Shechter Company gratefully receives support towards the delivery of Shechter II 2024. This includes core funding from John Ellerman Foundation and The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation and project funding from Jerwood Arts towards Jerwood ? SII – a new Continued Professional Development offer to the dancers.

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