Dance Umbrella
Encyclopedia
Dance Umbrella is an annual festival
of new or contemporary dance
held in London
each October. Founded in 1978 as a showcase for emerging choreographers, Dance Umbrella now ranks highly among Europe's leading international dance festivals. In January 2007, Betsy Gregory took over as Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director following the retirement of the company’s founder, Val Bourne.
· produces an annual London
festival
· commissions
and co-produces new work for the stage
· presents British
and international artists
· commissions and produces large-scale site-specific
works in locations such as the Natural History Museum
, the British Library
and Tate Modern
· produces outreach and educational activities in association with the festival and regional tours
· organises workshops and professional development
opportunities for artists working in the contemporary dance
field
· advises, supports and nurtures a wide range of dance companies and independent artists
: Robin Howard Dance Theatre and Greenwich
Dance Agency. Recently the festival has also included visits to Laban
, Battersea Arts Centre
, the Criterion Theatre
, TATE Modern
, Brick Lane
Music Hall and Siobhan Davies
Studios.
Since 2007, Dance Umbrella has been staging performances outside of the theatre in spaces such as The Bathstore, Smithfield Market, Clifford Chance
and various parks around London.
Dance Umbrella regularly presents international artists on tour in the UK, many of whom have made their UK debuts ‘under the Umbrella’. Recent touring companies have included Merce Cunningham Dance Company (US), Mark Morris Dance Group (US), Rosas (Belgium), Trisha Brown
Dance Company (US), Michael Clark
Company (UK), Stephen Petronio
Company (US), Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company (Israel) and Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu (France).
First London Dance Umbrella festival at Riverside Studios
and the ICA
1980
Second Dance Umbrella festival, thereafter established as an annual event
First commissioned work (for Extemporary Dance Theatre)
and first business sponsorship (Marks & Spencer
)
1981
First Danceabout North West festival in Manchester
and the North-West
1982
First presentation of Michael Clark
& Dancers at Riverside Studios
First presentation of Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker
in Fase at ICA
1983
First presentation of Trisha Brown
Company at Riverside Studios
1984
First Dance Umbrella festival performances at Sadler’s Wells: Lar Lubovitch
Dance Company and Bill T. Jones & Arnie Zane Company
First presentation of Mark Morris
and Dancers at The Place
1985
Dance Umbrella’s artistic director, Val Bourne, awarded a ‘Bessie
’ (New York Dance and Performance Award)
1986
First presentation of Stephen Petronio
& Dancers at The Place
Theatre
1987
Dance Umbrella’s co-presentation of Trisha Brown
Company at Sadler’s Wells, wins Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Dance
1988
Dance Umbrella’s 10th anniversary festival sponsored by Becks Bier
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, wins Excellence in International Dance Award from British Centre of International Theatre Institute
Launch of London Dance and Performance Awards to mark Dance Umbrella’s 10th and Time Out’s 20th anniversary
Launch of Siobhan Davies
Dance Company at Riverside Studios
1989
First Leicester
International Dance Festival
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne wins Digital Premiere Award &
Dance Umbrella wins Digital Dance Award
First Dance Umbrella co-presentation of Merce Cunningham
Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells
First presentation of Saburo Teshigawara’s Karas Company at The Place
First Dance Umbrella festival performances at Queen Elizabeth Hall
: Groupe Emile Dubois in Mammame
1990
Dance Umbrella wins Time Out London Dance Award & Prudential Award for Dance
Launch of Newcastle
Dance ’90: festival sponsored by Newcastle Breweries
Dance Umbrella/Time Out Gala at Sadler’s Wells featuring London Dance and Performance Award-winners
1991
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, awarded OBE in Birthday Honours List
Dance Umbrella wins Digital Dance Award for commission
of new work (Michael Clark
and Stephen Petronio
)
1992
Dance Umbrella wins Prudential Award for Dance and for the Arts
First presentations at Cabot Hall
, Canary Wharf
: Trisha Brown
Company & Douglas Wright
& Company
1993
Merce Cunningham
Dance Company: Events at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Operation Riverside: Residency with Siobhan Davies
Dance Company
Necessary Weather: Choreography & Lighting Course led by Dana Reitz & Jennifer Tipton
Doug Elkins Dance Company tour
1994
Two important education ventures: Dance and Technology, and Dance Writing and Criticism develops into Digital Dancing series
First Jerwood
Choreography Awards
National tours of Stephen Petronio
Company & Urban Bush Women
1995
First Woking
Dance Umbrella Festival
Merce Cunningham
Dance Company: Events at Riverside Studios
& repertoire at Sadler’s Wells
Mark Morris
Dance Group tour sponsored by American Airlines
Streb/Ringside tour
1996
Site-specific piece at Natural History Museum
: Genesis Canyon
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, is awarded the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Dance Umbrella wins Time Out Award for Best Production for Genesis Canyon
Dance Umbrella’s co-commission of Siobhan Davies
’ Art of Touch wins Olivier award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Trisha Brown
Company tour
Percussive Feet Festival at Cochrane Theatre
1997
Stephen Petronio
tour
1998
20th anniversary festival
Site-specific work at British Library
: Babel Index
First co-presentation of Ballett Frankfurt at Sadler’s Wells
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, wins Time Out Live Award for Outstanding Achievement
Dance Umbrella’s collaboration with English National Opera
in presenting Mark Morris
’s L’Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato wins Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production
Re-launch of Michael Clark
Company at Roundhouse
plus regional tour
1999
Dance Umbrella’s co-presentation with Sadler’s Wells of Ballett Frankfurt’s Enemy in the Figure at Sadler’s Wells wins Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production, and the company wins an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for their season at Sadler’s Wells
Second Mark Morris
Dance Group tour
2000
Merce Cunningham
Dance Company at the Barbican
Co-production of DV8 Physical Theatre
’s Can we afford this: the cost of living at Queen Elizabeth Hall
First Virtual Incarnations: Dance and New Technology
Trisha Brown
Company tour
2001
23 years after the first festival, audience numbers continue to increase, reaching 35,000.
Stand Up for Dance: First of five annual Dance Umbrella '£5 Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells: Mark Morris
Dance Group and Michael Clark
Company
Over 25,000 see the Mark Morris
Dance Group tour (sponsored by American Airlines
and supported by Arts Council England
’s National Touring Programming) making it the best-attended tour in the company’s history.
2002
Dance Umbrella’s presentation of Mark Morris
Dance Group’s production V wins Time Out Live Award for Outstanding Production
Dance Umbrella’s presentation of Mark Morris
Dance Group wins Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Stand Up for Dance: Second Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Foundation
: Baryshnikov
’s White Oak Dance Project; Richard Alston
Dance Company
; Rosas
2003
25th festival closes with the Merce Cunningham
Dance Company in Anniversary Events at Tate Modern
Stand Up for Dance: Third Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation: Michael Clark
; Trisha Brown
Dance Company; Teshigawara/Karas
Inbal Pinto Dance Company tour
Vincent Mantsoe tour
2004
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, awarded CBE
in Birthday Honours List
Stand Up for Dance: Fourth Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation: Shen Wei
Dance Arts and Foundation Jean-Pierre Perreault
Mark Morris
Dance Group’s London Premiere of The Hard Nut at Sadler’s Wells
Merce Cunningham
Dance Company’s UK Premiere of Split Sides at the Barbican Centre
and national tour
2005
Largest festival to date with 25 companies over seven weeks including 11 French companies which constituted a mini-festival, France Moves
Attendance exceeded 40,000
The longest Dance Umbrella tour to date with the Mark Morris
Dance Group, six weeks to 10 venues
Fifth Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation: The Forsythe Company
; Siobhan Davies
Dance Company; Sylvie Guillem
& Russell Maliphant
Dance Umbrella launches Brief Encounters, a new forum for talented emerging choreographers and short works by established artists
2006
Dance Umbrella presents the London premiere of Merce Cunningham
’s seminal work Ocean at the Roundhouse
Dance Umbrella presents Focus on Rosas an in-depth look at the work of the Belgian company, Rosas, and its choreographer, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker
at 4 venues on all scales
Three small-scale tours by international artists organised with the support of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: Herman Diephuis; Vincent Mantsoe; Ros Warby
The 28th festival incorporated the most extensive education and outreach work to date, concentrated around performances by the Merce Cunningham
Dance Company, Stephen Petronio
Company and Déjà Donné.
Dance Umbrella’s partnership with sponsors CMR
shortlisted by A&B for the 2006 A&B Arts and Kids Awards.
Val Bourne retires as Artistic Director after 28 years.
2007
Betsy Gregory appointed Artistic Director
First Dance Umbrella outdoors includes Compagnie Beau Geste's Transports Exceptionnels in Jubilee Gardens and Paul-Andre Fortier's Solo 30x30 outside Liverpool Street Station
First Feeling for Practice, a discussion on choreographic process with Siobhan Davies
and Shobana Jeyasingh.
Dance Umbrella joins ENPARTS (European Network of Performing Arts)
2008
Dance Umbrella's 30th festival with performances at 14 different locations across London. The highlight is Royston Maldoom
's Overture 2012, a Dance Umbrella commission for 120 children at The Royal Albert Hall in collaboration with London Symphony Orchestra.
Dance Umbrella outdoors continues with 12 performances of Transports Exceptionnels at five public parks and Rodrigo Pardo's Toilet Tango at Baker St Bathstore
First presentation of a show for children and school groups - Tiago Guedes' Matrioska at The Place
and Stratford Circus
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
of new or contemporary dance
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
held in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
each October. Founded in 1978 as a showcase for emerging choreographers, Dance Umbrella now ranks highly among Europe's leading international dance festivals. In January 2007, Betsy Gregory took over as Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director following the retirement of the company’s founder, Val Bourne.
Activities
Dance Umbrella· produces an annual London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
· commissions
Commission (art)
In art, a commission is the hiring and payment for the creation of a piece, often on behalf of another.In classical music, ensembles often commission pieces from composers, where the ensemble secures the composer's payment from private or public organizations or donors.- Commissions for public art...
and co-produces new work for the stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
· presents British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and international artists
· commissions and produces large-scale site-specific
Site-specific art
Site-specific art is artwork created to exist in a certain place. Typically, the artist takes the location into account while planning and creating the artwork...
works in locations such as the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
, the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
and Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
· produces outreach and educational activities in association with the festival and regional tours
· organises workshops and professional development
Professional development
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
opportunities for artists working in the contemporary dance
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
field
· advises, supports and nurtures a wide range of dance companies and independent artists
Venues and artists
The London festival takes place in the autumn with performances at venues including Sadler’s Wells, the Barbican Theatre, Southbank Centre, The PlaceThe Place
The Place is a dance and performance centre in Duke's Road near Euston in the London Borough of Camden. Originally the home base of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre from the 1970s, it is now the location of the London Contemporary Dance School, the Richard Alston Dance Company and the Robin...
: Robin Howard Dance Theatre and Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
Dance Agency. Recently the festival has also included visits to Laban
Laban Dance Centre
Laban in Deptford, south-east London, is a conservatoire and centre for contemporary dance, and includes 13 dance studios, a 300-seat theatre, dance health suite, Pilates studio, library and café...
, Battersea Arts Centre
Battersea Arts Centre
The Battersea Arts Centre is a performance space near Clapham Junction in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth that specialises in music and theatre productions.-History:...
, the Criterion Theatre
Criterion Theatre
The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has an official capacity of 588.-Building the theatre:...
, TATE Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
, Brick Lane
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is a street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. It runs from Swanfield Street in the northern part of Bethnal Green, crosses Bethnal Green Road, passes through Spitalfields and is linked to Whitechapel High Street to the south by the short stretch of...
Music Hall and Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies CBE DLitt was a dancer with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre during the 1970s, then becoming one of its leading choreographers before founding her own company — the Siobhan Davies Dance Company — in 1988.First training in art, Davies was one of the first year's intake of...
Studios.
Since 2007, Dance Umbrella has been staging performances outside of the theatre in spaces such as The Bathstore, Smithfield Market, Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance LLP is a global law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom and a member of the 'Magic Circle' of leading UK law firms. It is one of the ten largest law firms in the world measured by both number of lawyers and revenue...
and various parks around London.
Dance Umbrella regularly presents international artists on tour in the UK, many of whom have made their UK debuts ‘under the Umbrella’. Recent touring companies have included Merce Cunningham Dance Company (US), Mark Morris Dance Group (US), Rosas (Belgium), Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown is a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer.Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. For several summers she studied with Louis Horst at the American Dance...
Dance Company (US), Michael Clark
Michael Clark (dancer)
Michael Clark is a Scottish dancer and choreographer.-Early life:Michael Clark was born in Aberdeen and began traditional Scottish dancing at the age of four. In 1975 he left home to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, and on his final day at the school he was presented with the Ursula...
Company (UK), Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio is an artistic company founder/director, choreographer, and an American dancer based in New York City.Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 20, 1956. Petronio received a B.A. degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he began dancing in 1974...
Company (US), Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company (Israel) and Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu (France).
History and past achievements
1978First London Dance Umbrella festival at Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
and the ICA
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
1980
Second Dance Umbrella festival, thereafter established as an annual event
First commissioned work (for Extemporary Dance Theatre)
and first business sponsorship (Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
)
1981
First Danceabout North West festival in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and the North-West
1982
First presentation of Michael Clark
Michael Clark (dancer)
Michael Clark is a Scottish dancer and choreographer.-Early life:Michael Clark was born in Aberdeen and began traditional Scottish dancing at the age of four. In 1975 he left home to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, and on his final day at the school he was presented with the Ursula...
& Dancers at Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
First presentation of Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker
Anne Teresa, Baroness De Keersmaeker is one of the most prominent choreographers in contemporary dance...
in Fase at ICA
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
1983
First presentation of Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown is a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer.Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. For several summers she studied with Louis Horst at the American Dance...
Company at Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
1984
First Dance Umbrella festival performances at Sadler’s Wells: Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch is an American choreographer and founded his own dance company, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968. Based in New York City, he and the company have toured worldwide....
Dance Company and Bill T. Jones & Arnie Zane Company
First presentation of Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
and Dancers at The Place
The Place
The Place is a dance and performance centre in Duke's Road near Euston in the London Borough of Camden. Originally the home base of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre from the 1970s, it is now the location of the London Contemporary Dance School, the Richard Alston Dance Company and the Robin...
1985
Dance Umbrella’s artistic director, Val Bourne, awarded a ‘Bessie
Bessie Awards
The New York Dance and Performance Awards, informally known as the Bessie Awards in honor of Bessie Schonberg, are awarded annually for innovative achievement in dance and related performances, particularly so-called "downtown" performances...
’ (New York Dance and Performance Award)
1986
First presentation of Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio is an artistic company founder/director, choreographer, and an American dancer based in New York City.Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 20, 1956. Petronio received a B.A. degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he began dancing in 1974...
& Dancers at The Place
The Place
The Place is a dance and performance centre in Duke's Road near Euston in the London Borough of Camden. Originally the home base of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre from the 1970s, it is now the location of the London Contemporary Dance School, the Richard Alston Dance Company and the Robin...
Theatre
1987
Dance Umbrella’s co-presentation of Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown is a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer.Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. For several summers she studied with Louis Horst at the American Dance...
Company at Sadler’s Wells, wins Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Dance
1988
Dance Umbrella’s 10th anniversary festival sponsored by Becks Bier
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, wins Excellence in International Dance Award from British Centre of International Theatre Institute
Launch of London Dance and Performance Awards to mark Dance Umbrella’s 10th and Time Out’s 20th anniversary
Launch of Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies CBE DLitt was a dancer with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre during the 1970s, then becoming one of its leading choreographers before founding her own company — the Siobhan Davies Dance Company — in 1988.First training in art, Davies was one of the first year's intake of...
Dance Company at Riverside Studios
1989
First Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
International Dance Festival
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne wins Digital Premiere Award &
Dance Umbrella wins Digital Dance Award
First Dance Umbrella co-presentation of Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells
First presentation of Saburo Teshigawara’s Karas Company at The Place
The Place
The Place is a dance and performance centre in Duke's Road near Euston in the London Borough of Camden. Originally the home base of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre from the 1970s, it is now the location of the London Contemporary Dance School, the Richard Alston Dance Company and the Robin...
First Dance Umbrella festival performances at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
: Groupe Emile Dubois in Mammame
1990
Dance Umbrella wins Time Out London Dance Award & Prudential Award for Dance
Launch of Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
Dance ’90: festival sponsored by Newcastle Breweries
Dance Umbrella/Time Out Gala at Sadler’s Wells featuring London Dance and Performance Award-winners
1991
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, awarded OBE in Birthday Honours List
Dance Umbrella wins Digital Dance Award for commission
Commission (art)
In art, a commission is the hiring and payment for the creation of a piece, often on behalf of another.In classical music, ensembles often commission pieces from composers, where the ensemble secures the composer's payment from private or public organizations or donors.- Commissions for public art...
of new work (Michael Clark
Michael Clark (dancer)
Michael Clark is a Scottish dancer and choreographer.-Early life:Michael Clark was born in Aberdeen and began traditional Scottish dancing at the age of four. In 1975 he left home to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, and on his final day at the school he was presented with the Ursula...
and Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio is an artistic company founder/director, choreographer, and an American dancer based in New York City.Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 20, 1956. Petronio received a B.A. degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he began dancing in 1974...
)
1992
Dance Umbrella wins Prudential Award for Dance and for the Arts
First presentations at Cabot Hall
Cabot Hall
Cabot Hall was a large banqueting and performance hall situated in Canary Wharf, in London's Docklands.It was opened in 1991 and hosted events including lectures by Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Nelson Mandela as well as music events....
, Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
: Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown is a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer.Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. For several summers she studied with Louis Horst at the American Dance...
Company & Douglas Wright
Douglas Wright (New Zealand dancer)
Douglas Wright is an openly gay dancer and choreographer in the New Zealand arts establishment from 1980 until his retirement from dance in 2008 on the occasion of the publication of his first book of poetry, Laughing Mirror ....
& Company
1993
Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company: Events at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
Operation Riverside: Residency with Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies CBE DLitt was a dancer with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre during the 1970s, then becoming one of its leading choreographers before founding her own company — the Siobhan Davies Dance Company — in 1988.First training in art, Davies was one of the first year's intake of...
Dance Company
Necessary Weather: Choreography & Lighting Course led by Dana Reitz & Jennifer Tipton
Doug Elkins Dance Company tour
1994
Two important education ventures: Dance and Technology, and Dance Writing and Criticism develops into Digital Dancing series
First Jerwood
Jerwood Foundation
The Jerwood Foundation is a major United Kingdom funder of arts, education, and science.The foundation is particularly noted in the arts for establishing the Jerwood Charitable Foundation and associated projects such as the Jerwood Space for dance and exhibitions, the Jerwood Painting Prize, the...
Choreography Awards
National tours of Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio is an artistic company founder/director, choreographer, and an American dancer based in New York City.Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 20, 1956. Petronio received a B.A. degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he began dancing in 1974...
Company & Urban Bush Women
Urban Bush Women
Urban Bush Women is a Brooklyn, New York based non-profit dance company that was founded in 1984 by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. It is an ensemble of seven women who perform very diverse pieces choreographed by Jawole as well as many other reputable choreographers...
1995
First Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
Dance Umbrella Festival
Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company: Events at Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
& repertoire at Sadler’s Wells
Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group tour sponsored by American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
Streb/Ringside tour
1996
Site-specific piece at Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
: Genesis Canyon
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, is awarded the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Dance Umbrella wins Time Out Award for Best Production for Genesis Canyon
Dance Umbrella’s co-commission of Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies CBE DLitt was a dancer with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre during the 1970s, then becoming one of its leading choreographers before founding her own company — the Siobhan Davies Dance Company — in 1988.First training in art, Davies was one of the first year's intake of...
’ Art of Touch wins Olivier award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown is a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer.Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. For several summers she studied with Louis Horst at the American Dance...
Company tour
Percussive Feet Festival at Cochrane Theatre
Cochrane Theatre
The Cochrane Theatre is a receiving and producing theatre that aims to present all aspects of the performing arts within a proscenium arch. The theatre is situated in Holborn, London.-History:...
1997
Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio is an artistic company founder/director, choreographer, and an American dancer based in New York City.Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 20, 1956. Petronio received a B.A. degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he began dancing in 1974...
tour
1998
20th anniversary festival
Site-specific work at British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
: Babel Index
First co-presentation of Ballett Frankfurt at Sadler’s Wells
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, wins Time Out Live Award for Outstanding Achievement
Dance Umbrella’s collaboration with English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
in presenting Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
’s L’Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato wins Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production
Re-launch of Michael Clark
Michael Clark (dancer)
Michael Clark is a Scottish dancer and choreographer.-Early life:Michael Clark was born in Aberdeen and began traditional Scottish dancing at the age of four. In 1975 he left home to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, and on his final day at the school he was presented with the Ursula...
Company at Roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
plus regional tour
1999
Dance Umbrella’s co-presentation with Sadler’s Wells of Ballett Frankfurt’s Enemy in the Figure at Sadler’s Wells wins Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production, and the company wins an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for their season at Sadler’s Wells
Second Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group tour
2000
Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company at the Barbican
Barbican
A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from...
Co-production of DV8 Physical Theatre
DV8 Physical Theatre
DV8 Physical Theatre is a dance company based at Artsadmin in London, UK. It was founded in 1986 by an independent collective of chiefly modern dancers. It is led by Lloyd Newson, whose intent has been to have a different approach to most contemporary dance than other existing companies...
’s Can we afford this: the cost of living at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
First Virtual Incarnations: Dance and New Technology
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown is a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer.Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. For several summers she studied with Louis Horst at the American Dance...
Company tour
2001
23 years after the first festival, audience numbers continue to increase, reaching 35,000.
Stand Up for Dance: First of five annual Dance Umbrella '£5 Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells: Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group and Michael Clark
Michael Clark (dancer)
Michael Clark is a Scottish dancer and choreographer.-Early life:Michael Clark was born in Aberdeen and began traditional Scottish dancing at the age of four. In 1975 he left home to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, and on his final day at the school he was presented with the Ursula...
Company
Over 25,000 see the Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group tour (sponsored by American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
and supported by Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
’s National Touring Programming) making it the best-attended tour in the company’s history.
2002
Dance Umbrella’s presentation of Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group’s production V wins Time Out Live Award for Outstanding Production
Dance Umbrella’s presentation of Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group wins Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Stand Up for Dance: Second Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Foundation
Jerwood Foundation
The Jerwood Foundation is a major United Kingdom funder of arts, education, and science.The foundation is particularly noted in the arts for establishing the Jerwood Charitable Foundation and associated projects such as the Jerwood Space for dance and exhibitions, the Jerwood Painting Prize, the...
: Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
’s White Oak Dance Project; Richard Alston
Richard Alston (choreographer)
Richard Alston is a British choreographer. He has been Resident Choreographer and Artistic Director for the Ballet Rambert and is currently Artistic Director at The Place....
Dance Company
Richard Alston Dance Company
The Richard Alston Dance Company is a medium size contemporary dance company that was formed in 1994 after the demise of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre, based at The Place in London.-External links: **...
; Rosas
2003
25th festival closes with the Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company in Anniversary Events at Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
Stand Up for Dance: Third Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation: Michael Clark
Michael Clark (dancer)
Michael Clark is a Scottish dancer and choreographer.-Early life:Michael Clark was born in Aberdeen and began traditional Scottish dancing at the age of four. In 1975 he left home to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, and on his final day at the school he was presented with the Ursula...
; Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown
Trisha Brown is a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer.Brown was born in Aberdeen, Washington, and received a B.A. degree in dance from Mills College in 1958. Brown later received a D.F.A. from Bates College in 2000. For several summers she studied with Louis Horst at the American Dance...
Dance Company; Teshigawara/Karas
Inbal Pinto Dance Company tour
Vincent Mantsoe tour
2004
Dance Umbrella’s Artistic Director, Val Bourne, awarded CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in Birthday Honours List
Stand Up for Dance: Fourth Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation: Shen Wei
Shen Wei
Shen Wei is a Chinese choreographer and dancer. He lives and works in New York City and is director of the modern dance company Shen Wei Dance Arts...
Dance Arts and Foundation Jean-Pierre Perreault
Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group’s London Premiere of The Hard Nut at Sadler’s Wells
Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company’s UK Premiere of Split Sides at the Barbican Centre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
and national tour
2005
Largest festival to date with 25 companies over seven weeks including 11 French companies which constituted a mini-festival, France Moves
Attendance exceeded 40,000
The longest Dance Umbrella tour to date with the Mark Morris
Mark Morris
Mark William Morris is an American dancer, choreographer and director whose work is acclaimed for its craftsmanship, ingenuity, humor, and at times eclectic musical accompaniments...
Dance Group, six weeks to 10 venues
Fifth Dance Umbrella ‘Proms’ at Sadler’s Wells supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation: The Forsythe Company
The Forsythe Company
The Forsythe Company is a dance ensemble of eighteen dancers based in Dresden, Germany. It was founded in 2005 by William Forsythe following the closure of the Frankfurt Ballet...
; Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies CBE DLitt was a dancer with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre during the 1970s, then becoming one of its leading choreographers before founding her own company — the Siobhan Davies Dance Company — in 1988.First training in art, Davies was one of the first year's intake of...
Dance Company; Sylvie Guillem
Sylvie Guillem
Sylvie Guillem CBE is a French ballet dancer. She was the top-ranking female dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet from 1984 to 1989, before becoming a principal guest artist with the Royal Ballet in London. She is currently performing contemporary dance as an Associate Artist of London's Sadler's...
& Russell Maliphant
Russell Maliphant
Russell Maliphant is a British choreographer who trained at the Royal Ballet School and graduated into Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet before leaving to pursue a career in independent dance. As a performer Maliphant worked with companies such as DV8 Physical Theatre, Michael Clark & Company, Laurie...
Dance Umbrella launches Brief Encounters, a new forum for talented emerging choreographers and short works by established artists
2006
Dance Umbrella presents the London premiere of Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
’s seminal work Ocean at the Roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
Dance Umbrella presents Focus on Rosas an in-depth look at the work of the Belgian company, Rosas, and its choreographer, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker
Anne Teresa, Baroness De Keersmaeker is one of the most prominent choreographers in contemporary dance...
at 4 venues on all scales
Three small-scale tours by international artists organised with the support of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation: Herman Diephuis; Vincent Mantsoe; Ros Warby
The 28th festival incorporated the most extensive education and outreach work to date, concentrated around performances by the Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company, Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio
Stephen Petronio is an artistic company founder/director, choreographer, and an American dancer based in New York City.Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 20, 1956. Petronio received a B.A. degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he began dancing in 1974...
Company and Déjà Donné.
Dance Umbrella’s partnership with sponsors CMR
CMR
CMR can refer to:*Civil-military relations*Comprehensive Microbial Resource*Cross Movement Records, Christian Hip-hop record label*CJSA-FM , a Toronto radio station*Cameroon...
shortlisted by A&B for the 2006 A&B Arts and Kids Awards.
Val Bourne retires as Artistic Director after 28 years.
2007
Betsy Gregory appointed Artistic Director
First Dance Umbrella outdoors includes Compagnie Beau Geste's Transports Exceptionnels in Jubilee Gardens and Paul-Andre Fortier's Solo 30x30 outside Liverpool Street Station
First Feeling for Practice, a discussion on choreographic process with Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies
Siobhan Davies CBE DLitt was a dancer with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre during the 1970s, then becoming one of its leading choreographers before founding her own company — the Siobhan Davies Dance Company — in 1988.First training in art, Davies was one of the first year's intake of...
and Shobana Jeyasingh.
Dance Umbrella joins ENPARTS (European Network of Performing Arts)
2008
Dance Umbrella's 30th festival with performances at 14 different locations across London. The highlight is Royston Maldoom
Royston Maldoom
Royston Maldoom, OBE is a British choreographer whose works, including Adagietto and Ursprung, have been performed for various dance companies, such as The Jefferson Dancers and Dance Theatre of Harlem....
's Overture 2012, a Dance Umbrella commission for 120 children at The Royal Albert Hall in collaboration with London Symphony Orchestra.
Dance Umbrella outdoors continues with 12 performances of Transports Exceptionnels at five public parks and Rodrigo Pardo's Toilet Tango at Baker St Bathstore
First presentation of a show for children and school groups - Tiago Guedes' Matrioska at The Place
The Place
The Place is a dance and performance centre in Duke's Road near Euston in the London Borough of Camden. Originally the home base of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre from the 1970s, it is now the location of the London Contemporary Dance School, the Richard Alston Dance Company and the Robin...
and Stratford Circus
Stratford Circus
Stratford Circus is a contemporary performing arts venue in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham, east London. It was designed by Levitt Bernstein architects and built with funding from the National Lottery....