Choreoforum a one day national conference for choreographers

Choreoforum 2009

A one-day melting pot of choreographic creativity, bringing together choreographers to swap ideas, discuss current issues, hear personal stories and meet people. Choroforum has taken place in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009 and will next be held in 2011.

In 2009 the symposium was organised in response to demand from choreographers who wanted more time to network and share information with each other. Patron of Dance UK, Robert Cohan CBE, said,

"I think Choreoforum is a terrific idea. Choreography can be a lonely, difficult and insecure art, so meeting people who understand and experience the same problems you have can be reassuring and encouraging."

The content of the day was shaped by leading choreographers at various stages in their careers. The steering group was chaired by Stuart Hopps, (choreographer of major films, theatre and operas, including Ang Lee’s Sense & Sensibility and legendary The Wicker Man), alongside Kate Flatt, Francesca Jaynes, Colin Poole, Alex Reynolds and Anne-Marie Smalldon.

Dance UK invited a host of talent from the choreographic world to lead discussions, inspire thought and make links between choreographers at every stage of their career.

Choreoforum 2009 included:

  • Keynote speech by Anthony Van Laast MBE, for services to dance and choreography
  • Shobana Jeyasingh, Wayne McGregor and Mark Baldwin in a panel discussion titled ‘Balancing Power’, looking at how a choreographer who is also the artistic director of a company manages the tension between these two roles. This discussion was chaired by Sue Hoyle, Director of The Clore Leadership Programme
  • Choreographer Colin Poole “In the psychologist’s chair” with Professor David Collins, P²E psychologist and former performance director for UK athletics. They discussed how a choreographer copes with what can be a highly pressurized and unpredictable career.
  • Dr Jo Butterworth presented a paper triggered by the publication of her new book Contemporary Choreography: A Critical Reader (published by Routledge).
  • Information sharing sessions led by Stuart Hopps (talking about choreographing for opera); Kate Flatt (talking about working with performers); Vena Ramphal (talking about Choreographing Life: Living Your Wildest Dreams)
  • An optional yoga based movement class run by Susanne Lahusen, founder member and examiner of the PILATES foundation®, plus lunch and an evening networking reception.

The climax of the conference was a panel discussion by the Rayne Fellows for Choreography, including Laila Diallo, Kate Flatt, Tamsin Fitzgerald, Jeanefer Jean-Charles, Rosie Kay, Darren Pritchard, Luca Silvestrini and Sue Smith. The Fellows, who each won a prize of up to £15,000, undertook a series of fascinating secondments between 2006 and 2007.

Through these experiences, which ranged from spending time with the military, to visiting Mexico's Day of the Dead festival, they explored how choreographers can be bridge-builders in society.

Together the Fellows talked to Mark Baldwin, Artistic Director of Rambert Dance Company and one of the original champions of the Rayne Fellowships. They reflected on their secondments and talked about how the placements have influenced their practice. The talk was introduced by Tim Joss, Director of the Rayne Foundation, and was followed by celebratory drinks and networking reception.

"One of the most interesting learning experiences is discovering how other choreographers solve the same problems you have and that can only happen through direct and honest contact." - Robert Cohan CBE, patron of Dance UK
"In difficult times it is important that we come together, celebrate what we do, support and inspire one another." - Rosie Kay, Choreographer & Rayne Fellow

Dance UK wants choreographers to leave feeling invigorated artistically and personally by spending time in the company of fellow choreographers.