Creative Residency Artists Announced

McNicol Ballet Collective is proud to announce 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 the founder of Welcome Movement®️. She is a Clore emerging leader, an artist in residence with Rambert and a 2024 Seedbed Artist with 101 Outdoor Arts. Nandita 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.

Compositions & Configurations is supported by Charles Holloway, The Linbury Trust, Idlewild Trust, DanceEast, Leche Trust, The Britwell Trust, McNicol Ballet Collective and those who wish to remain anonymous. 

Call out for Choreographers and Composers

Calling all choreographers and composers!

McNicol Ballet Collective is searching for choreographers and composers to take part in a paid creative residency programme called Compositions and Configurations. Designed to foster collaboration and push the boundaries of contemporary ballet and original music composition, this unique creative programme offers UK based choreographers and composers focused studio time to experiment, test ideas and find a shared language.

Networking opportunities, guest speakers and a dramaturg will support artists throughout the creative process. Original music and choreographic concepts are prepared for further exploration during a one-week studio residency with McNicol Ballet Collective’s professional dancers. The residency concludes with an informal showing to an invited audience which will include industry professionals. 

We plan to commission at least one choreographer and composer to further develop their work for programming in the 24/25 season. Don’t miss this opportunity to experiment, defy conventions and shape the future of contemporary ballet and music composition. 

With thanks to our generous supporters: Charles Holloway, DanceEast, Idlewild Trust, Leche Trust, McNicol Ballet Collective and those who wish to remain anonymous.

Key Dates and Locations

Application deadline: 15th January 2024 at 12 noon.

Successful applicants announced: February 2024

Creative meetings and prep (approx. 3): February – June 2024

Residency: Monday 15th July - Saturday 20th July 2024 at DanceEast, Ipswich

McNicol Ballet Collective to take part in Ballet Nights 2023

We are delighted to be performing Of Silence as part of Ballet Nights 2023 at Lanterns Studio Theatre

BALLET NIGHTS 2023 is an expansion of independent producer Jamiel Devernay-Laurence’s original one-nighter enterprise and takes place over six nights – two in September, two in October, two in November – at Lanterns Studio Theatre in Canary Wharf.  The programme for each month will feature a mixed bill with performances by award-winning superstars and fast rising stars of the dance world.

Performers include: Steven McRae (Royal Ballet), Melissa Hamilton (Royal Ballet), Ryoichi Hirano (Royal Ballet), Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw (English National Ballet), Katja Khaniukova & Aitor Arrieta Coca (ENB), Constance Devernay-Laurence (ex-Scottish Ballet), Laurel Dalley Smith (Martha Graham Dance Company), Musa Motha (Rambert), Ivana Bueno (ENB) and fast rising stars including Yasser D’Oquendo, Jordan James Bridge, Felicity Chadwick, and more.

Jamiel has designed the programme to give ballet fans and new audiences a double experience: the chance to savour the crème de la crème of the ballet world as well as exciting new talent in intimate surroundings.

“BALLET NIGHTS gives audiences a chance to experience classical ballet performed by world-class performers, exciting new work created by emerging talent, and live music played by our superb house band – all in one evening!” says Jamiel. “We want to celebrate the artists and to present a unique, immersive experience.  One of the star performers is the venue itself: audiences will see dance close up but at opera house scale in our 17m x 17x space.  Thanks to a unique seating pattern at Lanterns we can offer audiences our revolutionary Stageside seating so audiences can be closer to the action than at any other main stage.”

McNicol Ballet Collective company dancers Winnie Dias and James Stephens will perform Of Silence on 27 & 28 October.

Announcing Devotions - three modern ballets

**** “McNicol’s choreography was beautifully fluid, each movement slowly dissolving into the next one to convey longing, submission, prayer.” Culture Whisper (on Of Silence)

Following the success of McNicol Ballet Collective’s debut programme in 2021 the innovative dance company returns this summer with Devotions, a triple bill of virtuosic dance work choreographed by Andrew McNicol. Devotions tours to The Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre (10 June) as part of the Next Generation Festival, The Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds (17 June) and Hull New Theatre (23 & 24 June).

Devotions features the world premiere of Moonbend set to a score by visionary pop artist Perfume Genius. Featuring costumes by British designer Louise Flanagan, this new work demonstrates McNicol Ballet Collective’s passion for the connection between movement and music.

Also included in the programme is Of Silence, an exploration of hope and belonging inspired by the music of Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks. Plus, an extended version of the company’s 2021 creation Bates Beats an exuberant and energetic work that showcases the strength and artistry of the dancers, set to music by Mason Bates.

Dancers with McNicol Ballet Collective include Kristen McGarrity, a former dancer with Birmingham Royal Ballet and lead in Christopher Wheeldon’s An American in Paris, Winnie Dias, a former dancer with Hamburg Ballet, Casey Nokomis who has danced with Viviana Durante Company and Vienna Festival Ballet, identical twins Laurie McSherry-Gray and Josh McSherry-Gray, former members of Royal Ballet Flanders and English National Ballet respectively and Shevelle Dynott, former dancer with English National Ballet.

This season, McNicol Ballet Collective has welcomed recent graduates Rin Ishikawa and Joshua Fickling as part of its Apprentice Dancer programme, giving talented young dancers the opportunity to work as a professional dancer in a touring company. Full casting for Devotions will be announced in spring.

As well as presenting Devotions, McNicol Ballet Collective also delivers its third Unbound Dance Day in Andrew’s hometown of Hull on 21 May. Unbound sees the company lead a series of dance workshops and masterclasses for local young dancers, inspired by works in its repertoire.

Founded by Artistic Director and choreographer Andrew McNicol, McNicol Ballet Collective unites artists from a range of disciplines to create adventurous new work for both stage and screen. Devotions follows the company’s long-awaited debut programme, Awakenings, that premiered to critical acclaim in 2021. Andrew’s long-term vision for the Collective is to create an enduring and distinct repertoire that will excite audiences, empower artists, and continue to push the art form forward.