Signatures and Black British Dance Platform

Two platforms in one evening of dance. SIGNATURES and BLACK BRITISH DANCE PLATFORM come together to showcase emerging and developing dancers and choreographers locally, nationally and internationally for a unique mixed bill performance.

SIGNATURES

TETHERED – Jameel Hendricks

TETHERED is a new ballet centred around a particular sector of the human experience expressed through the music selection, and the virtuous efforts of the dancers. Conceptually, the work embodies the current state of mental health in society and the impact of the aftermath of the pandemic, racial tensions and inflation. Daily reports of mass shootings, domestic violence, hate crimes and murder are at the forefront of news outlets and social media. Yet despite these occurrences, the public are still held to the functional expectations of a society that existed prior to the traumatic events of the past four years.

TETHERED is a ballet that reflects the social masks that people wear every day, so as not be perceived as unstable, when the reality is one of instability.

Jameel Hendricks is a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) where he received his early training as a dance major, and was appointed the position of Dance Captain entering his senior year. In 2016, Hendrick began his tenure as a company member of PHILADANCO and has worked with choreographers such as Anthony Burrell, Sean Bankhead, and Rennie Harris. On the commercial stage, Hendricks has performed alongside artists such as Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and XSCAPE. Hendricks also has extensive experience in collaborating with the School District of Philadelphia using dance as a way to contribute to the artistic and communal endeavours. He recently launched his new production company “M3 (ME)” Productions, a parent company to MOVE Dance Collective.

Hendricks made his LDIF debut in 2017, performing with PHILADANCO and now makes his choreographic debut at the festival with TETHERED.

MIXTAPE– Liam Francis, FranDanCo

MIXTAPE is a provocative exploration of music, the body, and brotherhood – a visceral performance that celebrates the dynamic synergy between dance and sound, showcasing the intimate bonds among three young Black men.

Choreographed by Liam Francis, the performance explores what it takes for an individual to become part of a community. Invitation, resistance, acceptance and pleasure all play a part in this short performance that draws on Francis’ own experiences of slowly allowing feelings of isolation, threat and competition to be replaced by trust, intimacy and friendship. Just as communities are built through the development of shared experiences, landscapes and languages – here the soundscape, mixed live by music composer Chloe Mason, is created by capturing the sounds of the dancing bodies. Together they build a unique and spontaneous ‘mixtape’ – a compilation of sounds that speak of the joyful complexity of a life lived fully – together.

The dancers draw effortlessly from the dance canon, nodding at hip hop, ballet, disco, contemporary and jazz, all held gently within a fluid and playful language completely his own.

Liam Francis is an international dance artist and choreographer. His practice is informed by his interest in the relationship between Flow state and dance, which has been the focus of his recently completed research Master Degree at Rambert School. His professional performance career began at Zoonation Dance Company in 2009. Between 2014 and 2021 he was a leading dancer with Rambert Dance Company performing and creating roles in works by internationally renowned choreographers such as Mark Baldwin, Christopher Bruce, SidiLarbi Cherkaoui, Merce Cunningham, Ben Duke, Sharon Eyal, Wayne McGregor, Marion Motin, Patricia Okenwa, Hofesh Shechter, Wim Vandekeybus, Didy Veldman and Alexander Whitley. In 2021 Francis was nominated by Dance Europe as ‘Dancer of the Year’ and Tanz magazine as ‘Best Male Dancer’.

Francis’ own choreographic work has been performed in London, Massachusetts, New York, Oxford, Paris, Rotterdam and Rome. In 2022 Liam’s duet, Dual Till the Death, received 4 partnership awards at the Rotterdam International Duet Choreography Competition and another award at the Choreography Competition Hannover. He has made works for graduating students at The Place, London Studio Centre and Rambert School, as well as dance companies Ballet Theater Trier, Rambert, SALLY, Shechter2 and Skånesdansteater. Liam is the founder and director of dance company FranDanCo.

BLACK BRITISH DANCE PLATFORM

DON’T STEP ON MY SHOES – BlacBrik

DON’T STEP ON MY SHOES is a work from BlacBrik that captures the pride and emotional connection in Black culture tied to iconic footwear – representing more than just fashion, but a profound expression of identity, respect, and cultural pride.

BlacBrik is led by Nahum McLean. Based in London, is a choreographer, dancer, and rehearsal director, his career spans contemporary dance, commercial theatre, and film. He began his training in Manchester under Darren Pritchard and Imani Jendai, continuing at The Hammond School, under the direction of Sarah Durrant.

Early in his career, Nahum McLean trained and worked with Laura Alonso in Havana, Cuba, performing and choreographing for Ballet Laura Alonso. He then moved to New York to study at The Ailey School as a scholar, earning the Alvin Ailey Scholarship Award. McLean has performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and worked as a Rehearsal Director and Assistant for Dr George Faison in The Wiz. He also collaborated with Harambee Dance and New York Dance Lab, working with Camille A Brown, Marcelo Gomes and Andy Blankenbuelher. He joined the Richard Alston Dance Company and has performed at New York and London Fashion Weeks, in music videos, and in fashion campaigns. Recently, he appeared in the movie Barbie and Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Founder of the ADDA (African Diaspora Dance Association), Nahum tours his own work nationally and lectures at various universities and dance schools across the UK.

Blake Arts

Blake Arts is an independent dance and mentoring program, providing high quality performing arts experiences through a comprehensive training program and the Blake Arts Ensemble. They contribute to the development and presentation of diversely capable artists with the skillsets to sustain their careers in an ever-changing global arts environment. Blake Arts is led by David Blake, an international performing artist, lecturer and choreographer with more than 25 years’ experience in the entertainment industry appearing in commercials, TV shows, film and print. A former principal dancer with the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica and formerly a company member of Disney’s award-winning musical THE LION KING playing, Blake he is currently Academy Director at Urdang.