Contemporary dance workshop | Vanhulle Dance Theatre

Activity: contemporary dance workshop.

Public: all audiences.

Free activity without the need for advance reservation.

More information: [email protected]

Synopsis

Vanhulle Dance Theatre’s signature athletic and emotive movement style is driven by a deep and philosophical understanding of the body and the connection to breath. Centring around the trunk of the body, from the head to the spine, this serpent like vocabulary, arcs, inverts, and weaves through the space with fluidity and ooze, but like water, can erupt and crash at any moment. In this workshop, Laura and Oliver will teach us the bases of this movement, which integrates contemporary dance and martial arts.

Biography

Vanhulle Dance Theatre is a Fenlands based contemporary dance company. Led by Co-Directors Laura Vanhulle and Oliver Robert Russell, the company creates highly physical performances that has an eclectic movement vocabulary, drawing from a diverse range of movement disciplines.

Laura Vanhulle was born in Belgium but moved to the UK in 2006, to complete her BA(hons) degree at Northern School of Contemporary Dance and was selected to undertake an apprenticeship with Ace Dance and Music, Shobana Jeyasingh (Counterpoint) and Motionhouse (The Voyage). She has since maintained a successful career performing for a diverse range of companies and choreographers, including Mickael Marso Riviere, Oliver Robert Russell, Coda Dance Theatre, Keneish Dance Theatre, Sonia Sabri Company, Room2Manoeuvre, Autin Dance Theatre, Ace Dance and Music, Gary Clark, Gustavo Oliveira, Rogue Play, South Paw dance Company and James Wilton, touring nationally and internationally.  Laura has a strong teaching reputation across the UK, on behalf of organisations such as NSCD, The Place, Rambert, Trip Space (London), Swindon Dance, Dance City, Dance East, The Lowry, Freefalldance, DanceXchange, Elmhurst, Wolverhampton University, Coventry University, Edge Hill University. She has taught Internationally in Portugal-Porto (Summer Intensive Portugal), Greece and Belgium (Muda – Passerelle). Additionally, Laura studies the Korean martial art Tang Soo Do with Grandmaster Khan and has represented Great Britain at the WTSDA World Championships. She also studies Negaca Capoeira under the direction of Mestre Chitaozinho.

Oliver Russell completed his vocational dance training BA(HONS) at London Contemporary Dance School and was one of two selected to represent the school in the AKX pilot programme (Akram Khan). Following his graduation, Oliver lived and trained intensively in the Shandong Province, China, studying Shaolin Kung Fu, Sanda (Chinese Kickboxing) and Ki Gong under the instruction of 34th Generation Shaolin Warriors. Oliver has continued to perform and tour both nationally and internationally working with choreographers and dance companies such as Rosie Kay Dance Company, Victor Fung Dance Company, Polly Hudson, Mercurial Dance, Marie Gabrielle-Rotie, Room2Maneouvre, Mickael Marso Riviere and Vanhulle Dance Theatre. Oliver was appointed Co-Artistic Director of Vanhulle Dance Theatre in 2020 and has successfully continued to create new work with fellow Artistic Director, Laura Vanhulle, receiving commissions, from Swindon Dance, Dance City, Performact (Portugal) and Passerelle (Belgium). Oliver has most recently been touring and performing in ‘Dovetail’, choreographed by Marso Mickael Riviere. Oliver’s journey in martial arts goes hand in hand with his career in dance, practicing Tang Soo Do, Kickboxing, Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Negaca Capoeira and Jiu-Jitsu.

Organized by: ROPA / Roberto Olivan Performing Arts and L’OBRADOR Espai de Creació.
With the support of: Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya and Diputació de Tarragona.