Choreography and Music Hofesh Shechter

Lighting Design Lee Curran
Costume Design Merle Hensel

Dancers Maëva Berthelot, Winifred Burnet-Smith, Chien-Ming Chang, Sam Coren, James Finnemore, Bruno Karim Guilloré, Yeji Kim, Philip Hulford, Erion Kruja, Hannah Shepherd

The Band Yaron Engler (Drums, Bendir), Joseph Ashwin (Guitar), Joel Harries (Guitar, Drums), Chopper (Guitar, Drums), Norman Jankowski (Drums, Pandeiro), Vincenzo Lamagna (Guitar, Drums), Andrew Maddick (Guitar)

Understudies Karima El Amrani & Frédéric Despierre

Hofesh Shechter is recognised as one of the UK’s most exciting contemporary artists, with his eponymous Company touring worldwide to audience and critical acclaim. A former Drummer in a rock band, Shechter is renowned for creating the musical scores for each of his dance creations with his raw, atmospheric music complimenting his Company’s unique physicality.

After graduating from the Jerusalem Academy for Dance and Music Hofesh moved to Tel Aviv to join the world-renowned Batsheva Dance Company. Here he began drum and percussion studies which continued in Paris at the Agostiny College of Rhythm. Subsequently he began experimenting and developing his own music whilst participating in various projects in Europe involving dance, theatre and body-percussion. In 2002 Hofesh arrived in the UK.

Hofesh made his choreographic debut with the duet Fragments (2003), followed by Cult for The Place Prize 2004 and Uprising (2006), his ever-popular work for seven men. The three works formed the triple bill deGENERATION, Hofesh’s first full evening of work. In 2007 he was commissioned by London's three major venues The Place, Southbank Centre and Sadler's Wells to create In your rooms. Drawing further from Hofesh’s now signature style of original music and choreography, Shechter was catapulted into the media spotlight with much anticipation surrounding the premiere of the work, resulting in sell-out performances and standing ovations at Sadler’s Wells Theatre.

After forming his international Company of highly skilled, individually talented dancers in 2008, Hofesh created The Choreographer’s Cut in 2009. Commissioned by Sadler’s Wells and performed at London’s iconic music venue the Roundhouse; Hofesh reworked his acclaimed double bill Uprising/In your rooms to feature a band of 20 musicians alongside a company of 17 dancers. Also in 2009 Hofesh was commissioned by Brighton Festival to create the “exquisitely acrimonious” The Art of Not Looking Back (The Observer, 2009) which was inspired by and made for six female dancers. An outdoor version of the work was presented at Latitude Festival later that year.

In May 2010 Hofesh presented his first full length work Political Mother which premiered at the Brighton Festival. Featuring Shechter’s cinematic score, the piece was performed by 10 dancers and featured a band of 8 live drummers and electric guitarists. The success of the show gained the Company the worldwide attention they deserved, and they have since toured their repertoire to Australasia, United States, Asia, and across Europe gaining a huge following.

Returning to the piece in 2011, Sadler’s Wells commissioned Hofesh to create Political Mother: Choreographer’s Cut, with an even larger band of 24 musicians and 16 dancers. The show was deemed ‘a mind blowing mix of sound and vision’ by critics and cemented Hofesh’s reputation as both a choreographer and composer of recognition. Fresh from the show’s success, Hofesh’s worked in collaboration with the sculptor Antony Gormley to create Survivor, a large-scale art/music performance which premiered at the Barbican in January 2012.

Hofesh has been commissioned in the UK by Bare Bones Dance Company, Edge and Verve (the postgraduate companies of London Contemporary Dance School and Northern School of Contemporary Dance respectively), StopGAP Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre, CandoCo and Dance United. Internationally, Hofesh has made new work and remounted works on Ballet CeDeCe (Portugal), Hellenic Dance Company (Greece), Bern:Ballett (Switzerland), Skanes Dansteater (Sweden), Carte Blanche Dance Company (Norway) and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (New York). In 2012, Hofesh will create a new work for the first-ever performance by new UK-wide youth dance company, the U.Dance Ensemble, which will premiere at the Southbank Centre in July 2012.

Hofesh worked as choreographer at The Royal Court Theatre for Motortown by Simon Stephens (2006) and on The Arsonists (2007), collaborating with director Ramin Gray on both productions. He was choreographer for the National Theatre’s award-winning production of Saint Joan (2007), directed by Marianne Elliot and starring Anne Marie Duff. He also choreographed the hit dance sequence ‘Maxxie’s Dance’ for the opening of the second series of Channel 4’s popular drama Skins.

His work has earned him a string of nominations and awards including: winner of the 3rd Serge Diaghilev choreography competition (Fragments), winner of the Audience Choice Award at the Place Prize 2004 (Cult), nominated for a South Bank Show Award and winner of the Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography (modern) 2008 (In your rooms), and nominated for a South Bank Sky Arts Award 2011 (Political Mother). He was also winner of the Movimentos Most Promising Newcomer in Dance Award (2009) and the British Theatre Institute’s Award for Excellence in International Dance (2011).

music collaborator &
percussion arrangements
Yaron Engler

Born and raised in Haifa, Israel, Yaron began playing the drums at the age of 15 winning the country’s national Telerock Competition in 1993 at the age of 18.

After several years of work as a freelance drummer in the Israeli music scene, Yaron met the tap artist Sharon Lavi, with whom he created the show Keshev Ketzev. The show toured extensively in Israel to audience and critical acclaim. Following the success of this collaboration, they formed Tapeplas, a company that combined tap dance, music and rhythm in Barcelona, Spain where they successfully produced the shows BoomBach, Monkeys and Epic, with Yaron as Musical Director and Composer.

Yaron has been working with Hofesh since 2004. He maintains a very busy schedule with the company, which involves his roles as music collaborator, lead drummer/percussionist and band leader. Yaron was part of the research and the creation of Uprising, In Your Rooms, Political Mother, as well as the Choreographer's Cut productions.

Currently Yaron also plays drums, percussion and vocals in 'Kindle Trails', a new folk-rock band, which was formed in 2011.

An important part of Yaron’s love for music lies with teaching. His infectious enthusiasm for music is relentless, and he brings his full on passion to anyone who wants to be inspired. Yaron has delivered workshops and master classes for musicians and dancers in the UK, USA, Japan, Spain, Israel and South Korea.

Yaron graduated Summa cum Laude (the highest distinction) from the world-renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, U.S.A in 2003.

Musical Collaborator
Nell Catchpole

Nell studied violin at the Guildhall School and Britten-Pears School. In 1995 she co-founded The Gogmagogs with theatre director, Lucy Bailey. With their group of moving string players they created seven shows, commissioning 21 composers. The Gogmagogs performed in the UK and festivals in Edinburgh, New York, Toronto, Sydney, Seoul, Copenhagen, Singapore, Patras, Colorado and Sao Paulo.

Nell has worked extensively with producer Brian Eno, arranging/recording strings on his solo albums, and with U2, John Cale and other collaborators. Having featured on Eno's album with J Peter Schwalm, Drawn From Life, she performed internationally in their live band, including the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. Other live performance includes: Sabreen (international band based in Palestine); Nigel Kennedy's Hendrix Project; Jocelyn Pook Ensemble; Little Red Riding Hood (directed by Annabel Arden) at the Almeida Opera in London; performances with J Peter Schwalm in Palma, Mallorca and at the Punkt Festival in Norway. Musical Director/Composer for The Gogmagogs at the National Theatre Studio; Music/Sound Design for Comfort Me With Apples, Hampstead Theatre and Don't Look Now, Sheffield Lyceum/Lyric, Hammersmith.

Nell is a Masters Programme Leader for Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning. She is co-director of the MAP/making collective – a group of visual artists and musicians who have produced performance events at the Barbican, and at Bath and Aldeburgh Festivals. In 2009, she was awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize with which she is developing a new creative project as a composer and electronic musician.

Costume Design
Merle Hensel

Merle Hensel was born in Germany. She trained as a theatre designer at Central St Martins School of Art and Design and the Slade School of Fine Art in London. She works internationally in a wide variety of styles and genres.

Theatre credits include: Shun-Kin (Complicite; Setagaya Theatre Tokyo and Barbican London); James Son of James, The Bull, and The Flowerbed (Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre; Barbican London and Dublin Theatre Festival); Justitia and Park (Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company; Peacock Theatre London and international touring); The Girls of Slender Means (Stellar Quines Theatre Company; Assembly Hall, Edinburgh Festival); Parallel Elektra (Young Vic London); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Corn Exchange; Dublin Theatre Festival); Dienr Zweier Herren (Max-Reinhardt Seminar, Schlosstheater Vienna); Before the Wolf (Open Air Festivals Newcastle and Falkirk); Human Shadows (Underground7; The Place Prize, London); Ippolit (Sophiensaele, Berlin; Schauspielhaus Zürich; Münchner Kammerspiele); Der Verlorene (Sophiensaele, Berlin); Kupsch (Deutsches Theater, Göttingen); Maria Stuarda (Vereinigte Bühnen, Mönchengladbach/ Krefeld); Der Vetter aus Dingsda (Oper Graz); Münchhausen, Herr der Lügen (Neuköllner Oper, Berlin). Film credits include: Morituri te Salutant and Baby (Phillip Stölzl)

Merle is a lecturer at Central St Martins School of Art and Design in London. Other teaching includes Rose Bruford College and Goldsmiths.

Lighting Designer
Lee Curran

Lee is a lighting designer of over 12 years experience, mainly in contemporary dance, but also in theatre, live music and film. Lee has worked with many artists and organisations including Hofesh Shechter, Royal Court, Rambert Dance Company, English Touring Theatre, The Roundhouse, Mark Storor, Jonathan Burrows, Watford Palace Theatre, Darren Ellis, Iain Forsythe & Jane Pollard, bodydataspace, Rafael Bonachela, Dance Umbrella, The Gate Theatre, The Old Vic Tunnels, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Lee first worked with Hofesh on Uprising, and the collaboration has continued on In Your Rooms, The Perfect Human? (for CandoCo), The Art of Not Looking Back, and Political Mother. In July 2012 he will be lighting Hofesh’s piece for the U.Dance Ensemble.

Joseph Ashwin

Joe was raised in the countryside of the Cotswold's in Gloucestershire, England and fell in love with guitar during his school years. Almost entirely self taught, Joe played in several local bands and wrote a huge amount of material. Eventually it was clear that playing guitar was simply what he wanted to do. In 2006-2007 he attended The Brighton Institute of Modern Music to complete a higher diploma in professional musicianship (guitar). Now living in Brighton Joe has been working on improving himself as a player and his knowledge of the music industry. He has extensive touring and studio experience, mostly with the main musical project the progressive metal band 'Stone Circle' in which he is the vocalist, lead guitarist and primary songwriter.
Now a freelance guitarist, Joe is very happy to have ever growing avenues to do what he loves the most. Joe joined Hofesh Shechter Company in March 2010.

Joel Harries

Joel Harries is a 22 year old musician from Northampton. After spending his teens playing in every band that would have him, it became apparent that it was all he wanted to do with his time. After finishing his A-levels he decided against university education and began to write material and tour with various groups. In early 2009 an opportunity arose to work with Hofesh Shechter Company on The Choreographer’s Cut production at the Roundhouse, London and he jumped at the chance to take part. He considers himself incredibly lucky to be able to live his life the way he does.

Joel joined Hofesh Shechter Company as a musician for Political Mother in March 2010.

chopper

Known by his schoolboy nickname, Chopper has been making music as much as he can since 1983, both as a drummer and keyboard player. Performances with orchestras and big bands at county and national level led to a win in the 1993 Daily Telegraph Young Jazz competition, convincing him that he wanted to be a professional musician. In 1996, he gained an honours degree in Popular Music Studies from Leeds University, before moving to London with several of his contemporaries to pursue a career in the music industry. They have worked together in various different guises, all over the world, ever since.

Basing himself in north London, he tries to strike a balance between writing, performing and producing original music, as well as playing with various artists as a session musician. He spent eight years touring with famous disco acts – Boney M, Rose Royce, The Real Thing and Odyssey included – and more recently has been making music to picture as one half of Soviet Science productions. In the past couple of years, they have soundtracked ads for Nokia, O2, Mercedes and Cadillac among others. Chopper’s main creative outlet is synth-rock 3-piece The Dallas Guild, where he gets to write, produce and wig out on vintage synthesisers. The debut album Hello Darkness has been well received in the UK and Europe, with lead track Men In White Coats becoming Single Of The Week on XFM radio and soundtracking a major TV campaign for Volkswagen. The band has an excellent live reputation and recently supported MGMT and LCD Soundsystem.

Norman Jankowski

Norman Jankowski was born in and grew up in Eastern Westfalia, Germany. His Dad bought him his first drum kit when he was seven years old. At the Age of eight, Norman started to take classes at the Loehne School of Music, where he was educated in classical percussion and jazz drumming by Hans-Peter Drenckhahn.

Soon after starting classes he got on Stage by the age of nine. During his childhood and youth, Norman joined Symphony Orchestras, Brass and Big Bands in his natal Area. Reaching the times of Rock’n Roll and after a few local Rockbands he decided to leave the Countryside and moved to Hamburg where he soon joined the Latin-Punk Band Niños Con Bombas, with whom he toured throughout the World for seven Years and published two CD’s. It was on Tour in Brazil that Norman was introduced to the Brazilian Frame Drum, the Pandeiro on which he plays most his Gigs today. After Niños Con Bombas split up, he lived in Brazil, from where he moved to Spain for to work with Polvorosa and Cheikha Band. It was in Barcelona, where he met Yaron Engler, with whom he worked in Tapeplas and Hofesh Shechter Company. Based with his Family in a small Fishing Town near Barcelona, he freelances as a Musician, Mix Engineer, Percussion Teacher and in Film dubbing.

Vincenzo Lamagna

Vincenzo Lamagna is from Naples. As Naples is the crossroads of many different Mediterranean cultures, he grew up with the huge heritage of Neapolitan tradition — a unique voice made by the sound of Spain, ancient Arabic chants and the powerful tribal rhythms of Africa. At the age of ten he started to play the guitar and studied music with some of the finest Italian musicians. He has worked as a session player in the studio and live for such great Italian artists as Eddy Napoli (a two-year world tour), Daniele Sepe and Freak Orchestra, Gianni Guarracino and many others, as well as being involved in other projects as composer, arranger, producer and leading his own band. In 2008 he moved to London and has since worked with artists like Mysteries of the Revolution, Twisted Tongues, Laura Bazell, Sean O’Brien, Esther Dee.

He is also an accompanist at Laban, The Place and Roehampton University. He joined Hofesh Shechter Company in April 2010.

Andrew Maddick

Andrew completed a Masters degree in music performance from the University of Queensland, Australia in 2004 and moved to the UK to further his studies with Marianne Thorsen and Pete Lale. He was awarded a scholarship to attend the Dartington Summer School on Baroque violin in 2005 and in 2008 the Freiburg Academy on both baroque and modern violin. He is a member of the Orchestra of the Swan and performs regular chamber recitals including guest string quartet aboard the MV Minerva. In 2008 he played violin and viola in the National Theatre's production of Revenger's Tragedy and in '09 the Sam Mendes production of The Cherry Orchard at the Old Vic. He has performed with Smokey Robinson, George Benson, Kathryn Jenkins and Paolo Nutini, whose album Sunny Side Up he also plays on. Andrew performed on Sting's DVD A Winter's Tale and toured the show to Paris and Germany. Andrew has previously worked with Hofesh Shechter Company as a viola player for Uprising / In your rooms tour.

Rehearsal Director
Bruno Karim Guillore

Born in Cairo, Egypt in 1974, Bruno studied dance in Paris (C.N.S.M de Paris) under the direction of Quentin Rouillier, after which he worked for Beatriz Consuelo (Ballet junior, Geneva), Richard Wherlock (Luzern Ballet and Komischer Oper Berlin), Iracity Cardoso and Paulo Ribeiro (Ballet Gulbenkian, Lisbon). He danced in works by Richard Wherlock, Guillermo Bothelo, Ed Wubbe, Orian Anderson, Rui Horta, Ytzik Galili, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, Styn Celis, Mauro Bigonzetti, Didy Veldman, Marie Chouinard, Clara Andermatt, Rui Lopez Graca, Regina Van Berkel, Paulo Ribeiro and Hofesh Shechter. Bruno also featured in the film Passengers by Richard Wherlock. As well as being Rehearsal Director, Bruno also dances full time with the Company.

Twitter: @brunoguillore

Maëva Berthelot

Maëva started her professional training at Institut Kim Kan, Paris at the age of eleven before going on to study at the C.N.S.M  de Paris, under the direction of Quentin Rouillier. After graduating in 2003, she joined the Junior Ballet (Paris) where she danced in works by Hervé Robbe, Pedro Pauwels, Angelin Preljocaj and Mark Tompkins. Maëva was a performer and founding member of the dance, live music and video collective COLLECTIF LARSEN and during this period she also worked as a freelance dancer in French companies.

She then worked with Wayne McGregor as a Dancer and Rehearsal Director for his adaptation for the stage of Kirikou, a movie by Michel Ocelot. After working with Emanuel Gat Company for two seasons, she joined Batsheva and Riksteatern project where she performed and toured Ohad Naharin's work Kamuyot. Maëva joined Hofesh Shechter Company in January 2010.

Winifred Burnet-Smith

Born in Brighton and of English/French origin Winifred started her dance training at the Arts Educational School and went on to train at the Rambert School, Ecole Superieure de Danse de Cannes and the Rotterdam Dance Academy

She began her dance career with the Dutch company Galili Dance and then went on to work with Granhoj Dans in Denmark before returning to England to work with choreographer Tom Dale. Winifred was a member of Russell Maliphant Company from 2005-2007 where she toured the programme Transmission and Push. Winifred is also a member of BalletLorent. She joined Hofesh Shechter Company in 2007.

Twitter: @winsburnetsmith

Chien Ming Chang

Chien Ming Chang was born in Taiwan. He studied at the Taipei National University of the Arts. From 2001 Chien Ming worked with Cloud Gate2 in Taiwan and Bern Ballet in 2007 (Stadttheater Bern) under the direction of Cathy Marston in Switzerland. He first performed with Hofesh Shechter Company on tour in the USA , UK and mainland in Europe in Summer 2008 and rejoined the company in July 2009.

Sam Coren

Sam grew up in Oxford and began dancing with Oxford Youth Dance, training primarily in improvisation and b-boying before moving to London to train at the London Contemporary Dance School, where he graduated with a first class honours degree in 2009. After graduating Sam joined Jasmin Vardimon Company and has been invited to take part in research and development projects with Jose Vidal and Ultima Vez. Sam joined Hofesh Shechter Company in 2011.

Twitter: @sam_coren

FRÉDÉRIC Despierre

Frédéric was born in Northern France, where he began dance and music (drum and percussion). At the age of 14, he continued his studies at the C.N.S.M. de Paris. After three years studying classical ballet he joined the contemporary section. During his training he studied many disciplines, performed in many projects, and worked with various teachers and choreographers such as André Lafonta, Christine Gérard, Yutaka Takei, Cristiana Morganti (Pina Baush). In 2011, he was asked to perform with the Junior Ballet a piece by Yuval Pick The Him and worked on Angelin Preljocaj’s Noces. Frédéric is also very interested in music and choreography, and would like to make his own works in the future. Frédéric joined Hofesh Shechter Company as an Apprentice in April 2011.

Karima el Amrani

Karima began dancing aged 10 at La Manufacture-Vendetta Mathea, where she studied contemporary dance, ballet and Taï-Chi. As a member of the Manufacture Company from 2004-2007, she had the opportunity to gain stage experience and to compete at national and international levels. Karima moved to Paris to join the contemporary section of the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP) where she also had choreography, contact and improvisation classes and was taught by Christine Gérard, Florence Vitrac, André Lafonta and also Peter Goss who really inspired her. As part of her studies, she also worked with Yutaka Takei (Aïkido), Serge Ricci, Cristiana Morganti (Pina Baush), Martin Kravitz, Françoise Dupuy, Samuel Mathieu. She regularly took part of the CNSMDP’s Events where she performed a lot of other students’ works, repertoire pieces (Doris Humphrey, Angelin Preljocaj) and her own choreographies. Karima joined Hofesh Shechter Company as an Apprentice in April 2011.

James Finnemore

After graduating from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, James undertook a graduate apprenticeship with Hofesh Shechter Company, performing Uprising / In your rooms as part of the Company's UK and European tours. James was then invited to join Carte Blanche, the national company of Norway, and during that time performed works by Club Guy and Roni, La Intrusa Danza, Hofesh Shechter and Kristin & Yoshi Inao. James rejoined Hofesh Shechter Company in August 2010.

Twitter: @jamesfinnemore

Philip Hulford

Philip Hulford was born and raised in Bolivia, South America. He studied gymnastics from the age of four until thirteen. During this time he competed in several competitions in Bolivia then moved to England were he competed at a National level.

He began his dance training at eighteen at North Hertfordshire College, UK where he began a BTEC. After the first year of his studies he was asked to join London Contemporary Dance School for the BA Degree course. One of the choreographers that he worked with while in his second year at the school was Hofesh Shechter. He joined Hofesh for his 2006 tour in September and is now full time with the company.

Twitter: @philhulford

Yeji Kim

Yeji was born and raised in Korea and started dancing when she was 15. After completing her undergraduate degree she went on to study at master's level in Korea National University of Arts before joining Hofesh Shechter Company in Autumn 2009. Yeji has a wide range of stage experience; in 2008 she performed in New York with her school's own K-Arts Dance Company and again in 2009 in San Francisco. She received Golden Prize in the 38th Dong-A Dance Competition in Korea. She has also performed in 2009 Critic's Choice of Korean Young Artists before moving to England. Yeji began a postgraduate degree at London Contemporary Dance School in 2010 and joined Hofesh Shechter Company as an apprentice in the same year. After completing her studies, she joined the Company full time.

Erion Kruja

Erion was born in Tirana the capital of Albania. He started dancing aged 6 in Pioneer's House of Tirana and joined The National Ballet school of Albania when he was 11 and graduated in 2001. He then joined the company of the National Theater of Albania and performed many classical ballets. In 2004 he joined Compagnie Linga Lausanne under the direction of Marco Cantalupo & Kartazyna Gdaniec and performed in Go and Emballe Moi. From 2006-2008 he worked in Theater Chemnitz (Ballet Chemnitz) and 2008-2011 he worked with Bern Ballet (Stadttheater Bern). Erion joined Hofesh Shechter company in June 2011.

Hannah Shepherd

Hannah started her training in gymnastics and trampoline in Brighton at the age of 7 and competed frequently at regional and national level. She first started dancing when she entered Sussex Downs College and went on to graduate from the London Contemporary Dance School in 2006. She joined EDge07, LCDS’ postgraduate performance company, touring nationally and internationally, working with choreographers such as Steven Petronio (Strange Attractors, New York), Stacey Spence (ex. Trisha Brown Dance Company), Charlotte Boye-Christenson and Anna Williams. Subsequently, Hannah performed in Touch Wood with the dance collective “MWAG.” She had the opportunity to work again with choreographer Anna Williams as a performer in the Place Prize Final 2008. Hannah also performed with the Chisato Minamimura Dance Company for Firsts 2008 at the Royal Opera House. Recently, she has been experimenting with bungee and vertical dance, which she hopes to work more with in the future. Hannah joined Hofesh Shechter Company in 2009.

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