Artists’ Biographies
Esther Huss graduated from London Studio Centre in 2003 with a BA (Hons) Degree in Theatre Dance. Since then she has worked as a freelance dancer, teacher and choreographer in both the professional and community dance sector. Esther’s professional appearances include several productions at the Royal Opera House London, and works with Kate Flatt, Aletta Collins, Jacky Lansley, Michael Keagan-Dolan, Bernadette Iglich amongst others. Esther is Co-Founder of the inclusive dance company Dandelion Collective. As artistic director she has presented three full scale productions at the New Diorama Theatre London, and independently presented work at Tate Britain and the Southbank Centre.
Esther is an Associate Artist of the ‘Dance Research Studio – DRS’ founded by Jacky Lansley. In 2019, Esther moved to Northumberland, North East UK, where she made her first appearance by leading a European project ‘Bridges – Dance for Europe’ involving over 100 Europeans across 10 countries. Her current interest lies in bringing together dance and the Visual Arts, and making these accessible to rural communities across Northumberland.
Fergus Early had an early career as a ballet dancer and later studied and taught at the London School of Contemporary Dance before leaving to co-found X6 Dance Space and Chisenhale Dance Space. In 1987 he founded Green Candle Dance Company of which he remains Artistic Director. In the 1980s and 90s, Fergus was Associate Director with the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, working as choreographer and movement director on several productions. He frequently performs in Jacky Lansley’s work, including Bird (at the Southbank and on tour), Holding Space (at the Clore Studio, ROH), View from the Shore (at the Hall for Cornwall, Truro and the Clore Studio) and Guest Suites (Clore Studio and York Minster). Fergus was awarded an OBE for services to dance in 2009 and an Honorary Doctorate from De Montfort University in 2010. His book, co-written with Jacky Lansley, The Wise Body: Conversations with Experienced Dancers was published in 2011.
Ingrid Mackinnon is a London based movement director, choreographer, teacher and dancer. Movement direction credits include #WeAreArrested (Arcola Theatre), First Encounters: The Merchant of Venice (RSC), Typical (Nouveau Riche/Soho Theatre), Liar Heretic Thief (Lyric), Cacophony (Almeida), Mischief Festival: #WeAreArrested (RSC), #DR@CULA! (RCSSD), Mischief Festival: Kingdom Come (RSC), Fantastic Mr. Fox (associate movement Nuffield Southampton and National/International tour). Choreography and rehearsal direction credits include The Headwrap Diaries (assistant choreographer and rehearsal director) for Uchenna Dance, Our Mighty Groove (rehearsal director) for Uchenna Dance, Three Penny Opera (choreographer) for Wac Arts, Boy Breaking Glass (rehearsal director) for Vocab Dance/Alesandra Seutin , Hansel and Gretel (assistant choreographer and rehearsal director) for Uchenna Dance, Imoinda (choreographer), In The Heights (choreographer) for Wac Arts. She has taught for FE and HE institutions such as WAC Arts, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London Studio Centre, Mountview, ALRA and University of Kent. Ingrid holds an MA in Movement: Directing & Teaching from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She is co-founder of MoveSpace.
Jacky Lansley (UK) is a choreographer, writer and performance artist who has been practicing for over four decades. Her work combines visual and theatrical disciplines and is often created out of personal and political concerns. The artist was a founder of UK’s major independent dance studios – X6 Dance Space and Chisenhale Dance Space – and in 2002 she founded the Dance Research Studio which continues the innovatory legacy of these predecessors. DRS has curated a series of unique interdisciplinary performance and CPD training projects including: Stepping Stones (2014/15), Crossing Paths (2016), About Us (2017-19) and We Are Animals (2019/20). Important partners on these projects have included: De Montfort University, Bluecoat Arts Centre, Dance4/iC4C, Oxford House Theatre, Chisenhale Dance Space and Modern Art Oxford. During May-November 2020 DRS is delivering an off/ online programme of workshops, residencies and research opportunities, funded by Arts Council England, for independent/freelance artists during the Covid pandemic crisis, see www.danceresearchstudio.com for details.
Lansley directs the DRS bi-annual international CPD programme – ‘The Speaking Dancer: Interdisciplinary Performance Training’, which she founded in 2008. In 2019/20 she worked in collaboration with CELL gallery, who curated the exhibition ‘X6 Dance Space: Liberation Notes’ to international acclaim. Lansley was a founding editor/writer of New Dance magazine and has published widely on dance and performance. She is co-author (with Fergus Early) of ‘The Wise Body’, published by Intellect Books, 2011; her more recent book ‘Choreographies: Tracing the Materials of an Ephemeral Art Form’ was published by Intellect Books in 2017. In 2018 she was awarded One Dance UK’s prestigious Jane Attenborough Award, for services to dance. She now balances her time between her own creative practice and supporting intergenerational artists and companies through mentoring, teaching and directing DRS, which is forging an identity as one of the leading independent contexts for interdisciplinary dance research.
Jreena Green is a professional dancer, choreographer, dance teacher and ‘practical dance historian’. She studied at The London Contemporary Dance School and did a degree in Dance Studies at Middlesex University. She featured in the Len Goodman documentary series ‘Cheek To Cheek’ where she demonstrated historical African American dance forms. Recent choreographic credits include major commercials for Guinness Youtube, Google, Levis and Marks and Spencers. Xmas ad. Credits as a dancer/performer include leads in ‘Falling’ for Green Candle Dance Company, ‘Mrs Wobble’ for Theatre Peckham and her own show ‘The Josephine Baker Show’ which toured the South of England. She was a assistant dance captain/choreographic assistant on the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony and has a background performing in West End musicals (original cast of the Tony award winning show ‘The Lion King’), choreographing music videos and feature films and doing international tours with established musical acts. She also works with the elderly, people with dementia and learning disability and ‘hard to reach’ young people through Green Candle Dance Company in East London. Jreena Green is the founder and artistic director of Jazz Dance Elite a dance company that links the historical line of African diaspora dance forms from authentic jazz, Uk jazz, tap to Charleston and Lindy hop to hip hop.
Tim Taylor is a performer, theatre maker and teacher – has broad experience as an interdisciplinary artist. He has worked across many different genres of performance, and for such practitioners as Lucy Bailey, Martha Clarke, Luke Dixon, Matthew Hawkins, Bill T Jones, Michael Keegan-Dolan, David McVicar, Ian Spink, Jane Turner, Jacky Lansley, Ultz, Sian Williams and the Kosh. In 2017, he worked with artists Beech and Thomasson as a performer on their work Together at Tate Britain. In early 2018/19, Tim participated in the touring performance piece About Us, choreographed and directed by Jacky Lansley. In 2019, he worked with long-time colleague Jane Turner to develop Taylor and Turner Taking Turns, a contemporary cabaret piece combining performance with participatory workshop engagement. Since Covid-19 lock-down, Tim has also contributed as a performer to Jane Turner’s film in development Shape Shift.
Tim has been the Programme Manager for Dance at Morley since 2012. Our curriculum offers an eclectic programme of theatre, world, social and fitness-oriented dance study for the College’s part-time, adult education community. Tim is excited to be participating with fellow artists in Jacky Lansley’s online research and consultation project for summer 2020, The Free Artist?
