EMMA GLADSTONE OF DANCE UMBRELLA ANNOUNCED AS CHAIR OF TRUSTEES FOR. SIOBHAN ... Bristol Old Vic, Bafta and The Royal Op
Press Release For immediate release EMMA GLADSTONE OF DANCE UMBRELLA ANNOUNCED AS CHAIR OF TRUSTEES FOR SIOBHAN DAVIES DANCE Siobhan Davies Dance are pleased to announce that Emma Gladstone will become Chair of the Board of Trustees this Autumn. Emma is the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Dance Umbrella, the international dance festival which occurs every October in venues and unexpected spaces across London. A key leader in the arts in London, she has worked with numerous cultural institutions including the Southbank Centre, The Place, the British Council and was Artistic Programmer at Sadler's Wells 2005-13. Emma Gladstone: “It's an honour and genuine pleasure to be invited to Chair the Board of Siobhan Davies Dance. As an artist-led organisation running a prize-winning building they hold a unique place in the UK's independent dance ecology, and I am excited to be part of their future.' Siobhan Davies welcomes Emma: “I feel more than fortunate to have the wise and lively intelligence of Emma to join us as our Chair. She is perfect for us right now; she began as an exquisite performer and is now leading the wonderful Dance Umbrella. In between these two points she has continued to be excited by dance and choreography and to support the people who are both making and performing. I admire her careful attention to individuals and to all important details as well as to the evolution of the art forms we both love.” With the appointment, current Chair Paul Morrell OBE will be stepping down after 15 years’ association with the organisation. As Chair, Paul guided the organisation through the creation of Siobhan Davies Studios and supported the evolution of Siobhan Davies’s practice. Paul is a committed arts supporter and has served on the Boards of the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Bristol Old Vic, Bafta and The Royal Opera House. Siobhan Davies said, “I don't know where to begin. Paul has been such a formidable strength to us while the Studios came into being. Genuinely, we would not have achieved this as well as we did without him. Since then he has had our best interests at heart and personally he has been a generous and wise support to me.” Paul Morrell said ”This is such a precious company - small only in numbers, but massive in its ambition and in its impact, responding to the ever-advancing vision and practice of Siobhan Davies in demonstrating the importance of the art of dance. As with anything precious, one lets go with difficultly, but with complete confidence that it remains in safe and caring hands with Emma as Chair.” Founded in 1988 by pioneering choreographer Siobhan Davies, Siobhan Davies Dance is an artist-led organisation that advances the art forms of dance and choreography. Siobhan Davies Dance connects artists and audiences through investigative, collaborative and interdisciplinary artistic activities at Siobhan Davies Studios, nationally and internationally. Ends For further information, images and interviews please contact Penny Sychrava PR on
[email protected] or 0796 791 5339 Listings Dance and Art Forum: Why Dance in Museums?
Siobhan Davies Studios Thur 9 Nov, 1.30pm–6.30pm £12 / £8 conc Enjoy an afternoon of presentations and discussions aiming to look critically at the recent profusion of dance in museums. Open Choreography Evening Siobhan Davies Studios Fri 1 Dec, 5.30pm–10pm £12 / £8 conc Join Siobhan Davies Dance for an evening of performance and open discussion with dance artists and choreographers. Dance Umbrella Festival Various locations 11–28 October Taking place in locations across London including theatres, town halls and an unfolding shipping container Dance Umbrella’s annual festival brings the cutting edge dance and choreography to the capital. Notes to the Editor About Siobhan Davies Dance Founded in 1988 by pioneering choreographer Siobhan Davies, Siobhan Davies Dance is an artist-led organisation that advances the art forms of dance and choreography. We connect artists and audiences through investigative, collaborative and interdisciplinary artistic activities at our Studios and beyond. The RIBA award-winning Siobhan Davies Studios opened in 2006 establishing a permanent base for the organisation to create new work and support independent artists. The Studios are a vibrant arts space in central London which holds a programme of exhibitions, performances, participation projects and new commissions from leading contemporary artists. www.siobhandavies.com About Dance Umbrella Dance Umbrella’s mission is to celebrate 21st century choreography. We do so enthusiastically and collaboratively through an annual, international London festival, through year-round creative learning opportunities for all ages, and by developing choreographic talent. Our aim is to entice audiences, nurture artists, innovate practice, and stimulate interest in the power of the body in motion. Since 1978, Dance Umbrella (DU) has been bringing outstanding contemporary dance to London, presenting more than 739 artists from 34 countries to over one million people. The first to present Mark Morris, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Michael Clark and many more in the UK, DU has commissioned over 80 new works and presented at 72 different venues ranging from Smithfield Market to the British Library, from canal long boats to Alexandra Palace Ice Rink, from car park rooftops to outer London parks. www.danceumbrella.co.uk
