McNicol Ballet Collective (MBC) is proud to announce a brand-new creative residency programme, Compositions & Configurations, offering paid opportunities for composers and choreographers to experiment together in a studio setting at DanceEast, with the Collective’s professional dancers, before embarking on a formal creative process.
Compositions & Configurations will foster collaboration between dance and music, continuing MBC’s mission to shape the future of contemporary ballet and original composition.
Successful applicants will have the opportunity to explore original music and choreographic concepts during a one-week studio residency at DanceEast with MBC’s professional dancers and live musicians. The residency programme also offers pre-residency meetings and workshops, guest speaker sessions, and mentoring and support from a dramaturg throughout the creative process. The residency concludes with an informal sharing of the artist’s work to an invited audience and industry professionals.
Following the residency, MBC plans to commission at least one choreographer and composer to further develop their work and present it as part of the Company’s 2024/2025 season.
Of Compositions & Configurations, Andrew McNicol said, “I firmly believe that the future of dance and specifically contemporary ballet is inherently linked with the future development of music. To ensure MBC and the wider dance and music sector has talented choreographers and composers with the knowledge, experience, and tenacity to shape the future of our artforms, it’s vital we invest in artistic development and experimentation in an intentional way. I’m thrilled to offer this opportunity to support new music and dance and facilitate connections between artists in different fields.”
Founded by McNicol, MBC is committed to creating new and collaborative work with an inspiring collective of artists. MBC commissions adventurous contemporary ballets, innovative dance films and meaningful education projects – strengthening our connection to dance and each other. In 2023, the Collective presented its second programme, Devotions, to critical acclaim at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre and on tour in North East England. McNicol’s vision for the Collective is to create an enduring and distinct repertoire that will excite audiences, empower artists, and explore the full potential of contemporary ballet today.
Applications for Compositions & Configurations are now open and close on Monday 15 January 2024. Applicants must be based in and have the right to work in the UK. The residency will take place from Monday 15 – Saturday 20 July 2024, with regular preparatory meetings taking place from March.
For full details and criteria, visit www.mcnicolballetcollective.co.uk/articles/call-out-for-choreographers-and-composers. The successful applicants will be announced in February 2024.
