CALL OUT: Looking for dancers/performers for new dance theatre piece

Gabriella Engdahl Dance Theatre blends dance, theatre, and design to tell stories drawing inspiration from surrealism, absurd characters, and everyday life. Embracing a ”more is more” philosophy, the company fosters a playful and instinctive creative process, exploring themes of identity, feminism, and family relationships. After a successful Arts Council England Project Grant application, Gabriella is holding an audition workshop to get to know performers for research and development of the piece ‘Why do I wear blue?’ (working title). 

Why Do I Wear Blue explores family identity and the transmission of intergenerational trauma, particularly focusing on the effects of long-buried secrets. Set in the grandfather’s home, the work unfolds in everyday-situations as family members come to visit. These interactions are transformed into surreal situations where past and present merge, resulting in extreme and twisted scenarios that evoke a sense of nostalgic displacement. The work has an intergenerational cast featuring 4 performers.

Dates of engagement: 

Below are the project dates for this research. If you cannot make these dates work but still are eager to apply, please let us know this in your application and we can see if it is possible to facilitate. 

14 - 18 August at Swindon Dance 

8 - 12 September in London

6 - 10 October in London 

Performers will be paid £700 per week of engagement. All accommodation, travel and per diems will be provided where necessary. 

Who:

We are looking for performers to take on different characters in the family and therefore have included below some age specifications for these roles. 

Two female-identifying/non-binary dancer playing age 18-25 years

One female-identifying/non-binary dancer playing age 35-50 years

One Male identifying dancer/actor playing age 60+ 

What we are looking for

We are looking for highly skilled, playful, characteristic and expressive performers who:

- Have professional training in contemporary dance technique

- Have a big interest in character work and storytelling

- Loves working with improvisation and has previous skills from doing so

- Thrives when working with detailed, precise, and explosive movements

- Team players who are supportive, curious, and bring positive energy to the studio

- Some skill in using voice on stage is a bonus, but not necessary

This opportunity is suitable for recent graduates, early career artists as well as more established artists. 

Apply by sending the information below in an email to Gabriellaengdahldancetheatre@gmail.com:

- Your CV

- A link to an existing showreel

- A link to an improvisation expressing who you are as a dancer and performer - character work is encouraged. This can be filmed in any space available to you or that inspires you (max 2 min).

Based on this information, we will invite a select number of applicants to an in-person audition workshop where you can get to know the style and we can get to know you more as a performer. 

If selected, an audition workshop will be held on the Monday 19 of May at East London Dance E15 2QS. If you cannot make the audition workshop, but are still interested in applying, please let us know and we can try to facilitate.

Deadline for applications: Midday, Thursday 24 April 2025

We endeavour to respond to every applicant by Friday 02 of May at the latest.