Dance Umbrella

28/05/2026

🇸🇳 Earlier this month, we hosted a Think Tank at the African Dance Biennale in , in partnership with the British Council.

We invited a group of artists and curators from the African continent with the aim of deepening cultural connections and developing a more nuanced understanding of how to present and contextualise artists from Global South countries in UK cultural programming.

This is part of our wider Diversifying Curatorial Stewardship (DCS) programme, which is committed to exploring how dance work is programmed, who curates, and whose voices shape the future of dance and the wider local and global arts ecology.

Learn more about DCS: https://danceumbrella.co.uk/2026/05/20/dance-umbrella-announces-major-funding-for-diversifying-curatorial-stewardship-programme/

❤️ We want to extend our gratitude to the artists, curators and directors who joined us:

Artists & Curators: Bougaire Eléna (Senegal), Fatima Ndoye (Senegal/Switzerland), Lassina Koné (Mali), Quito Tembe (Mozambique), Anthea Lewis (UK), Khoudia Touré (Senegal/France), Ndèye Mané TOURE (Senegal), Zora Snake (Belgium/Cameroon), Amala Dianor (Senegal/France), Patrick Acogny (Senegal/France), Steph Bergé (France/UK/Cameroon)

British Council: Isabel Moura Mendes (Senior Relationship Manager, Theatre and Dance, UK); Morgane Quemener (Country Director, Senegal)

Dance Umbrella (UK): Freddie Opoku-Addaie (Artistic Director & Co-CEO), Tania Wilmer (Executive Director & Co-CEO)

Illustrator: Charlotte Wanda Kachelmann (Germany)

📸 Credit Pape Ndao

27/05/2026

🏙️❤️ Last week, our Co-CEOs Freddie Opoku-Addaie & Tania Wilmer joined fellow London creative leaders to celebrate 10 years of Sadiq Khan as the capital's mayor.

We’re proud to bring world class international dance every year to our incredible global city 🌍

📍St Clement Hotel, London

📸 Caroline Teo

21/05/2026

We’re hiring for a brand new role 🌟 Become the Project Manager for Diversifying Curatorial Stewardship (DCS): Dance Umbrella’s major multi-year initiative designed to transform curatorial leadership within the UK and international dance ecology.

📌 What is the aim of DCS?
To create structural, long‑term change by widening who curates, how curation is practiced, and who has access to networks, resources and influence.

💼 What is the role of the Project Manager?
The Project Manager is the central producer and coordinator of the DCS programme. This is a highly dynamic, relationship driven role that requires outstanding project management, coordination across multiple partners, cultural sensitivity, a commitment to equitable practice, and excellent attention to detail.

📄 Term: July 2026 – December 2028, fixed-term
⏰ Hours: Part‑time 0.6 contract (3 days a week)
📌 Location: Mostly office based role (central London)
💫 Salary: £38,000 per annum, (£22,800 pro rata)
📝 Application deadline: Monday 15 June 2026, 10.00 BST

Learn more and apply now: https://danceumbrella.co.uk/about-us/work-with-us/

20/05/2026

🎉 We’re thrilled to announce that Dance Umbrella has received a major funding award from Arts Council England supported by National Lottery and the British Council for our Diversifying Curatorial Stewardship (DCS) programme.

DCS is a major multi‑year initiative (2026–2028) designed to transform curatorial leadership within the UK and international dance ecology. DCS aims to create structural, long‑term change by widening:
* Who curates
* How curation is practiced
* Who has access to networks, resources and influence

👀 Stay tuned for more information about opportunities to get involved with the programme… Coming soon!

Funders: Arts Council England, British Council, Backstage Trust, Performing Arts Fund NL
Partners: Aerowaves, DanceEast, Fabric, The Lowry

Read the full details: https://danceumbrella.co.uk/2026/05/20/dance-umbrella-announces-major-funding-for-diversifying-curatorial-stewardship-programme/

📸 Artists and curators from the African continent meet for a think tank hosted by Dance Umbrella and British Council during the 2026 African Dance Biennale in Senegal, credit Pape Ndao

07/05/2026

🗣️ “I’m performing for the audience, but I’m also in conversation with my ancestors.”

Men-Jaro, meaning “friendship” in township slang, is a work by Viencent Sekwati Mantsoe that fuses traditional African steps and ritual with contemporary expression, celebrating the deep physical, emotional and spiritual ties between people and cultures.

Vincent performed the work at the Southbank Centre in 2006 as part of Dance Umbrella Festival. Last year, we sat down with Vincent to reflect on how he made the work that helped redefine his choreographic language.

Watch our newest episode of Choreographer’s Cut now: https://danceumbrella.co.uk/event/choreographers-cut-vincent-mantsoe-men-jaro/

🎥 Filmed and edited by Henry Curtis
📍 Recorded at IRIE! dance theatre

Africa

06/05/2026

One week left to apply ⏰

We’re hiring ✨ Work across Dance Umbrella Festival 2026 as our new Assistant Producer! This is a great opportunity to develop your producing experience within a busy festival team, working in close partnership with the Senior Producer and a Guest Curator.

This year’s festival will be delivered in a hybrid way across a variety of iconic London venues and online, with some of the most exciting dance artists from across the globe 🌍

Term: 20 weeks, freelance short-term contract
Fee: £13,000 fixed (65 days at a daily rate of £200)
Deadline: Wednesday 13 May 2026, 10am BST

Apply now: https://danceumbrella.co.uk/about-us/work-with-us/

05/05/2026

🗣️ “Courage is inherent in training the body, because that’s what dancers do all time, to hone the skill of standing in front of a room full of people.”

Last year, Dr Laura Griffiths & Dr Rachel Krische launched a new podcast series about dance and class, interviewing numerous dance professionals about how class has influenced their experiences within dance education and their subsequent careers.

Both Laura and Rachel joined the panel of our Arts & Class talk at Battersea Arts Centre - BAC last October, to explore how class shapes opportunity, access and visibility in the arts.

You can now watch the full talk on our website (or via our YouTube channel), as well as episodes of the Dancing Class podcast via the link in our bio 🔗

🎤 Facilitated by Brenda Emmanus OBE
🗣️ Panelists - Dr Laura Griffiths, Dr Rachel Krische, Neil Griffiths, Sahra Warsame
🎧 Technical Director - Andy Downie
🧏 BSL Interpreters - Rebekah Spencer & Vinessa Brant
🎥 Filmed & edited by Henry Curtis

29/04/2026

Happy International Dance Day 🌍🩷

A special congratulations to Davi Pontes and Wallace Ferreira on their nomination for The Bloom Prize, a biennial international dance prize created by Sadler's Wells 💐

To celebrate, here is a photo from Repertorio N.1 at last year's Dance Umbrella Festival, presented in partnership with Serpentine Galleries! (Can you spot Dance Umbrella founder Val Bourne and current Artistic Director, Freddie Opoku-Addaie 👀)

The Brazilian duo made their UK debuts last October, when they presented the world premiere of Repertório N.1 across two sold-out nights at Porchester Hall.

Drawing on postcolonial, gender and race studies, the Repertório trilogy interrogates the mechanisms of brutality and attempts to dismantle them. The performances explore how the body – and all it carries – can develop its own form of self-defence.

You can catch Repertório N.3 in London next February when it comes to Sadler's Wells East ✨

Repertório N.1 was commissioned by Serpentine, Dance Umbrella, Something Great, Wiener Festwochen, Arsenic, Viernulvier and Festival DDD/Teatro Municipal do Porto.

Photographer: Talie Rose Eigeland