DanceEast receives £50,000 grant to commission acclaimed dance artists

The big picture: The funding will enable the creation of two new dance pieces at the Jerwood DanceHouse by renowned UK dancemakers Jess and Morgs, and Dickson Mbi.

Key details:

• Jess and Morgs will explore the relationship between technology and live performance, utilising DanceEast's state-of-the-art digital facility.

• Dickson Mbi will create a follow-up piece to "Enowate", which won the 2023 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.

• The funding covers creation costs, access to studios, and wraparound support for the artists.

Highly acclaimed talent: Jess and Morgs’ award-winning Coppélia for Scottish Ballet featured on several Top Picks for Dance lists in 2022, including No.2 in The Telegraph, No.3 in The Guardian and in The Stage’s Top 5. Dickson Mbi's Enowate won the 2023 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.

What they're saying:

Brendan Keaney OBE, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of DanceEast, said: "In a difficult climate where it is hard for organisations and artists to invest in new work creation, Jerwood Foundation's funding of two new commissions, and the associated costs, allows us to ensure outstanding new dance performances are created for new and existing audiences in the UK."

Jess and Morgs commented: "Our new work, to be created at DanceEast, will explore the concept of a digital self, using AI and GreenScreen technology to push the boundaries of choreographic storytelling."

Dickson Mbi added: "To have this commission at this moment in my development as an artistic director and for progression of the company's new work means a lot to me."

The bottom line: This grant reinforces DanceEast's position as a leading dance organisation in the UK and supports its mission to bring outstanding dance performances to audiences in Ipswich.