For each grade of Grades 1-8 Creative Contemporary Dance, the Performance strand of the syllabus consists of learning a solo from an Invited Choreographer. We are delighted to be have solos from influential contemporary dance makers Matthew Bourne, Vidya Patel, Alesandra Seutin, Hofesh Shechter, Will Tuckett and ZooNation
Every Grades 1-8 Syllabus Training programmes includes training in one of these performance pathways. Teachers may train in additional solos to increase their offering for their students.
Shechter Pathway
Choreographer and composer Hofesh Shechter OBE is Artistic Director of UK-based Hofesh Shechter Company, Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells and Artist-in-Residence of Gauthier Dance (2021-2024). Shechter is recognised as one of the most exciting artists making work for both stage and film and renowned for composing atmospheric musical scores to complement the unique physicality of his movement style.
Hofesh Shechter’s repertoire for his company includes Uprising (2006), In your rooms (2007), The Art of Not Looking Back (2009), Political Mother (2010), Political Mother: The Choreographer’s Cut (2011), Sun (2013), barbarians (2015), Grand Finale (2017), SHOW (2018), POLITICAL MOTHER UNPLUGGED (2020) Double Murder (2021), Contemporary Dance 2.0 (2022) and From England with Love (2024).
Shechter has choreographed for theatre, television and opera, notably at the Metropolitan Opera (New York) for Nico Mulhy’s Two Boys, on Broadway for Bartlett Sher’s Fiddler on the Roof, at the Royal Court for Motortown and The Arsonists, at the National Theatre for Saint Joan and for the Channel 4 series Skins. He has co-directed with John Fulljames on Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice (Royal Opera House and La Scala) and LIGHT: Bach Dances (Royal Danish Opera and Philharmonie de Paris). His works have also been staged by leading UK and international dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (USA), Martha Graham Dance Company (USA), Candoco Dance Company (UK), Nederlands Dans Theater 1 (NL), Paris Opera Ballet (FR), Royal Ballet (UK) and Royal Ballet Flanders (BE).
Shechter has directed three award-winning short dance films: Clowns, broadcast by the BBC, POLITICAL MOTHER: The Final Cut and Return. In addition to these, he and his company collaborated with French filmmaker Cédric Klapisch on the feature En corps. The film was released in 2022 alongside a soundtrack composed by Shechter.
He has received many prizes including the British Theatre Institute’s Award for Excellence in International Dance (2011), a Tony Nomination for his work on Fiddler on the Roof (2016), three nominations for an Olivier Awards for Best New Dance Production for Grand Finale (2018), Best New Dance Production for Theatre of Dreams (2025), Choreographer in Theatrical Production for Oedipus (2025), and Best Dance Film at Festival de Cannes (2023). In 2018, he was also awarded an honorary OBE for Services to Dance.
Seutin Pathway
Alesandra Seutin is an International performer, choreographer, dramaturg and teacher. The daughter to South African and Belgian parents, Alesandra was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. She grew up in Brussels and now lives in London.
Alesandra founded Vocab Dance in 2007 and has built an international reputation for creating thought provoking and visually striking performances. Her creativity is triggered by issues that address and reflect social, political and economic circumstances and with movement, voice and music, she shares stories that induce conversations. Past company productions have toured around the UK, Europe, Canada, West/South/East Africa and Brazil. Current works include Giant and a new group work Boy Breaking Glass, which premiered as part of Reckonings at Sadler’s Wells, London in October 2018.
Alesandra was Guest Artistic Director for the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) from 2020-21 and is a current Associate Artist at Sadler's Wells.
VOCAB Dance
Storytellers Pathway
Sir Matthew Bourne OBE is widely hailed as the UK’s most popular and successful choreographer and director. Since 1986, Matthew Bourne and New Adventures have delighted, inspired and nurtured people of all ages and backgrounds: audiences, artists and the next generation.
Matthew is the creator of the world’s longest running ballet production, and has been recognised by numerous international awards. He was knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2016 for services to dance, and awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award – one of the most coveted honours in the world of dance – in recognition of his outstanding services to the art of ballet.
New Adventures is an iconic and ground-breaking dance-theatre company. Since 1987, it has been known for creating works that have altered the public perception of what is possible when it comes to telling stories without words. The company is led by celebrated choreographer and director, Sir Matthew Bourne. New Adventures has become the most successful and busiest dance company in the UK and is a major exporter of British dance across the world.
Storytellers Pathway
Vidya Patel is a rising star in UK dance, known for blending her Kathak training with diverse influences across music, visual arts, and contemporary performance. A finalist in the inaugural BBC Young Dancer, she has since performed with renowned artists including Richard Alston, Gary Clarke, Hetain Patel, and Sujata Banerjee.
Vidya’s choreographic work for has been on the stages of Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells, Trinity Laban and across the UK, through commissions for the 3rd years Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Trinity Laban CAT Programme and for post graduate dance company Emergence led by Salford University and Joss Arnott Dance.
Collaborating holding strong importance in Vidya’s processes, she first co collaborated with Connor Scott and composer Shammi Pithia creating full length work “About the Elephant” which premiered in India at the Serendipity Festival and then toured cities in the UK including Southbank’s Purcell Room for Alchemy Festival, most recently collaborating with writer/ poet Zia Ahmed and composer Sarathy Korwar for BBC Dance Passions 2021 at Sadler’s Wells.
Most recently, she was a Creative Collaborator with LYNNEBEC company for the Athlete Welcome Ceremonies for the Commonwealth Games 2022.
With interested in developing and contributing to the future of dance, Vidya continues to work with community groups and young people. She was a Creative Mentor for three young choreographer part of One Dance UK Young Creatives 2022 programme. She has been on the selection panel for U Dance Festival for three consecutive years, continues to teach workshops, intensives and has delivered talks for young people at various stages in their journey.
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Storytellers Pathway
Will Tuckett is an Olivier Award-winning choreographer and director and has choreographed works for many international ballet and contemporary dance companies including the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Rambert, English National Ballet, Ballet Black, Sarasota Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and the National Ballet of China. Outside of dance he has directed and choreographed major opera and theatre productions including works for The Royal Opera, Opera North, the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Almeida.
Storytellers Pathway
Founded by Kate Prince in 2002, ZooNation is celebrated for its innovative full-length narrative dance productions, which draw inspiration from musical theatre, Hip Hop culture, and music. Alongside its theatrical works, ZooNation runs extensive engagement and talent development programmes, empowering diverse communities and young artists to build their confidence, skills, and knowledge in dance theatre.
Below you can find several examples by Hofesh Shechter, including choreographic works, interview clips and rehearsals.
Below you can find several examples by Alesandra Seutin, including choreographic works, interview clips and rehearsals.
Encouraging personal interpretation rather than reproduction, this strand seeks to celebrate what each person brings to their performance of a solo created by a renowned choreographer.
About this syllabus
