Commissioned Choreographer 2023/24: Adrian Look

We’re welcoming our second 2023/24 commissioned choreographer this week, Adrian Look.

Adrian is a dance artist and lecturer for Tanztheater based in London. He is also the artistic director and choreographer of Tanztheater Adrian Look (TAL), founded in 2014. TAL performed at Sadler’s Wells, Stratford Circus and The Place.  Adrian studied Dance Theatre (Tanztheater) at the Fokwang University in Germany, whose alumni include Pina Bausch, Reinhild Hoffmann and Susanne Linke.

After graduation, he was a soloist in the dance theatre company Tanztheater Bielefeld for three years, followed by two years of freelance projects in Germany, Switzerland and the UK.  Adrian has taught workshops in contemporary dance, ballet, and improvisation for over ten years and has led classes for various professional companies.

In April 2014, Adrian moved to London and has since taught regular classes and workshops at The Place, Trinity Laban, Chisenhale Dance, Siobhan Davies and Greenwich Dance. Adrian is a lecturer at Morley College and The Place (evening programme) and  a visiting lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire, University of East Anglia. Trinity and Laban and Rambert School.

Ahead of working with our third year students, Adrian shared “I have taught classes and workshops for the students from Rambert School for some years now and watched their talent and versatility on stage on many occasions too. However, this will be my first time working with the students on a choreography, that will be performed, so I am very excited to be in the studio creating with them.

As a graduate from the Folkwang University in Germany, Tanztheater is in my blood and became my life philosophy.  I want the students to dive into this world with me, and let them experience ways to use their technical excellence as tools to express something uniquely human about them.  Tanztheater challenges you to learn things about yourself that you were not aware of and sometimes makes you feel you don’t want to go there. But because of the playful and curious nature, paired with a non-judgemental and very life-affirming atmosphere, you are always glad you tackled it and went there in the end. That is the experience I want the students to have and learn more about expression, movement and dance but also about life and how to navigate through it.

I am looking forward to hearing what occupies young minds these days and create a piece of work that reflects their cores, not just their appearance. I can’t wait to start in all honesty!”