Fresh Friday with Richard Chappell
17th November 2023
Richard Chappell is an internationally renowned choreographer, dance activist and producer. Since 2013, he has lead his ensemble Richard Chappell Dance (RCD) as a platform for his choreographic research and critically acclaimed performance work.
Richard is currently an Associate Artist at Exeter Northcott, a Clore Leadership Fellow and a trustee of Swindon Dance. RCD is an award winning and internationally renowned ensemble which creates memorable and moving dance at the forefront of theatre, interdisciplinary collaboration and site responsive performance. Since 2013, RCD has worked with the Royal Opera House, BBC Arts, The Linbury Trust, British Council, National Dance Company Wales, Studio Wayne McGregor, National Arts Council Singapore, Pavilion Dance South West, Dance City and DanceEast, amongst many others. The company produces meaningful and enduring intergenerational participatory work and shapes development initiatives for early career choreographers.
As a guest choreographer, Richard has created work for Stuttgart Ballet, National Dance Company Wales, BalletWorks (Germany), English National Ballet, Belfast Ensemble, Transitions Dance Company and Frontier Danceland (Singapore). For institutions, Richard has created works for Rambert School and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore), amongst others. Richard has guest lectured at Rambert School, ArtEz Institute of the Arts (Holland), Lasalle College of Arts (Singapore), Singapore School of the Arts, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Iwanson School of Contemporary Dance (Germany), Falmouth University and Tring Park School. Richard is an alumni of Rambert School.
Richard’s class this week focuses on how to mobilise, expand and charge the body through movement patterns and improvisation. Expansive and playful exercises and tasks are looped across the studio and spirals are used to build up momentum, coordination and precision. Richard’s class is a window into the vocabulary and training practice of his ensemble.
Photo: Faye Tan