Leicester’s Curve Theatre has announced the appointment of its first associate artists as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting and developing talent within the East Midlands.
The three artists chosen are Aakash Odedra Company, New Art Club and Metro-Boulot-Dodo.
Curve’s artistic director Paul Kerryson commented, “Over the past five years Curve has supported the work of emerging artists from across the East Midlands through an extensive programme of residencies, commissions and collaborations.
“As Curve celebrates its fifth birthday, we are delighted to be formalising our relationship with these three diverse and acclaimed local companies as Curve’s first official associate artists.
“Over the next two years each company will be working alongside Curve associate director Suba Das to deliver new projects for Curve’s theatre spaces and for venues across the UK.”
Training initially in the classical Indian dance styles of Kathak and Bharat Natyam in India and the UK, Leicester-born Aakash Odedra is described as “one of the hottest rising stars of British dance”.
He said, “I’m delighted that Curve has selected Aakash Odedra Company as an associate.
“We have established a relationship with Curve for the past five years and were involved in the opening ceremony. The facilities here are world-class and the artistic vision is forward thinking. All of these things make it very exciting to be closely involved."
Aakash Odedra will take advantage of Curve’s technical resources to develop his new evening-length work Murmuration, a fusion of dance and digital technology created in collaboration with Austrian company ARS Electronica Futurelab.
Metro-Boulot-Dodo’s first new project with Curve will be an installation commemorating the history of Curve as part of the fifth birthday open day on 7 September.
Esther Simpson, co-artistic director of Metro-Boulot-Dodo, said, “Over the next two years MBD will be making a number of arts projects which will be strengthened by this new relationship with the Curve building and the creative team that work within the organisation.
“MBD will tour locally, nationally and internationally and will proudly take the names of Metro-Boulot-Dodo and Curve around the world.”
New Art Club’s appointment as associate artists formalises a relationship that over the past two years has involved Curve’s supporting the duo’s work which fuses comedy and dance.
New Art Club founders Pete Shenton and Tom Roden commented, “It’s thrilling to know that our growing reputation in the unique place we have carved between comedy, dance and theatre practice, both internationally and here in the UK, will be underpinned and enhanced by our relationship with Curve.”