Following our open call, we’re delighted to announce the three movement directors who will take part in our LIFT Mentorship Programme with Associate Artist Jenni Jackson.
Box of Tricks’ LIFT programme provides bespoke mentoring to three early-career Northern movement directors through our PlayMakers Offstage programme – an initiative designed to transform the landscape for offstage artists across the North of England. LIFT will be led by Box of Tricks’ Associate Artist Jenni Jackson and will run from February-May 2024. Find out more here.
Louiseanne Wong
Louiseanne (she/they) is a non-binary movement artist, choreographer and coach with Esprit Concrete. Born in Hong Kong, they studied music and dance in HK, UK and LA. Fusing dance, circus, parkour and l’art du deplacement they map themself in space, searching for authentic connections with themself and audiences. They have a wide understanding of the body in both athletic and artistic contexts, viewing the body as non-gender, holding a humanistic lens to the communities they meet. Their performance and coaching work revolves around storytelling, identity and empowerment, aiming to encourage others to share their own untold stories.
They have worked in various multidisciplinary shows indoors and outdoors around the world, including Free Your Mind (world premier launch of Manchester’s Factory International), Marinella Senatore (feminist inclusive luminarie exhibitions celebrating Les 20 ans du Palais de Tokyo, Paris), Upswing UK (European Short Film Festival award winner) and Imagineer’s Bridge (BBC feature), Blame Game (Kundle Cru x Crying Out Loud). Presented work in progress creations I Am. Am I, Not Dainty, You’re On Mute, various support from The Lowry Artist Development Program, HOMEmcr, New Earth Academy+, Resolution Festival ’24. Coaching credits include Scarabeus’ Take Flight, Royal Academy of Dance dancers, Mountview, Central School of Speech and Drama Applied Theatre MA students.
Lucy Starkey
Lucy has a well-established movement-based practice. Her work as a performer, dancer and choreographer has seen her connect with audiences across the UK and internationally. She has a passion for narrative driven work, the stories that surround us and environments we inhabit.
Lucy’s choreographic credits under Lucy Starkey Dances include ‘Spacewalk,’ ‘Into Our Skies: The Show,’ and a series of films for the award winning ‘Into Our Skies: Space in Schools’ in collaboration with University of Central Lancashire.
As a dancer and performer, Lucy has worked with companies including: Casson&Friends, Made by Katie Green, About Time Dance Company, MakeAmplify, Moxie Brawl, Opera North, English National Opera. Lucy’s diverse career has seen her collaborate on projects across a range of contexts, from the stage to outdoor street art festivals, video, caves, woodland, nuclear bunkers, and Lancashire cotton mills.
Lucy graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2009 and was a member of NSCD’s Verve 2010. She is delighted to join the LIFT mentorship programme for movement directors.
Bobak Champion
Bobak is an established, choreographer, theatre maker and dancer. He has worked for over 20 years across commercial, community and professional settings. His most recent critically acclaimed show – ‘I’m Muslamic Don’t Panik’ has garnered positive attention across the UK. Bobak enjoys working with performers from a wide range of backgrounds, to help them reach their creative potential. He has facilitated movement work and choreography with established models, musicians and youth theatre companies and is looking forward to developing and refining his practise with actors.
Bobak is trained in both contemporary and hip-hop dance styles and has a particular interest in work that challenges a media culture which dehumanises Muslims and those from the middle east.
