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 Hofesh Shechter and Alesandra Seutin.
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.
Hofesh Shechter OBE is recognised as one of the most exciting artists making stage work today.
Shechter was born in Jerusalem and studied at the Jerusalem Academy for Dance and Music, graduating into the Batsheva Dance Company. He studied drum and percussion in Tel Aviv and Paris and moved to the UK in 2002. His choreographic debut, Fragments (2003), led to a commission from The Place Prize to create Cult (2004, Audience Choice Award). Shechter was an Associate Artist of The Place 2004–06, receiving nominations for a Southbank Show Award and won the Critics’ Circle Award for Best Choreography (modern).
He formed the Hofesh Shechter Company in 2008. The company are resident at Brighton Dome and Shechter is an aossciate Artist of Sadler's Wells and artist-in-Residence of Gauthier Dance. Shechter's prolific works for the company include Uprising (2006), The Art of Not Looking Back (2009), Political Mother (2010), SHOW (2018) and Double Murder (2021).
Shechter has also worked as a choreographer in theatre, television and opera, with engagements including Simon Stephens’s Motortown (2006) and The Arsonists (2007) for the Royal Court, Saint Joan (2007) for the National Theatre and Fiddler on the Roof (2015) on broadway.
Hofesh Shechter Company
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 DanceBelow 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
