Company: MotionManual

Founded by Yorkshire based choreographer Manuela Berndt, MotionManual produces live dance performances that explore unconventional physicality, diverse body concepts and contemporary movement approaches.

We are an international collective of artists from different backgrounds who create small to mid scale touring productions at Yorkshire Dance in Leeds as well as at a range of regional venues and diverse residencies in Europe and overseas.

Our work is based on research and experimentation and reflects influences of different art forms, ideas, sounds and images. Reflecting on the world that surrounds us we challenge social conventions, aesthetics and creative processes.

We are committed to collective practice and devise work as an ensemble, placing great emphasis on personal contribution, individual physicality and cultural background of all collaborators involved. Alongside the artistic core we invite artists from diverse disciplines who contribute fresh ideas and influences to enrich our interdisciplinary performance work.

International artistic exchange and collaboration projects have created a truly evolving creative venture.

Current Collaborators:

Amy Butler (Dancer and performer)

Amy trained at London Metropolitan University and London Contemporary Dance School. She has worked with Diversity Dance, Highly Sprung Dance Company, Abalino Dance Theatre for Mar De Silvares Festival in Portugal and more recently with Jonathan Poole in Dean Clough Mills, Halifax.

Daliah Touré (Dancer and performer)

Daliah is from Austria/Guinea and trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She has worked with Hofesh Schechter, Rachel Dean, Kathinka Walter and with MotionManual for Corpus Impromptu 2008 and Corpus In Tone 2006.

Bobak Walker (Dancer and performer)

Originally a B-boy from Bristol, Bobak graduated from Northern School of Contemporary Dance in 2004. Pursuing his hip-hop and break dance practise he recently assisted Benji Reed for Dansopolis in Huddersfield and worked as a performer with Tom Roden, Gary Clarke, Beth Cassani and Lucy Suggate.

Dan Watson (Dancer and performer)

Dan graduated from Roehampton University and has been a core artist with StopGAP Dance Company for 7 years. Amongst the choreographers he has worked with are: Charlotte Eatock and Rachael Mossom (Henri Oguike Dance Company), Filip Van Huffel (Retina Dance Company), Bettina Strickler, Rob Tannion (Stan Won’t Dance), Luca Silvestrini (Protein Dance) and Hofesh Schechter.

Lucy Barker (Designer and Mixed Media Artist)

Lucy obtained a first class honours degree from Leeds College of Art and Design in 2005. She has worked for visual arts organisation Lumen on Evolution, Leeds International Film Festival and on several occasions for Instant Dissidence Dance Company as a filmmaker and graphic artist. Lucy has previously worked as a filmmaker and visual collaborator for Corpus Impromptu in 2008 and Corpus In Tone 2006.

Kathinka Walter (Dramaturge)

Kathinka is a German born dancer and choreographer. Based in Leeds she works in collaboration with various artists of different background, presenting her work in England and abroad. She has recently obtained an MA in Choreography from London School of Contemporary Dance and works as a lecturer in contemporary dance, choreography and improvisation. She has previously worked as a dramaturge with MotionManual for Corpus Impromptu in 2008.

Beth Cassani (Rehearsal Director)

Beth Cassani is an international choreographer and specialist teacher of improvisation, release-based techniques and choreographic processes. The Yorkshire based artist regularly teaches company class for Scottish Dance Theatre, Phoenix Dance Theatre and a range of British dance companies, as well as teaching choreography at York St John University. Furthermore she has created a series of works for her own company Cassani Dance working with some of Britains leading contemporary dancers and venues.

Marie Hallager Andersen (Company Manager)

Marie graduated from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, has worked for Manuela Berndt as a dancer and assistant choreographer in various projects, including British Dance Edition 2006 and in the 2008 ITV filming of ‘Wuthering Heights’. She performed with Ascendance Rep in their UK tour in 2006 and has over the past year been working at Opera North as a dance performer and aerialist.

Anne-Marie Logan (Coach/Consultant)

Originally graduating from the RAD, Anne-Marie has worked in the arts for over 20 years. She established several of her own ventures and managed a diverse range of companies from Common Lore Storytelling, to Jasmin Vardimon, before moving into coaching and management consultancy. This is the first time she has worked with MotionManual.