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Related events
BSL-interpreted performance, Fri 20 Sep
Take a look at our Accessible Events page to find out more about the accessibility of our venues.
Music to Move to: Open Level Dance Workshop with Clod Ensemble, Sat 14 Sep
Suitable for all levels of experience. This workshop is for adults.
Moving Music
by Suzy Willson and Paul Clark, Artistic Directors, Clod Ensemble
The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady is Charles Mingus’ big band masterpiece; a wildly sensual, rhythmically explosive work, which consistently ranks highly on lists of the best albums of all time.
Mingus developed The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady in 1963, putting together a bespoke 11-piece band which played nightly at the Village Vanguard in New York for a six-week stint. It is a composition which was ahead of its time – remarkable in reaching into so many different corners of the musical landscape while remaining a coherent long-form composition. It is a work that is brilliantly difficult to categorise.
Mingus was musically voracious, and in Black Saint you can hear the expansive palette he had at his disposal: of course the music of the big band tradition, but also the cutting-edge jazz and experimental music of the 1960s, South American music, waltzes, hard-edged blues, 20th-century classical music and Flamenco.
Many commentators have noted the uncanny sibling relationship between the album and Stravinsky’s ballet score, The Rite of Spring. Both musicians tapped into a music that somehow seems to look forward and backward at the same time – confidently mashing up primal rhythms and simple folk melodies with crunching modernism and unfettered flights of imagination. But perhaps the biggest resemblance is that these pieces were made to be danced to. Mingus himself never got to experience Black Saint as a dance piece.
When Music Director Peter Edwards lovingly transcribed Black Saint by ear, he left room, as Mingus did, for improvised passages by his virtuoso soloists. In our production, the dancers mirror this structure, blending choreographed sections, improvised solos and invitations for the audience to take to the dance floor and become part of the choreography itself.
Clod Ensemble’s work has always been based on the idea that if you move to music, you can listen to it differently, and experience it more fully. Just as Black Saint celebrates Mingus’ deep immersion in music from across history and across the world, our production draws on the different contemporary languages and experiences that the dancers, and audience, already have in their bodies.
The thrilling musical journey that Mingus guides us through is rich with joy, sorrow, desire, resistance and grace. And perhaps, as we move together on the dance floor, we can feel all these things in our bones – inspiring us to listen, to sense, to respect each other and to love.
‘I say, let my children have music... For God’s sake, rid this society of some of the noise so that those who have ears will be able to use them some place listening to good music.’ Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus
Composer
Charles Mingus (1922-1979) was a towering figure of contemporary music in the 20th century, whose body of work continues to influence musicians across genres. As a bassist, composer, bandleader, pianist, author and activist he was at the heart of three decades of jazz music, working with giants of the genre including Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Eric Dolphy, and creating a unique musical language using both composed and collectively improvised material.
From jazz trios to a work for a 30-piece orchestra, his discography includes some of the most popular and critically acclaimed albums in jazz, including Blues and Roots, The Clown and Ah Um.
Chloe Carterr
Host
Chloe Carterr is a leading spoken-word artist, known for her transformative writing and captivating performances. She has headlined major shows and been featured in high-profile campaigns. Chloe Carterr co-founded Underground Barz, an event that revolutionised the poetry scene with fresh, authentic voices. Beyond poetry, she is a YouTuber, content creator, visual artist, FLO poet and model.
Arran Green
Dancer
London-based artist Arran Green specialises in movement direction and dance education. With a background in Capoeira and Breaking, he developed a unique approach to dance rooted in community. A former member of the National Youth Dance Company, he has performed with Southpaw, Fubu Nation and starred in Avant Garde’s Fagin’s Twist. Arran Green is also an associate company member of Rubberband, Montreal. Currently, he is a lead lecturer at both Rambert and the London Contemporary Dance School, sharing his experience in ground-based practices and representing pedagogy at the highest level.
Faye Stoeser
Dancer
Faye Stoeser trained at London Studio Centre before joining Rambert 2, where she completed her MA. Her work includes performances with Rambert, Ohad Naharin, Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Richard Chappell Dance, Agudo Dance Company, Paraorchestra, Julia Cheung and Dickson Mbi. Commercially, she has worked with the BBC, Universal, Years & Years, Kylie Minogue and Sam Smith. Faye Stoeser is also the co-Artistic Director of Ekleido, alongside Hannah Ekholm, touring works to venues and festivals such as The Place, DanceEast, Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells, Glastonbury and Latitude. She also participates in the Ballroom scene, specialising in New Way Voguing as part of The House of Revlon.
Fukiko Takase
Dancer
Fukiko Takase is a versatile contemporary dance artist known for her work as a performer, choreographer and teacher. She collaborates with multidisciplinary artists worldwide, focusing on bridging the UK and Japanese dance scenes. Her extensive UK career includes working with Henri Oguike Dance Company, Company Wayne McGregor and Akram Khan Company. Notable appearances include Thom Yorke’s ‘Ingenue’ video, and a range of commercials. Fukiko Takase has choreographed for Daniel Brandt and Hikaru Utada, joining Utada's 2018 Japan tour. In 2022, she became an Honorary Professor at Shikoku University. Her celebrated work 1001, in collaboration with Dustin O'Hallaran, will tour the USA in 2025.
Kenny Wing Tao Ho
Dancer
Kenny Wing Tao Ho is a London-based choreographer and dance artist. Born in Mansfield, he began as a breakdancer before studying at London Contemporary Dance School. He started his career with Akram Khan at the 2012 London Olympics and has since worked with Protein Dance, Hofesh Shechter Company and Gecko Theatre. Kenny Wing Tao Ho is currently touring in the production Kin with Gecko Theatre and performs with Clod Ensemble. As a choreographer, he created Flowers of Ruin at the GBA Festival in China, the duet Arrival, and is developing his solo work Innocence Lost.
Maycie-Ann St-Louis
Dancer
Maycie-Ann St-Louis started out as a track athlete, developing body control and precision, a background which helped in her transition to dance at the age of 15. Her early involvement in talent shows and musical performances highlighted her creative potential, and she was awarded for her artistic talents in school. Having developed a strong creative identity in Montréal, she relocated to London during the pandemic. Now a movement artist, she combines dance, modelling and movement direction, inspiring others through her expertise in body movement and artistic expression.
Rachele Rapisardi
Dancer
Rachele Rapisardi is a London-based dance artist and mother of two children, with over ten years of professional experience across the UK and Europe. She has collaborated as a performer, teacher and rehearsal director with companies such as Clod Ensemble, Protein Dance, Lost Dog, Hofesh Shechter and Russel Maliphant, among others. Committed to community engagement, she works with a wide range of groups, from children to vulnerable adults, fostering creativity through dance and movement. In addition to her practice, she actively pursues interdisciplinary collaborations with visual artists and musicians, enriching her artistic approach.
Valerie Ebuwa
Dancer
Valerie Uchechukwu Ebuwa is a London-based choreographer, dance artist, activist, writer, model and mediator. She trained at Lewisham College and holds a BA Hons from London Contemporary Dance School. She has worked with Clod Ensemble, Jamie xx, Marina Abramovic and The Opera Story. Valerie Ebuwa created ValUE, a multimedia project on the history of the Black female body, and performed at the London Festival of Architecture at Brixton Market Row. She writes for I Am Hip Hop magazine, with her work featured in Crack Magazine, i-D, The Glass Magazine, The Earth Issue and Stylist magazine.
Zoë Bywater
Dancer
Zoë Bywater is a trained actor who has performed at venues including York Theatre Royal, Sadler’s Wells, The Gate and the V&A. She has worked with Clod Ensemble for over 30 years and toured with the English Shakespeare Company. Her puppetry work includes productions with Blind Summit and The Mouse Queen, which transferred to Broadway. On TV, Zoë Bywater has appeared in Dead Ringers, Peak Practice, and The Human Zoo with Ricky Gervais. She has directed works at The Bridewell, the Young Vic, and ACT Brighton, and teaches movement, clowning, puppetry and Vinyasa yoga.
Suzy Willson
Director / Choreographer
Suzy Willson, CEO and Co-Artistic Director of Clod Ensemble, is a multi-award-winning British choreographer and director. Over nearly three decades, she has created an extraordinary body of work that pushes the boundaries of choreographic practice. Her provocative and finely crafted productions, such as Silver Swan at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall or Red Ladies performed across an entire city, often encourage audiences to view familiar environments from new perspectives. In 2006, she founded the Performing Medicine initiative to help healthcare professionals and policy makers appreciate the non-verbal and spatial aspects of care. Suzy Willson regularly contributes to journals and books, including Dance Theatre Journal, the Guardian, The Lancet, Performance Research (Routledge) and publications for Methuen.
Gary Crosby
Artistic Director, Nu Civilisation Orchestra / Bass
Gary Crosby OBE is a jazz bassist, arranger and educator. As Co-Founder and Artistic Director of acclaimed jazz development organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors, he has helped change the musical landscape of Britain, nurturing the artists Nubya Garcia, Moses Boyd, Cassie Kinoshi, the Mercury Prize-winning EZRA Collective and more.
An inspirational bandleader, Gary Crosby’s varied projects number Nu Troop, Groundation, Jazz Jamaica and jazz Jamaica All Stars, and he has collaborated with a multitude of artists including Courtney Pine, Steve Williamson, Gary Bartz, Earnest Ranglin, Marlena Shaw and many more. A recipient of numerous honours, he was presented with an OBE for Services to Music in 2009 and became the first jazz musician to receive the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2018.
Peter Edwards
Music Director / Piano / Composer
Pianist and composer, Peter Edwards is the Musical Director of Nu Civilisation Orchestra. Noted by the Guardian for his ‘guileless, soulful, emphatic music’, he has collaborated with artists including Courtney Pine, Mica Paris and Zara McFarlane.
In 2017, Peter Edwards was commissioned to compose for the New Music Biennial and created a live score for the 1926 silent film Body and Soul as part of the British Film Institute and Blackstar Season. In October 2022, he was selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Mercury Studios for the Jonas Gwangwa Music Composition Initiative, a career development programme for Black British film composers.
Paul Clark
Composer
Paul Clark is a multi-award-winning musician. As Co-Artistic Director of Clod Ensemble, he has written acclaimed scores for all of the company’s productions, exploring the intersections of diverse musical genres, from acoustic compositions to multi-speaker installations. He has scored over 100 dance, opera and theatre productions, both in the UK and internationally, including for the Lincoln Center, Berlin Schaubühne and the Barbican. He has collaborated with a huge range of artists, from Renée Fleming, Welsh National Opera, Danger Mouse and Mark E. Smith to Katie Mitchell, Will Tuckett, David Sedaris and 59 Productions. A strong advocate for music education, he founded Ear Opener, an in-school project and a popular YouTube channel for music creators. earopener.co.uk
Romarna Campbell
Composer
Romarna Campbell, an Olivier Award-winning composer, dynamic drummer and innovative music educator from Birmingham, is now based in London. With a career spanning continents, she has drummed for Fever Ray, Benjamin Clementine and Courtney Pine, performing at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House. A Berklee College of Music alumna and mentor, Romarna Campbell leads the Frontline Ensemble with Tomorrow’s Warriors and has composed for the National Youth Theatre’s The Ancestors and the 2023 Bush Theatre production, Sleepova. Shortlisted for the jazz Composition 2024 Arts Foundation Futures Awards, she also has worked with Netflix, Amazon and Meta. Her mission is to inspire the next generation of diverse musicians through her teaching and creative work.
Hansjörg Schmidt
Lighting Designer
Hansjörg Schmidt is a lighting designer working with UK-based artists and theatre companies. He is the Deputy Director of Production Arts at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, having previously led lighting courses at Rose Bruford College from 2010 to 2023. Recent designs include Showdown for Upswing; Shooting Hedda Gabler at the Rose Theatre, Kingston; and Dido and Aeneas at Stormen in Norway. Passionate about access to education, Hansjörg Schmidt regularly collaborates on projects promoting knowledge exchange and creative arts careers. He is a member of Stage Sight and a Performer in Residence at the Imperial College / Royal College of Music Centre for Performance Studies.
Sarah Blenkinsop
Set Designer
Sarah Blenkinsop has a wealth of experience across theatre, film and TV. She has been a regular collaborator with Clod Ensemble, designing a variety of shows over the years from their first show, The Feast During the Plague, at Battersea Arts Centre to On the High Road at the Southbank Centre. Other theatre work includes Katie Mitchell’s 2017 staging of Alice Birch’s Anatomy of a Suicide at the Royal Court. Recent film costume design work includes the feature film All of Us Strangers directed by Andrew Haigh, and the upcoming feature The Assessment, directed by Fleur Fortune, which premiered at this year’s TIFF Film festival. Sarah Blenkinsop was awarded Best Costume Design at the European Film Awards for her work on The Lobster, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Marianthi Hatzikidi
Costume Designer
Marianthi Hatzikidi is a London- and Athens-based costume designer and creative director. She is part of the femme art collective at Stoa42 in Athens and an Associate Lecturer at London College of Fashion, UAL. With a background in Fine Arts, History and Costume Design, she creates visual content for fashion, screen and stage, incorporating heritage and cultural diversity. Marianthi Hatzikidi promotes fashion sustainability and upcycling, collaborating with brands like Burberry, Gucci and Vivienne Westwood. She has exhibited work in galleries in London, Paris and Athens.
Claire Cunningham
Rehearsal Director
Claire Cunningham has been involved in over 50 dance and performance productions since 1995, initially working as a dancer and rehearsal director for artists such as Wayne McGregor, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Theatre-Rites and Clod Ensemble. She maintains a teaching practice and has made a significant contribution to health and wellbeing for dancers in company, studio and higher education settings. In 2010, Claire Cunningham moved into producing and programming for organisations like Nottingham Lakeside Arts, Sadler’s Wells, Agudo Dance Company, Clod Ensemble and Akram Khan Company. Her work fosters curiosity, offers diverse perspectives, and creates a meaningful social impact.
Roxanne Peak-Payne
Executive Producer
Roxanne Peak-Payne is Executive Director of Clod Ensemble, working with the Artistic Directors to shape and deliver Clod Ensemble’s artistic programme across live performances, public events and participation. She has produced all of Clod Ensemble’s shows over the last eight years. She has worked across the live arts sector for over 15 years, collaborating with artists, audiences and communities to create socially resonant, bold, award-winning programmes and public artworks. Her previous roles include working with venues and independent organisations such as Fuel, the Old Vic, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Tobacco Factory, Battersea Arts Centre, OperaUpClose and 14-18 NOW.
