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New Adventures Choreographer Award Application Advice with James Cousins

Original post

30/07/13 by IdeasTap Spa - Advice & Events in IdeasTap Spa

Award-winning choreographer Matthew Bourne and his company New Adventures are looking for the UK’s next big choreography talent. The prize? The opportunity to create a showcase of new work in 2014, and to be mentored by Bourne himself. Plus, his world-class team of judges will provide further mentoring, opportunities and support in the 12 months leading up to the showcase. It gets even better: approximately £40,000 will be available to fund the project.

James Cousins, winner of the New Adventures Choreographer Award 2012 is hosting an online forum to answer any questions you may have about this opportunity, the application process and his experiences as a dancer and choreographer before and since.

Post a question now or during the forum which is due to take place on Wednesday 7th August between 1pm and 2pm.

About James

James grew up in Newbury, Berkshire. After early training with Kylie Appleby and Sue Llewellyn, he went on to train at London Contemporary Dance School, where he was awarded the Robert Cohan Award for most promising dance artist.

Upon graduating in 2010, James joined the cast of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake for an international tour, including a four week run at the New York City Centre, and also appeared in the 3D film version of the show. He has also worked internationally as a freelance dancer and still juggles projects around his choreographic work.

As a choreographer James has created works Edge, Verve, Scottish Ballet and National Ballet of Chile as well for his own company. Described by Matthew Bourne as ‘one of the UK’s most promising choreographic talents’, James was the winner of the inaugural New Adventures Choreographer Award where his work was critically acclaimed as ‘outstanding’, ‘visually breath-taking’ and ‘pumped full of invention’ at a sold out performance in September 2012 at Sadler’s Wells, London. His duet ‘There We Have Been’ continues to tour internationally to critical acclaim and will be performed at this years Edinburgh Fringe as part of the British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2013.

James was recently recognised by Time Out magazine as one of the future faces of dance and is also an Associate Artist at DanceEast and a Work Place artist at The Place.

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  • 07/08/13 The IdeasTap Team said:

    Question from Twitter:

    "How much professional experience did you have when you applied for the award? How established do you need to be to apply?"

  • 07/08/13 carmenhayes said:

    Hiya James,

    I was wondering did you have to give up work to do the scheme - did you get lots of contact time with Matthew Bourne? I currently work to support myself and so was wondering how this worked during the mentoring programme. 

    how did you spend the £40000? Had you worked with a budget like that before and did you have a producer to help you? Did you have a clear idea of what you were going to do for the showcase? My experience is mainly as a dancer and as a choreographer, I have normally worked with a producer on shows, so I don't have much experience of budgets myself. Is this OK?

    Thanks, 
    Carmen 

  • 07/08/13 IdeasTap Spa - Advice & Events said:

    Hello there.

    James has literally just flown back into thw country and is at the airport securing a wifi connection, so there may be a delay in responses. If this is not possible then please still post your question and James will answer them as soon as he's able to.

     

     

  • 07/08/13 James Cousins said:

    PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE BEFORE THE AWARD...

    I had only been graduated from London Contemporary Dance School for one year when I won the award. In that time I had toured internationally with Swan Lake and performed as a freelance dancer. I had also created a piece for Resolution! at The Place. 

    Everyone on the shortlist though had such different experience - don't let it hold you back from applying. It's all about your ambition and ideas. Go fot it!

  • 07/08/13 Siana Peters said:

    In terms of filming your performance and self, any tips or advice? How do you think this part of the application should be approached? Is it important to come across as confident as possible?

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