reta Gauhe
Choreographer, Dancer, Producer, Researcher
Devising dance is the most democratic and is characterised by sharing of leadership, authorship in a group and ownership. Thus, this form of collaboration process has deeply influenced my own way of wanting to relate to my dancers. This idea of collaborating and choreographing based on the sharing of ownership was always at the core of my practice. For me, collaboration is a process that requires the presence of connectedness and a desire to develop mutual learning as well as a need to empower one another.
For my first iteration of my intended work I began to work with three performers: Marta Stepien, Flavien Cornilleau and Hannah Adams. By working with performers I have previously collaborated with, this established trust provided the platform for the touch and intimate encounters the work needed.
For the second phase of my research, Natalie Sloth Richter and Johanna Merceron joined our process. Unfortunately Marta Stepien had to leave the UK and wasn't able to perform my work anymore, however her voice recordings and contributions during phase 1 were still included and much appreciated.
I am very thankful for everyone's contributions, commitment and willingness to collaborate. I couldn't have done it without these fantastic, professional dancers, our wonderful composer Andy Trewren and our creative filmmaker Emily Romain.
Please find the biographies of all of my collaborators below.
Flavien Cornilleau
Flavien is a French-born, London-based actor and dancer. Introduced to dance through the world of theatre, Flavien has work for more than 15 years as an actor under the direction of stage directors such as Laura Bazalgette, Frederic Maragnani, Iris Gaillard and Louise Pasteau. His work has lead him to act in plays in public theatres around France, as well as internationally in Canada and the Netherlands. Flavien has participated in various short movies; notably one where Flavien starred was selected into “Les Rencontres Internationalles” festival and presented later in Paris and Berlin.
In 2013, Flavien decided to embark on a new adventure and begin training in contemporary dance. He recently graduated with merit from a Master’s Degree at London Contemporary Dance School and has worked with choreographers such as Greta Gauhe, Wilhelmina Ojanen, Pepa Ubera, XinXin Song and Erena Reilent. Alongside performing, Flavien is interested in film-making and choreography. His interests delves into the reality and the representation of it, what can flex and distort the vision we have of the world surrounding us.
Hannah Adams
Hannah is a dancer, originating from Yorkshire, who’s technique is the product of a mixed bag of training; from her place on the CAT scheme at NSCD, foundation in dance from London Studio Centre and BAHons in dance from Coventry University to her current vocation of MA DAP at LCDS. During her career thus far Hannah has had the opportunity to work with numerous current artists, such as: Pablo Bronstein, Florence Peake & Eve Stainton, Thomas Goodwin, Katie Coe and Flora Wellesley Wesley.
Hannah’s current choreographic interests lie within the expression of sociocultural issues and the possibility of exploring these topics through dance and installation art. Hannah has a particular interest in issues surrounding feminism and bodily integrity, and the relationship between this and the moving body of a dance artist.
Johanna Merceron
Johanna Merceron is a French dance artist based in London, she trained in contemporary dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She has performed in works by Matthias Sperling, Shobana Jeyasingh, La Cavale Dance Company, Rui Xu, IJAD Dance Company, BitterSuite Company, as well as dancing for a range of research and performance works by emerging artists through residencies (such as Lake Studios in Berlin and SE.S.TA in Prague), festivals and platforms (more recently in pieces by Natalie Sloth Richter and Victoria Rucinska for Resolution at The Place) across the UK and Europe. Johanna also facilitates performing arts workshops through her company work as well as for Moving Waves, an organisation working with institutions such as care homes, community centres, hospitals and schools.
Emily Romain
Emily is a London-based choreographer and screendance maker. Growing up, Emily trained in ballet, modern, jazz, tap and contemporary dance and regularly competed at national level. Whilst studying Classics at Oxford University, Emily first ventured into choreography, focusing on musical theatre and contemporary dance. From 2012 – 2014 she was the artistic director of Dream Again Dance Company, for whom she conceived and choreographed several full-length dance productions. Emily has created screendance works for music artists including Zayn and Kara Marni, amassing over 2 million views, as well as for film festival submission. Emily has recently completed an MA in Screendance at London Contemporary Dance School, through which she has furthered developed her practise as a screendance maker, particularly focusing on the editing of dance on film. Emily has a particular interest in narrowing the gap between mainstream pop culture and the contemporary dance world and her work engages with both.
Natalie Sloth Richter
Originally from Denmark, Natalie completed her studies in 2015 at Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance, earning a 1:1 BA (hons) in Contemporary Dance.
As a dancer and choreographer, highlights include performing for multi-sensory company BitterSuite at venues like Brooklyn Academy of Music, Royal Opera House and Roundhouse as well as touring her own choreographic work to venues and festivals in Spain, Norway, Denmark and England. Her most recent choreographic work is due to tour as part of the Arts Council funded double bill SMACK & Spektakel in UK, 2021.
Natalie is passionate about inclusive movement practice and has been facilitating inclusive movement workshops in Denmark, Belgium, Italy and Sri Lanka and for several UK organisations incl. The Wellcome Hub, Institute of Imagination, Vault Festival and Jackson’s Lane.
She is currently holding the position of Co-Artistic Director for the inclusive theatre company Angel Shed.
She has been working with Greta Gauhe and Follow Through Collective on various projects since 2017.
Andy Trewren
Andy is a UK-born, London-based composer and artist. He began learning guitar and piano at a young age, before developing a keen interest in classical composition. In 2016, he began studying composition at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. This is where he first started writing and developing sound art, the artistic discipline which uses sound as both the art’s main medium and its subject. Over the next 4 years completing his BMus (Hons), Andy would experiment in soundscapes, conceptualism, kinetic sound sculpture and interactive installation. He also found a passion for graphic scoring and began studying painting and drawing to further enhance his graphic scoring techniques.
In 2019, Andy joined the Follow Through Collective, composing for performances such as NOWhere and Click & Collect. Now, he continues to work with the collective on their upcoming projects, as well as developing his own work in art, graphic scoring and sound art installations.
Sophie Ruth Donaldson
Sophie is a Costume Designer and Maker who has worked both in the UK and internationally for the past 10 years. She trained in Performance Costume at Edinburgh College of Art and Experimental & Explorative Patternmaking at Central Saint Martins. In 2015 her costume designs were chosen to represent the UK at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design & Space.
Previous dance credits include 'Nobody' and 'Starchitects' Motionhouse, 'Rubby Sucky Forge' Eve Stainton, 'Helm' and 'I'll See It When I Believe It' Theo Clinkard, 'Impending' Florence Peake & Eve Stainton, 'Stunners' Tamar & Jo, 'Honey' Leila McMillan & 'Koottam' Saju Hari.