The Place (London)
This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| The Place (London) | |
|---|---|
.png) | |
| Name | The Place |
| Caption | Entrance to The Place, London |
| Type | Dance centre |
| Location | London, England |
| Established | 1969 |
The Place (London) The Place is a London-based centre for contemporary dance, home to performance venues, rehearsal studios, and a conservatoire. The organisation links to institutions such as Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Central Saint Martins, Sadler's Wells Theatre and collaborates with companies like Random Dance, Rambert, Wayne McGregor’s company and Siobhan Davies Dance. The Place operates within cultural networks including Arts Council England, British Council, Mayor of London initiatives and international festivals such as Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Venice Biennale.
History
The Place was founded in 1969 during a period shaped by figures associated with Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, John Cage, William Forsythe and institutions such as American Dance Festival. Early developments involved links with Royal Ballet School, London School of Contemporary Dance and municipal projects funded through Greater London Council. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s The Place intersected with companies including Siobhan Davies Dance, DV8 Physical Theatre, Scottish Ballet and choreographers tied to Jerome Robbins, Pina Bausch and Alvin Ailey. In the 1990s and 2000s restructuring connected The Place to initiatives by Arts Council England, collaborations with National Dance Agency and partnerships with venues like Barbican Centre, Royal Opera House and Shakespeare's Globe. Recent decades saw programming involving Wayne McGregor, Akram Khan, Sylvie Guillem and cross-disciplinary projects with Royal College of Art, University College London and Goldsmiths, University of London.
Architecture and Facilities
The Place occupies purpose-designed spaces proximate to Euston Road, Bloomsbury and transport nodes such as Euston Square tube station and King's Cross St Pancras. Facilities include multiple theatres, studios and technical resources comparable to those at Sadler's Wells, Royal Opera House and Barbican Centre. The building programme engaged architects alongside consultants linked to projects at Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum and Southbank Centre. The venue houses sprung floors, lighting rigs and sound systems used by companies like Rambert, RIVERSIDE STUDIOS and National Theatre. Backstage infrastructure supports residencies with international partners including Staatsballett Berlin, Paris Opera Ballet and New York City Ballet.
Dance and Education Programs
The Place runs a conservatoire accredited with bodies such as Higher Education Funding Council for England and collaborates with providers including Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Royal Academy of Dance and City, University of London. Courses range from vocational training influenced by methodologies of Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, William Forsythe, José Limón and Rudolf Laban. Programs include short courses, workshops, research partnerships with Goldsmiths, University of London and professional development aligned with funding from Arts Council England and exchanges via British Council. The Place also hosts mentorships, graduate showcases and commissioning schemes connected to festivals like Prague Q Festival and venues such as Sadler's Wells.
Performances and Resident Companies
The Place programmes contemporary choreography by artists linked to Wayne McGregor, Akram Khan, Siobhan Davies, Richard Alston, Matthew Bourne and Michael Clark. Resident companies and collectives associated with The Place have included Siobhan Davies Dance, Random Dance, Richard Alston Dance Company and independent artists who have presented works at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Sadler's Wells and international arenas like Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and Venice Biennale. The performance season features premieres, touring productions and collaborative projects with ensembles such as London Contemporary Orchestra and production partners like National Theatre and Barbican Centre.
Outreach and Community Engagement
Community initiatives at The Place align with partners including Arts Council England, British Council, Mayor of London cultural programmes and local authorities such as Camden London Borough Council and Islington London Borough Council. Outreach includes youth projects connected to Youth Dance England, participatory programmes with NHS wellbeing services and collaborations with charities like Chance to Dance and education providers such as City of London School. International exchange programmes have linked The Place to organisations including DanceEast, Dance Ireland and cultural institutes like Institut Francais.
Notable Alumni and Staff
Alumni and staff associated with The Place include choreographers and performers connected to Wayne McGregor, Akram Khan, Siobhan Davies, Richard Alston, DV8 Physical Theatre, Matthew Bourne, Michael Clark, Jirí Kylián, Pina Bausch, William Forsythe, Trisha Brown, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Christopher Bruce, Bebe Miller, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Crystal Pite. Educators and administrators who have worked at The Place have links to institutions such as Trinity Laban, Royal Academy of Dance and funding bodies like Arts Council England.
Awards and Recognition
The Place and its affiliates have received accolades tied to recipients of Laurence Olivier Award, Southbank Sky Arts Awards, Equity Awards, Critics' Circle National Dance Awards and recognition from Arts Council England and the British Council. Companies and alumni have been nominated for and won awards at festivals including Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Benois de la Danse and international prize circuits involving Venice Biennale and Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
Category:Dance in London Category:Performing arts centres in London