Post Number One of Many

Greetings from the Tavaziva Dance office, Sophie here, I am the new admin and marketing assistant for the company who started last week. I'm studying for a BA Hons in Dance and Culture at the University of Surrey and am currently on my placement year with the company. I will be updating the blog with news of the company, interviews, photos and tour information.

For starters here is a little biog about the company:


Tavaziva Dance was created by Zimbabwean-born founder artistic director Bawren Tavaziva in 2004 as a London-based UK touring repertory dance company “to explore new territories in combining the rich and diverse dance forms of Africa with a contemporary Western base”. In its first four years of existence 2004-2008, the company has flourished (thanks to its early impact, notably through The Place Prize 2004, and a three-year 2005-8 fixed-term funding agreement with Arts Council England) and has now established itself as a significant presence in the UK dance landscape, bringing Bawren Tavaziva’s unique artistic vision and inspiration to a growing national audience through touring performances, commissions, residencies and education workshops.

Originally operated as a project-funded, sole-trading activity, Tavaziva Dance was incorporated in March 2006 as a company limited by guarantee, and is now entering a further three-year phase of creative development 2008-2011, building on its achievements to date, and the continuing support of Arts Council England, confirmed in early 2008.

 Tavaziva Dance presents cutting-edge new work representing the diversity of Black British Dance, creating and presenting high quality dance and music productions for the small- to middle-scale, fusing African and contemporary dance and music styles, creating a unique dance theatre style, a fresh and vibrant theatrical and educational experience that is both entirely contemporary and deeply rooted in African cultures.

The heart of the company beats around the unique choreographic voice of Bawren Tavaziva, but as well as developing his choreographic skills and creativity through a touring repertory company of excellent dancers, Tavaziva Dance aims to invite guest choreographers, engage in collaborative and research work, and deliver high quality education and residency projects, reaching the widest possible audiences.

The company have recently moved to and taken up residency at the Bernie Grants Arts Centre in Haringey, this is a fabulous space with rehearsal studios and a spacious office for the management. The dancers are currently working hard at the Paddington Arts Centre on a new piece called Double Take which will be on tour from 21st January (tour dates coming soon). That's all from me at the moment!

Sophie.