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Henri Oguike



Over the past 11 years, Henri Oguike has become one of the most celebrated and exciting contemporary choreographers in Britain. Born in West Glamorgan, Nigerian/Welsh choreographer Henri Oguike studied music, drama and dance at Swansea College. He went on to train at the London Contemporary Dance School and danced with 4D, its postgraduate performance group. In 1994, he became a founder member of the Richard Alston Dance Company and danced with the Company until 1998. Later the same year, a snapped achilles tendon almost saw him bring his career to an end. On finding his focus, he formed Henri Oguike Dance Company in 1999 which quickly made an impact, picking up the Time Out Live Award for the ‘Most Outstanding New Company’ in 2001.

Henri Oguike Dance Company is a contemporary dance company based in London. Henri Oguike Dance Company tours extensively across the UK and abroad and delivers a comprehensive schedule of education/outreach projects. The Company has performed at major festivals of both dance and music including the Sintra Festival (Portugal), Dance Europa (Israel), Holland Dance Festival (Netherlands), Monaco Dance Forum (Monte Carlo) and the 75th Anniversary Season of Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (USA). Other international engagements have taken the Company to countries including Austria, China, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, and Syria.
There have also been some major collaborations in the Company’s history - with the Britten Sinfonia which premièred at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds (2005) and with the Portuguese Orquestra do Algarve which premièred at London’s Southbank Centre (2008).

Oguike has been dubbed one of the most musical choreographers of his generation. He has been drawn to a wide range of composers from Purcell and Scarlatti to Steve Martland and Ali Farka Toure. His adventurous spirit and passion for live music has seen him collaborate with internationally renowned musicians including Iain Ballamy, Pedro Carneiro and Taiko Meantime.
As well as impressing with his own Company, Oguike has been commissioned to make pieces for Phoenix Dance Theatre, Holland Dance Festival, Southbank Centre, Transitions Dance Company, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, two prestigious commissions from Portugal - Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contemporaneo and Companhia Nacional de Bailodo and most recently comissions from Rambert Dance Company and Ballet Black.

Henri was also the Artistic Director of National Youth Dance Wales from 2004 - 2007.
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Comments

R jose said…
Excellent achievements. I think it's high time u introduce some African element into your group especially Ndi Igbo heavy steps! I wish you a Merry Xmas and a happy new year in advance.
26 December 2010 at 09:36
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