Shobana Jeyasingh CBE (born 26 March 1957 in Chennai) is a British choreographer and founder of Shobana Jeyasingh Dance.[1]

Shobana Jeyasingh has been creating dance works for 30 years. Born in Chennai, India, she currently lives and works in London. Her acclaimed, highly individual work has been witnessed in all kinds of venues, including theatres, outdoor and indoor sites and on film. Her work taps into both the intellectual and physical power of dance, and is rooted in her particular vision of culture and society.

Shobana’s work is often enriched by specially commissioned music composed by an array of contemporary composers — from Michael Nyman to beat-boxer Shlomo. Her collaborators have included filmmakers, mathematicians, digital designers, writers, animators, as well as lighting and set designers.

Shobana has also made a significant contribution to dance in the UK and internationally through her published writings, papers, panel presentations and broadcast interviews.

Work and awards

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Jeyasingh has produced more than 50 dance works.

She states that her work is rooted in her experiences as a British Asian and explores the conflicts between diverse personal and cultural origins. Her choreography draws upon various sources, including Ballet, Bharatnatyam and contemporary dance.

Jeyasingh was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1995 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours,[2] both for services to dance.

She holds an honorary MA from Surrey University, an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University, and is a research associate at Middlesex University’s Research Centre for the Performing arts. In 2005 Jeyasingh was the recipient of a NESTA Dream Time Fellowship. In 2008 she was named Asian Woman of Achievement for her contribution to Britain’s cultural life.

Complete list of works

2022 Clorinda Agonistes (Clorinda the Warrior) Commissioned by Sadler's Wells and supported by PRS Foundation for Music
2019 Staging Schiele Commissioned by Southbank Centre and supported by DanceEast
2018 Contagion Commissioned by 14-18 NOW and supported by Wellcome Trust (restaged 2020)
2017 Bayadère – The Ninth Life Re-staging at Sadler's Wells, London
2017 Material Men redux (restaged 2020)
2016 études
2016 Outlander Commissioned by the Fondazione Giorgio Cini and a special event for Venice Biennale Danza 2016
2015 Material Men Commissioned by Southbank Centre
2015 Trespass R&D Collaboration with academics from the Department of Informatics, Faculty of Natural & Mathematical Sciences at King’s College London and The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
2015 Bayadère – The Ninth Life Commissioned by The Royal Ballet Studio Programme
2014 In Flagrante Commissioned by Artakt, University of the Arts London
2013 Translocations Part of the Knowledge Producers programme, Cultural Institute at King’s
2013 Strange Blooms Commissioned by Southbank Centre
2012 TooMortal Dance Umbrella, Venice Biennale, Dansens Hus Stockholm, BITEF Belgrade, London 2012 Festival
2012 Configurations Part of Classic Cut Double Bill
2012 Dev Kahan Hai? / Where is Dev? Part of Classic Cut Double Bill
2010 Counterpoint Somerset House and English National Ballet for Big Dance 2010, Broadcast in 3D by Sky Arts
2010 Bruise Blood
2009 Just Add Water? City of London Festival for Steps of St Paul’s Cathedral
2008 2Step
2007 Faultline
2007 The Dancer’s Cut
2007 Exit No Exit
2005 Transtep 2
2005 Flicker
2004 Transtep Including choreography by Lisa Torun, Filip Van Huffel and Rashpal Singh Bansal
2004 4Squares Mayor of London for Diwali in London in Trafalgar Square
2004 Foliage Chorus ArtsDepot, London
2003 Café Event Waterman’’s Arts Centre
2003 Curve Chameleon Greater London Assembly
2002 [h]Interland
2002 Phantasmaton
2001 Web
2000 Surface Tension
1999 Fine Frenzy
1999 Memory and Other Props
1998 Intertense Choreographed by Wayne McGregor
1998 Intimacies of the Third Order
1997 Astral Shadows Choreographed by Laurie Booth
1996 Palimpsest
1996 The Bird and the Wind
1995 Raid Broadcast by BBC
1993 Delicious Arbour Choreographed by Richard Alston
1993 Duets with Automobiles Commissioned by Arts Council England and BBC
1993 Romance… …with Footnotes
1992 Making of Maps
1991 Speaking of Sakti Part of New Cities Ancient Lands Triple Bill Choreographed by Chandralekha
1991 Late Part of New Cities Ancient Lands Triple Bill
1991 Byzantium Part of New Cities Ancient Lands Triple Bill
1990 Correspondences
1989 Defilé
1988 Configurations
Commissions
2017 Here Company of Elders
2014 Terra Incognita Rambert
2009 Detritus Beijing Dance Academy
2008 Breach Ballet Black
2006 City:zen Hong Kong co-choreography with Mui Cheuk-yin
2005 Pop Idle Ricochet Dance Company – Move Me Dance Booth
2004 Debris Anurekha Ghosh Dance Company
2003 Triptych Self Canasia Dance Festival, Canada
2003 Neon Dream Sonia Sabri Dance Company
2003 Polar Sequences Random Dance Company
2002 Curve Twist Gaze Sonia Sabri Dance Company
University & College Commissions
2016 Dance Beneath MapDance, University of Chichester
2009 Re:Mix Laban CAT
2008 Body Talk MapDance, University of Chichester
2007 Sibuya London Studio Centre
2007 Taxon Middlesex University
2006 Counterfeit Northern Contemporary Dance School
2005 Skin Deep London Contemporary Dance School

References

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  1. ^ "BBC Young Dancer 2019 - Shobana Jeyasingh". BBC.
  2. ^ "No. 62866". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 2019. p. N9.