Adrian Look is a freelance dance artist and lecturer for Tanztheater. He is also the artistic director and choreographer of London based T a n z t h e a t e r Adrian Look, founded in 2014.
Adrian was born in Oberhausen, Germany.
After graduating from high school, he studied dance at the Folkwang University in Essen, whose alumni include Pina Bausch, Reinhild Hoffmann, and Susanne Linke, all who played a big part in the development of dance-theatre in Germany, and across Europe more generally. In his final year at Folkwang University, Adrian was voted “best dancer to look out for” by the journal, “Theater Pur”.
From 2009 to 2012, Adrian was a member of the Tanztheater of Bielefeld, Germany, dancing in works by Gregor Zöllig, Urs Dietrich, Stephan Brinkmann, Guilherme Bothelho (Alias Company), Simone Sandroni (Deja donné), Giovanni Netzer (Origen Festival) and Rainer Behr (Pina Bausch).
During this time he further developed his interest in the use of dance as a medium for narratives and choreographed several of his own works, which were performed by members of the dance company.
As a freelance choreographer/dancer in 2013, he worked on several projects in Germany and Switzerland. Highlights included choreographing a community group of 100 amateur dancers and performing as an ensemble member of the Origen Festival in Switzerland. Additionally, he choreographed and danced in a “Da Pacem”, a liturgical concert concerning conflict between various religions.
His first choreography as a freelance artist, ‘The elephants weep’, was created for the Theatre of Bielefeld in 2013.
Since moving to the UK in March 2014, Adrian has performed his solo work “A-R-Panda” and choreographed ‘The smouldering Delusion’ for East London Dance as part of the FI.ELD Festival. His piece ‘SICK AND TIRED’ premiered in January 2015 as part of the Resolution 2015 line up at The Place and received an honourable mention for being one of the highlights of the festival. (more details here)
Adrian has choreographed for the Dance Company of the University of Bedfordshire since the beginning of 2015. His piece ‘Then … again’ was premiered by the company in April 2015.
In 2016 T a n z t h e a t e r Adrian Look premiered Sisyphus’ Wife as part of Resolution 2016 at The Place, which was again highlighted and recommended by Sanjay Roy of The Guardian. It was performed again at the Blue Elephant Theatre in Camperwell in May 2016.
Adrians collaboration with Movement for Hope is titled Seize the day and premiered at the Bloomsburry Theatre in June 2016 before it was shown at Sadler’s Wells (Lilian Baylis) in July.
Adrian is also a sought after teacher and has taught contemporary dance, ballet, and improvisation in various guises since 2003. He has lead classes for various professional companies, including Alvin Ailey II and the Origen Festival in Switzerland, and regularly teaches professional classes at The Place and Greenwich Dance. As well as running his own independent classes at The Place and Siobhan Davies Dance .
Adrian also gave workshops at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, The University of Bedfordshire and The Place.
Adrian is currently a regular lecturer in dance at Morley College, and a guest lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire.
Due to his enthusiasm to share the art of dance, Adrian has worked with people across all age groups and from diverse backgrounds, including children through to older people, along with the disabled. His zeal for sharing the art form of ‘Tanztheater’ has also given him the opportunity to work with refugee teenagers from various countries, torn by war.
Adrian has recently been working on several collaborations.
- A dancer’s journey – Collaboration with Flamenco artists Maria Vega and Manu Diaz Callejón as well as Maria Ines Sousa.
- Seize the day – Collaboration withMovement for Hope – An organisation, raising support for neurological conditions.
- A thousand eyes – a dance theatre piece about non verbal mis-communication (artscouncil funded)
- The desert piece – Collaboration with video artist Cristobal Catalan