SARAH LOUISE KRISTIANSEN
CHOREOGRAPHER • DIRECTOR
ABOUT
Sarah Louise is a Danish choreographer who splits her time between Copenhagen and choreographing work internationally. She choreographs contemporary, ballet and opera performances in London, across Europe and internationally for companies such as Copenhagen Opera Festival (DK), Constella Opera-Ballet (UK), Helios Collective (UK), The Aequietas Collective (UK/IS), Opera Holland Park (UK), Dance at Socrates (USA), the ICA (UK) and the Gwangju Biennale (South Korea).
As an artist, Sarah Louise is interested in the contemporary-classical form and its possibilities to renew itself within and beyond current modes of presentation. She is specifically interested in creating work that invites new audiences into performative spaces, while remaining devoted to the craftsmanship of choreographic practise.
Sarah Louise completed her Bachelor in Dance at Kingston University specialising in choreography and composition. After completing her studies, Sarah Louise worked in London while establishing her choreographic practise in the contemporary-classical genres. In 2019, she completed the Nordic Master in Dance Studies from NTNU in Trondheim, Norway.
photocredit: Lene Pels
Sarah Louise runs Copenhagen International Arts Collective.
The collective gathers international artists in a cultural producing community in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Copenhagen International Arts Collective premiered the collective's first full length title Echoes of Spring at Dansekapellet in August 2020. Echoes of Spring was generously supported by Augustinus Fonden, William Demant Fonden and Ballettens Venner. This was followed by the production I TID (In Time) in 2021 with support from Augustinus Fonden and Wilhelm Hansen Fonden.
Sarah Louise is also the artistic director of Making Dance Happen which tours internationally every year. Making Dance Happen was established in order to provide opportunities for artists to gain international experience within the performing arts, while contributing to arts education in local communities. Making Dance Happen runs yearly participation, artistic development and outreach programmes for children and young people in Peru.
HIGHLIGHED
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Other:
ALLEGRO
Short, ballet pas des deux
Emerging Artists Programme
CPH Stage
RADICAL IDEAS #1: How to make Dance Happen
with Dansekapellet, PRFRM, FusePoint
Ta-Da
Short, film (dir: Taylor Hudson)
2022
Productions:
MOLINI London SS23 (In production, September 2022)
For London Fashion Week
Aurelias Vals (In production, November 2022)
Copenhagen International Arts Collective, CPH
Adamo's "Little Women" (2022)
Opera Holland Park, London. Dir: Ella Marchment
EUKARI (2022/2023)
Copenhagen International Arts Collective, CPH
Other:
Midsummer Solos (2021)
Dynamo workspace, Dansekapellet
SHE SPOKE ASHES (2021)
R&D for The Aequitas Collective (DK, UK, ISL)
INSTANT COMPOSITIONS
For Passage Festival 2020
RIPPLE MIRROR (R&D)
Constella OperaBallet
DANISH DANCE STORIES
Residency, Vestjyllands Højskole (DK)
GUEST RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHER
Socrates Dance, Noorte Maar (NYC)
DRIFT
(Film, short)
BREAKIN' AWAY
(Film, short)
2018-2021
2016-2018
Productions:
I TID (2021)
Copenhagen International Arts Collective X I AM CAM, CPH
SPIN A TALE (2021)
for Constella OperaBallet, Derby, United Kingdom
ECHOES OF SPRING (2020)
for Copenhagen International Arts Collective, CPH
BEEHIVE
for Copenhagen International Arts Collective, CPH
AMADEUS
(Assistant Choreographer) for The Royal Danish Theatre
Dir: Kasper Holten, Chor: Signe Fabricius
TRYL
for Copenhagen Opera Festival,
Dir: Ella Marchment
SEA GARDEN
for Constella OperaBallet, Chelsea Flower Show, London
Other:
PUSH LAB: (over)protection
w. Åben Dans Roskilde (DK/BE)
KING ROGER - ROXANNA'S ARIA
Film, Channel 4, Random Acts
ODDESEA
For Gruppo Teatrale La Caldena,
Borgo San Lorenzo. Italy
ARTS FOR A CAUSE
For JUMP! Foundation, Beijing
HIP HOP CULTURE IN RIYADH
Research paper, Making Dance Happen
Saudi Arabia
Productions:
MAD KING SUIBHNE
(Movement Director) for Bury Court Opera
DANGEROUS LIASONS
(Production Assistant, choreography by Cathy Marston) for The Danish Royal Ballet
AN APPLE A DAY
for Resolutions! 2016, The Place, London
CONVERSATIONS WITH FORM
for Constella OperaBallet, Sadlers Wells, London
THE VULTURES THAT PREY
for Making Dance Happen, Social Creativa, Peru
FEELINGS FROM UNDERNEATH THE DESERT SUN
created for ARTivism Dance, London
2012-2016
Other:
ART GYM
with Josh Wright and Guillaume Vandame for Fig.2, Institute of Contemporary Art, London
“51.524231, -0.073812”
for Women of Mass Destruction 3, Richmix, London
SAY SOMETHING
In collaboration with Gyorgyo Ono / Gwaith Swn for “Tounges” at Café Oto Project Space, London
EXT. VOID IN 2'S”
In collaboration with Gyorgyo Ono / Gwaith Swn for “(A) Second Hand”, Stoke Newington Studies, London
Productions:
5100:PENTAGON
for Young in Hong, Gwangju Bienalle, South Korea
THE PIECES THAT FIT
Chisenhale Dance Space, London
THE GENESIS OF FRANKENSTEIN
(Opera) for HELIOS COLLECTIVE, Peckham, London
AN EVENING WITH LUCIEN FREUD
(Theatre) Dir: Ella Marchment, Leicester Square Theatre
IN HER DREAM
for Young in Hong for Fig.2, Institute of Contemporary Art, London
EDUCATION:
Nordic Master in Dance Studies
2016 - 2018
Thesis: The Choreographic Mind-Model: A phenomenological exploration of the choreographic process
NTNU
Trondheim, Norway
BA (Hons) Arts and Social Sciences: Dance
2009 - 2012
Special study: Choreograhy and Composition
Kingston University
London, UK
CURATING AND PRODUCTION
Open Arena
(June 2022, Dansekapellet, CPH, Denmark)
- A platform for ideas, new formats and performaces
Friday Night Sharing
(Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Popular monthly sharing platform hosted by Dansekapellet
Choreography Competition
(2019-2022 with Uppercut Dance Theatre and Dans I Nordvest)
- Yearly competition and development platform for young choreographers aged 13-23
Making Dance Happen
(Jan/feb 2016-2020 with Social Creativa, Peru)
- Community outreach and artistic development platform in Chincha Alta, Peru
COMMERCIAL CREDITS (Including performance credits)
VISIT DENMARK
CHIPSFILM
TOM CORNELL FOR TREVOR SORBIE
ANDAZ HOTEL
JO:GA
SWEATY BETTY
Film:
Bridget Jones’ Baby
The Theory of Everything
Fantastic Beasts and where to find them
Jason Bourne
Commercials:
Royal Beer (2018)
First Direct - The Unexpected Bank (Dir: Dom & Nic, 2013)
Viasat - Juicy Play (Dir: Paul Hammond, 2015)
Lenovo - YOGA 3 14”” (2015)
Music videos:
Harlano: So Hot (HW Records)
Nero: Tour promo (MTA Records)
Performance:
Schwartzkopf International
Lee Mack: Duck Quicks Don't Echo
Korean Cultural Centre
Robert Cromeans for Alternative Hair Show
Sanrizz