Resume
Janis Claxton (Aus/UK) is a choreographer, teacher, and dancer based in Edinburgh.
Origionally from Australia she has been based in the UK since 2000.
She is Artistic Director of the award winning company Janis Claxton Dance
For over 20 years she has had an international career including dancing with companies – The One Extra Dance Theatre (Aus), Michael Parmenters Commotion Company (NZ) and an invitation from Erick Hawkins to join his company in New York City (1992) – as well as performing as a solo artist in several countries.
Throughout her career she has been ruthlessly involved in her pursuit to embody and teach ease and freedom in motion and her work has been acclaimed for these talents;
“Her work is about finding freedom in movement, nothing more, nothing less…”
Dance Theatre Journal
Utilising her ongoing movement research, Janis has fostered her own unique training methodology based in her extensive studies in Erick Hawkins Technique, Contact Improvisation, Martial Arts, Body Percussion, Alexander Technique and other ‘somatic’ work. Her training methodology is the basis of all of her work and is from where she forges her distinctive movement style.
“Claxton’s highly selective, seemingly organic kinetic intelligence might actually represent a new radicalism.” Donald Hutera, Dance Europe
Renowned for her compelling stage presence and powerful solo work, she has toured her solo works in the UK and to Portugal, Nuremberg, New York and Tokyo.
As well as teaching professional development workshops throughout the UK, Janis also regularly travels abroad to teach and perform at conferences and dance centers including at the WDA Global Summit in Brisbane (2008) and the Erick Hawkins Legacy Forum (2002) in New York.
Her guest teaching has included for Scottish School of Contemporary Dance, Dance Academy Arnhem, Scottish Dance Theatre, Siobhan Davies Dance Company, Diversions Dance Company, Dance Base Edinburgh and more.
Janis is Associate Lecturer at the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance
Formal Training
- 17 years Classical Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Character, (BBO)
- Diploma in Performing Arts (Dance) Queensland University Of Technology (81)
- 20 years Erick Hawkins Technique, Understudy Erick Hawkins Dance Company
- Recipient of Australia Council overseas study grant to study Butoh Dance in Japan (87)
- 4 years Chinese Kung -Fu –Jow –Ga & Choy Li Fut styles
- 4 years in Japan studying Butoh & other Japanese movement arts & body work.
- 10 years Contact Improvisation studies including 6 years with Helen Clarke Lapin
- 4 years Body–Percussion studies with master percussionist Greg Sheehan
- Pilates mat teacher training – Pilates Foundation UK June 2004 –June 2005
Director
- Enclosure 44 – Humans, Imrovised durational performance at Edinburgh Zoo 2008
- Falling Light – Scottish based tour with 7 dancers & The Edinburgh Quartet 2008
- Improvised Performance for The Kirking of The Council St Giles Cathedral (Edinburgh 2006)
- Uhhuh Dance Company – The Son, The Lover and the Holy Spin (2006 Chapter Arts Center Cardiff)
- Janis Claxton Dance (2002- )
- Moving Sounds Community body–percussion project Keynsham (2002)
- SIMTC-alternative dance training course- Australia (2002/2000/99)
- Spirit In Motion Dance Company (96-00)
- Woodford Folk Festival Millennium Performance (99/00/02),
- The Edge Theatre Independent Dance Program (96-97)
- Dance On The Edge – Independent Choreographers Forum (96-97)
- Anybodies Dancing –mixed ability project funded NSW Ministry Of The Arts (97)
Choreographer
- songs are sung – work for 6 dancers & The Edinburgh Quartet for Falling Light Tour 2008 (SAC)
- Torque – work for 6 dancers for Falling Light Tour 2008 (SAC)
- Sweet Love – cross generational work for 15 women spanning 4 generations, Dance House/CCA Glasgow 2008
- The Body Immediate: Solo work Dance Base/Dance House/DanceHouse Residency’s 2007
- Janis Claxton Dance: New Work Citymoves/Dance Base/Dance House Residency’s May-June 2007
- The Lighthouse Keeper: Family show by Clive Andrews
- Janis Claxton Dance: Sweet Love Dance Base/Dance Bristol Residency/Commission Nov 2006
- Diversions Dance Company: A Soft Place To Fall, Alternative Routes May 2006
- Scottish School Of Contemporary Dance: New Works at The Space/Bright Young Flings at The Traverse April 2006
- Uhhuh Dance Company: The Son, The Lover and The Holy Spin Chapter Arts Centre January 2006.
- Blue: Dance Bristol solo commission 2005/2006 Arnolfini, ROH (Clore),Dance Base-Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Wales Millennium Centre. Lemon Tree Aberdeen, Staadtheatre Nurenburg.
- Janis Claxton & Co: Wilderness, Rinne, Wild Rose UK 2003, 2004 Tour of South West of England.
- Burning Centre: Resolutions! 2001. 2002-2005 – Portugal, New York, Tokyo, South West Tour.
- Assistant Choreographer and rehearsal director with STOMP for multi-award winning film ‘Is Billy In’
- Choreographer for Travelling Light (children’s)Theatre Company: Cloudland, Clown and Papa Please Get the Moon
- 10 solo works performed in Japan, Australia, UK, New York and Paris (87-2003)
- Improvisational Performance Company (Aus 97-2001)
Performer
24 years of experience having lived and worked as an independent dance artist in UK, Australia, USA, Japan, France and New Zealand.
Solo Work
Over 10 solo performances in Independent Dance Festivals/Events in Japan, Australia, New York, UK, France, Portugal.
Company work
- Janis Claxton Dance Edinburgh, Scotland (2005-)
- Janis Claxton & Co Bristol, UK (2003 – 2005)
- 1000greybirds–Angus Balbernie UK (2003-2005)
- Erick Hawkins Dance Company, understudy-NYC (92)
- James Reedy Dance Company-USA (91)
- Michael Parmenters Comotion Company-NZ (90)
- The One Extra Company-Australia (86/87)
Teacher
- Associate Lecturer Scottish School Of Contemporary Dance since 2004
- Over 20 years experience of teaching dance in professional, Educational and Community settings in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Austria, France, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, the US & the UK.
- Teaching in a wide variety of settings including University Dance programs, professional dance companies, community settings, Department of Education School programs, mixed ability dance projects.
- Established Australia’s first alternative dance training program – SIMTC – Spirit In Motion Training Course.
- Funded to teach & direct several mixed – ability dance projects (Australia)
Has taught at/for;
Scottish School Of Contemporary Dance, Dance Academy Arnhem, Bristol Dance Centre, Dance Base Edinburgh, Siobhan Davies Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre, Diversions Dance Company, Australian Dance Theatre, Ballet Theatre Augsburg, Sydney Dance Company, Diversions Dance Company, University Of Western Sydney, Bristol City College, Bath Spa University College, Blue Eyed Soul, Community Dance Wales, London Contact Improvisation, Freiburg International Contact Festival, Atelier Atesonado (Paris), Kodomo No Shiro and CI.co (Tokyo) and many more.
Work with Children
Janis Claxton has worked as a teacher, performer, director & dance educationalist for 15 years.
Including for;
- Travelling Light Theatre Company, NSW Department Of Education (Australia), Bristol & Bath LEA’s, Keynsham Music Festival, Multi-A (Bristol), & Creative Partnerships(Bristol).
- She has performed on CITV’s Ripley & Scuff Children’s show.
- She has choreographed & directed large community events using Dance & Body Percussion with children.
- She was assistant choreographer & rehearsal director with STOMP for the award winning film ‘Is Billy In’ a First Light Production that has toured to film festivals internationally.
- In 2004- 2005 Janis worked developing kinaesthetic learning programs in schools in Bristol. Funded through Creative Partnerships, she has developed learning programs for Maths, Literacy & Science through Dance, Movement & Body Percussion for Foundation & Key Stage 1.
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