INFUSE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT
WINTER RESIDENCY
WITH LOST DOG
Dance Theatre. Theatre Dance.
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY
1ST - 5TH DECEMBER - CHISENHALE DANCE SPACE
5 days, 10am - 5pm
£280
After 3 sold out Residencies in 2025 INFUSE Artist Development Programme returns with LOST DOG one of the UK's most celebrated dance theatre companies.
Under the leadership of director/choreographer Ben Duke, Lost Dog has built a reputation for creating unexpected interpretations of classic stories that resonate with modern audiences. 2024 marks the company's 20th Birthday.
Their work has been presented over 130 times in 8 countries and 5 different languages, with productions selected for the 2024 Venice Dance Biennale and named by The Guardian as among the best dance shows of the 21st Century.
Lost Dog are National Dance Award winners for Best Mid-Scale Company (2022) and Best Modern Choreography for Ruination (2022).
"The comedy is divine,
but the images of love and loss
are achingly human."
DANCE THEATRE. THEATRE DANCE.
INFUSE your practice, joining Ben Duke and Lost Dog in a week long deep dive and creative exploration into dance theatre techniques and the art of storytelling through movement. Drawing on Lost Dog's unique approach to creating unexpected interpretations of classic stories, participants will embark on an uplifting and collaborative week investigating the territory where dance meets theatre and theatre meets dance—exploring narrative, character, physicality, and the fusion of literary inspiration with choreographic invention.
INFUSE will add new resources to your toolbox, enhancing your practice and so you will be encouraged to interrogate, share, adapt as well as absorb and transform the work. Across the residency you can expect to be nurtured, uplifted and challenged in your own making, creative practice and ultimately energised in your artistic decision making.
INFUSE ARTIST
BEN DUKE, LOST DOG
Lost Dog are a multi-award-winning dance theatre company creating unexpected interpretations of classic stories that resonate with modern audiences. Their work is an attempt to reconcile dance, theatre, and literary storytelling into theatrically compelling performance. They were: National Dance Award Winners for Best Mid-Scale Company (2022). National Dance Award Winners for Best Modern Choreography for Ruination (2022). National Dance Award Winners for Best Female Contemporary Dance Performance for Solène Weinachter (2019). National Dance Award Winners for Best Male Contemporary Dance Performance for Ben Duke (2016). The Place Prize for Dance sponsored by Bloomberg Winners (2011). Burgos International Choreography Competition Winners (2006). Hanover Choreography Competition Winners (2006).
In 2022 Lost Dog created Ruination: The True Story of Medea in co-production with the Royal Ballet, which was presented to sold out houses over Christmas 2022 and Christmas 2024 as an 'alternative Christmas Show' and was selected by Sir Wayne Mcgregor for the 2024 Venice Dance Biennale. Their most successful show to date—Juliet & Romeo (2018)—has been presented over 130 times in 8 countries and 5 different languages. Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me) based on Milton's epic poem, premiered at Battersea Arts Centre in May 2015 and went on to run at Summerhall as part of Edinburgh Fringe 2015. In 2020 The Guardian named Paradise Lost one of the best dance shows of the 21st Century.
INFUSE ARTIST
BEN DUKE, LOST DOG
Ben Duke, Lost Dog's Artistic Director and co-founder, will be facilitating the residency.
He trained at Guildford School of Acting, London Contemporary Dance School and has a degree in English Literature from Newcastle University. His work is an attempt to reconcile those three subjects. In 1997 Ben saw Alain Platel's show Bernadetje at the Newcastle Playhouse and has been trying to re-create the feeling of confusion and joy he had while watching that piece in his own artistic practice.
For Lost Dog Ben has created Ruination (co-produced by the Royal Ballet) winner of the National Dance Award's Best New Choreography, A Tale of Two Cities, Juliet & Romeo, Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me), and the Place Prize Winning, It Needs Horses. Outside of Lost Dog Ben has created work for Rambert (Cerberus and the Olivier Award Nominated, Goat remounted into a single evening of work entitled Deathtrap), Nikki & JD (Fireside), Scottish Dance Theatre (The Life and Times of Girl A), Dance Umbrella (The Difference Engine), Phoenix Dance Theatre (Pave up Paradise), and the contemporary circus company Barely Methodical Troupe (Kin). Ben created the Swan Lake inspired, There Were Definitely Swans with Hi Fliers dance company and he collaborated with composer Orlando Gough to create a dance theatre piece for stroke survivors with Rosetta Life (Stroke Odyssey). He has choreographed for theatre projects by The National Theatre of Scotland (Dolls), the Gate Theatre, London (Sexual Neuroses of our Parents) and Handspring UK (CROW).
As a performer he has worked at the Gate Theatre (I am Falling), Hofesh Shechter Company (Political Mother) and Punchdrunk (Faust).
Ben is an Associate Artist at The Place. He won the 2022 National Dance Award for best Modern Choreography in 2022 for Ruination and in 2016 he won the National Dance Critics Award for Outstanding Male Performance for Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me).
"Lost Dog has built a reputation for creating unexpected interpretations of classic stories that resonate with modern audiences"
★★★★★
"It's not often you're
doubled over with laughter
and wiping away tears of sadness
during the same show."
The Scotsman
★★★★
“essential viewing…I loved it,
the audience gave it a standing ovation"
Bachtrack
★★★★★
""The comedy is divine,
but the images of love and loss
are achingly human.""
The Independent
★★★★
"There's much to think about in this
intense and intriguing performance."
London Theatre
"Ben Duke… is one of Britain's
finest theatre makers"
The Scotsman
“Paradise Lost is one of
the best dance shows
of the 21st Century"
The Guardian
"Duke has a theatre director's instinct
for clear communication,
but a dancer's deftness
in the way he moves between moods,
scenes and characters,
music, text and movement"
The Guardian
Awards For Lost Dog
National Dance Award for Best Mid-Scale Company (2022)
National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography for Ruination (2022)
National Dance Award for Best Female Contemporary Dance Performance - Solène Weinachter (2019)
National Dance Award for Best Male Contemporary Dance Performance - Ben Duke (2016)
The Place Prize for Dance sponsored by Bloomberg (2011)
Burgos International Choreography Competition (2006) - for Pave Up Paradise
Hanover Choreography Competition (2006) - for Pave Up Paradise
Bonnie Bird UK New Choreographer's Award (2005)
Awards For Ben Duke
National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography for Ruination (2022)
National Dance Critics Award for Outstanding Male Performance for Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me) (2016)
Olivier Award Nomination - for Goat (created for Rambert)
Want to ignite a spark in your creative practice?
Join us
Dates
1ST - 5TH DECEMBER
10am - 5pm
Chisenhale Dance
Space
London
E3 5QZ
Price
Standard Price for a week residency £600+
INFUSE Residency - £280
APPLICATIONS OPEN
Applications take around 10 minutes
Places are offered on a rolling basis
The residency will be a unique opportunity for established and working creatives to receive nurturing and development at an accessible price. Led by Ben Duke and Lost Dog the workshop will focus on sharing sharing their approach to dance theatre and the art of unexpected storytelling through movement, exploring the territory where dance meets theatre in an uplifting, joyous and exciting week.
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INFUSE is specifically targeted at established and working artists who wish to develop their practice and is heavily subsidised to make it an accessible and affordable training opportunity.
Anyone working within the creative industries with a passion for movement and performance practices is welcome to apply, priority will be given to those who demonstrate why this is would be useful for them.
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Applications will be offered on a first come first serve basis. We expect to sell out quickly.
A complete timeline can be seen here:
15th October - EARLY ACCESS applications open
20th October - EARLY ACCESS applications offered
20th October - Applications OPEN to general public
24th October - Round 1 Places Offered (we expect to be full at this point)
31st October - Round 2 Places Offered
21st November - Applications Close
24th November - Returns / Waiting List Places Offered
INFUSE is heavily subsidised to make it an accessible opportunity to those working in the arts.
Places will fill up very quickly, and we estimate allocating all places by end of Round 1 so... Get your application in now.
Application can be made via a simple form.
There are links in there to upload video or voice recording.
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Successful applicants will be informed within 14 days of their application and can confirm their place by paying the full amount.
Confirmation of your place will be acknowledged upon receipt of the full amount. You can reserve your place by paying a deposit of £120 and set up a payment plan for the remainder which must be paid 14 days prior to the residency.
If this is still a barrier please get in touch.
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Babel means ‘the sound of many things’ through collaborative, radically inclusive spaces, we amplify underrepresented voices, providing creatives a platform to share their stories with the world.
We strongly encourage applications from Black, global majority, working-class, neurodivergent and LGBTQI+ participants and we will be responsive to any information on what you need to be present in the space.
We have reserved 50% places for Black and Brown participants
Unfortunately Chisenhale Dance Space is not accessible via a lift, so if this is a necessity for you please get in touch with us.
If you have any questions or would like a chat about your application you can reach out to Joseph on hello@babeltheatre.co.uk