SIZE OF COMPANY
Varies

SCALE OF VENUE
Middle- to large-scale

PERMANENT STAFF
Artistic Director & Choreographer
Fin Walker

Artistic Director & Composer
Ben Park

Producer
Dawn Prentice

Administrator
Charlie Field

ARTISTIC POLICY
Walker Dance Park Music is led by choreographer Fin Walker and composer Ben Park. The company makes dance and music that fuses the energy of both disciplines, creating an immediate but complex synthesis. Throughout their collaboration, they have evolved a performance style that is both vivid and rigorous. Striking musical composition, athletic and powerful movement, an innovative approach to stage design and the use of extraordinary performers are the hallmarks of Walker Park Dance Music’s work. The company is an Associate of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London and Artists-in-Residence at Oxford Playhouse.

REVIEW EXTRACTS
‘Fin Walker and Ben Park’s work has become a benchmark for finely understated emotion and precision-tooled form.’ The Guardian

‘One of the UK's most intelligent independent choreographers, Fin Walker makes dance that wordlessly conveys strong and compelling stories about the price of being alive.’ Time Out

‘The intense physicality is spellbinding, creating a fascinated hush in the auditorium, broken only by the explosion of applause at its end.’ Balllet-Tanz (5 2 10)

CURRENT PRODUCTION
5 2 10 A journey through the body’s energy system, inspired by the colours, frequencies and emotions of the chakras, unfolding in seven distinct yet connected parts: five unpredictable duets and two emotional and urgent solos. (70 mins, no interval, live music, 7 on stage including 3 musicians, 10–11 on the road.)

FUTURE PRODUCTION
The Changing Game A dance and music production, directed by choreographer Fin Walker and composer Ben Park with a set by international theatre designer, John Napier. (7 dancers, 5 singers and a percussionist on stage, 16–17 on the road.)

WRAP-AROUND
The company offers a range of wraparound activity for students and dance and music professionals. Masterclasses in dance and music are led by both the artistic directors and a variety of workshops and classes are led by the company, who are all accomplished teachers. The company also offers dance and music workshops and choreographic residencies for performing arts students aged 13+ years. This can include a curtain raiser performance alongside the company, and will usually be around the themes of the company’s current work, for example workshops on the body’s energy system and the chakras alongside performances of 5 2 10. Pre- and post-show discussions and lecture demonstrations also feature regularly in the company’s education programme. For the company’s next production, The Changing Game, there will be an opportunity for individuals and groups to train with professional singers to perform with the company as a key element of the work.

RECENT INTERNATIONAL WORK
2007 France, Macedonia (5 2 10)

TOURING AVAILABILITY
5 2 10 available on request
The Changing Game from September 2008