Leaders have ultimate responsibility for everything. They set the vision and direction of travel, inspire and nurture others, and make decisions that cannot always be popular. Other people may offer advice and opinions, but in the end it is up to the leader to juggle different demands, make sense of diverse views and shape the future. Leadership is a lonely dance.
How to lead dance organisations? how to continuously find new inspiration to move forward?
The Place in London and DanceEast in Ipswich hosted the Atelier The Lonely Dance of Leadership from 25 to 27 February 2016. The aim of the Atelier was to explore the ways dance organisations might be led, and attracted 11 people from 6 European countries and Canada with a professional background including Artistic Directors, Programme Managers, Administrators, Choreographers and a Dramaturge.
The Atelier began in London and then moved to DanceEast in Ipswich, which also runs the international Rural Retreats for existing and emerging artistic leaders in dance. The programme included guest speakers with experience in different sectors whose life-stories were shared as provocations for questioning and later reflections in group discussions: Sue Hoyle, director of the Clore Leadership Programme, the UK’s first cross-disciplinary leadership programme for the cultural and creative sector; Dr. Magdalen Roseiro, Clinical Psychologist leading the North Essex Primary Care Psychological Therapy Services; the dancer and choreographer Alex Whitley and Eva Martínez, Artistic Programmer and Artist Development Manager at Sadler’s Wells. The curatorial team comprised Eddie Nixon, Brendan Keaney and Jeanette Siddall.
The director of Dance House Lemesos shares his impressions and thoughts after his participation in the atelier on leadership
'The lonely dance of leadership’
‘The feverish dance of leadership’
‘The dramatic dance of leadership’
‘The spontaneous dance of leadership’
‘The remarkable dance of leadership’
‘The accelerating dance of leadership’
‘The popular dance of leadership’
‘The virtuosic dance of leadership’
‘The unknown dance of leadership’
‘The ecstatic dance of leadership’
‘The conceptual dance of leadership’
‘The non-conceptual dance of leadership’
‘The physical dance of leadership’
‘The uninspired dance of leadership’
‘The minimalistic dance of leadership’
‘The old-fashioned dance of leadership’
‘The ground breaking dance of leadership’
‘The glorious dance of leadership’
‘The intoxicating dance of leadership’
‘The mysterious dance of leadership’
‘The replenishing dance of leadership’
‘The ever-changing dance of leadership’
‘The humiliating dance of leadership’
‘The exhausting dance of leadership’
‘The harmonious dance of leadership’
‘The safe dance of leadership’
‘The risky dance of leadership’
‘The enlightened dance of leadership’
‘The dangerous dance of leadership’
‘The generous dance of leadership’
‘The revealing dance of leadership’
‘The wordy dance of leadership’
‘The exciting dance of leadership’
‘The revealing dance of leadership’
‘The danceable dance of leadership’
‘The horrendous dance of leadership’
‘The unspeakable dance of leadership’
‘The silent dance of leadership’
‘The provocative dance of leadership’
‘The traditional dance of leadership’
‘The uninspired dance of leadership’
‘The holy dance of leadership’
‘The seductive dance of leadership’
‘The long-lasting dance of leadership’
‘The repetitive dance of leadership’
‘The blissful dance of leadership’
‘The transitional dance of leadership’
‘The climactic dance of leadership
‘The mind-blowing dance of leadership’
‘The lonely dance of leadership’
‘The lovely dance of leadership’
‘The loving dance of leadership’
‘Your dance’
How can someone sustain the characteristics of a good leader for a long period of time? How can you reinvent your creativity?
Am I a natural born leader or not? It seems that I can relate with the intrinsic qualities/characteristics of a good leader. But how can someone sustain the characteristics of a good leader for a long period of time? How can you reinvent your creativity when everything becomes blurry and uncertain? I guess by retracing your honesty (first to yourself and then to others), your integrity and by managing to keep your vision and mission clear.
During the three days of the Atelier we shared our viewpoints and impressions regarding the notion of leadership. What an amazing opportunity to engage in group discussions and listen to really inspiring talks by guest speakers like Sue Hoyle (Clore Leadership Programme), Eddie Nixon (The Place), Brendan Keaney/Jeanette Siddall (DanceEast) and Eva Martinez (Saddler's Wells). All speakers shared their personal stories and offered their professional insights with great generosity and openness. The whole experience was empowering, enriching and exciting. Not only because it boosted my confidence and triggered my understanding on the broader meaning of leadership, but it also made me realise that we all share similar thoughts/dilemmas/ambitions and hopes. Whether you lead a fairly young but promising institute/dance house or a really well known and established one it all comes to the same questions .
How to maintain a dynamic performance in more demanding periods, how to readjust your focus regarding the mission, how to allow your artistic vision to grow, how to be in control but stay vulnerable at the same time, how to allow yourself to be flexible and finally how to keep curious, innovative and joyful throughout this beautiful journey.
Alexis Vassiliou
Artistic and General Director of Dance House Lemesos
The program of this Atelier included guest speakers with experience in different sectors whose life-stories were shared as provocations for questioning and later reflection in group discussions. Jeanette Siddall talks about how to facilitate the common reflection.