Joe Moran is a London-based dance artist and Artistic Director of Dance Art Foundation. He trained independently in dance and choreography at studios in London, New York, San Francisco and Seattle with leading figures in postmodern dance, Rosemary Butcher, Anna Halprin, Eva Karczag, Joan Skinner and Stephanie Skura. His undergraduate training was in theatre at Bristol University, with postgraduate choreographic study pursued at London Contemporary Dance School.
Joe creates dance and video works for theatres, galleries and public spaces; most recently the solo Survey for dancer Marina Collard. He is currently touring his adaptation of At Once, the new solo by American choreographer Deborah Hay, alongside a lecture-performance on the work, and the solos Decommission and Survey. Joe recently choreographed Background, a film by visual artist Magali Reus (IBID Projects, London; La Salles des Bains, Lyon), Reform, a new work with projected visual imagery by British-Canadian artist Shaan Syed (Coventry, Dec 2009) and Keep Calm & Carry On, Cardboard Citizens Theatre Company (Cabinet War Rooms, May 2009). In the 2008/09 Dance Art season, his work was presented at London’s Herald St and Wilkinson galleries.
As a dancer, Joe has worked with a number of distinguished choreographers including Deborah Hay, Siobhan Davies (Bank project), Stephanie Skura (improvisation projects), Kate Brown, Florence Peake, Gaby Agis (company member 2001-2005) and Christopher House (Toronto Dance Theatre).
Joe has extensive curatorial experience in artist development, independent dance, public art and dance-in-health. Founder and Artistic Director of Dance Art Foundation, Joe has presented the work of seminal international dance artists Gaby Agis, Jennifer Monson, Yvonne Rainer and Stephanie Skura in London, and curated dance events in many of the capital’s landmark public spaces: Canary Wharf tube station, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, Evelina Children’s Hospital, the National Portrait Gallery and Siobhan Davies Studios. Under the auspice of Dance Art Foundation, he directs the national Breathing Space: dance-in-health programme and his wider freelance work has involved devising and leading arts projects in partnership with Arts Council England, British Library, Community Dance Wales, Goldsmiths College, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Charity, Independent Dance, Laban, South London Gallery, Tamasha Theatre Company and Transport for London.
Joe is a visiting lecturer in dance and performance at universities in the UK, a certified teacher of Skinner Releasing Technique™ and teaches dance independently for studios, festivals and companies in Britain and internationally.
Joe is the recipient of a 2009 Rebecca Skelton Fund Award, 2005 Lisa Ullmann Travelling Scholarship, 2000 international research award from Arts Council England and four research awards from Chisenhale Dance Space, 2002-2007. He has raised over £500,000 for arts projects during the past five years, which includes an Arts & Business New Partners Award. Joe is a member of the Editorial Advisory Council for the Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices (Intellect publications), Artistic Associate of Tamasha Theatre Company and a member of the Artist Council for Falling Wide Projects. He was formerly Chair of Mem Morrison Company, 2004-2009, and Advisor to the Skinner Releasing Institute, 2005.
Click here to view images, video and writing on Joe's blog from Jerwood Bank 2008 with Siobhan Davies Dance
Click here for detailed CV
having begun. Dancer: Joe Moran
Photography: Andrew Downs