Eliot Smith Dance

Eliot Smith Dance Marking our 15th anniversary in 2026 🎉 Crafting contemporary that moves the — and beyond. Proud producers of ESD Presents.

We’re delighted to introduce Lucy Minta Reeves as the Costume Designer for Eliot Smith’s PITMAN 🎨⛏️As part of the 2026 i...
05/09/2026

We’re delighted to introduce Lucy Minta Reeves as the Costume Designer for Eliot Smith’s PITMAN 🎨⛏️

As part of the 2026 iteration of PITMAN, we’re expanding the work into new creative dimensions and, for the first time, PITMAN will incorporate costume design.

Lucy is a Newcastle-based costume, prop and set designer and maker with over 18 years’ professional experience across theatre, dance, circus and live events. Her practice combines practical making, creative problem-solving and a strong focus on sustainability.

Collaborating with Lucy aligns closely with Eliot Smith Dance’s environmental sustainability mission, exploring how our existing PITMAN costumes can be upcycled, reworked and given new life, rather than creating everything from new.

We’re excited to welcome Lucy into the PITMAN family. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

🎟️ Get your tickets now for PITMAN at Alnwick Playhouse on 11 November at: www.eliotsmithdance.com/pitman



📸 Photo courtesy of Lucy Minta Reeves.
I.D: Portrait of Lucy Minta Reeves smiling towards the camera, standing against a red brick wall and wearing a striped top.

We’re delighted to introduce you to Josh Tomalin as the Lighting Designer for Eliot Smith’s PITMAN 🎨⛏️As part of the 202...
04/09/2026

We’re delighted to introduce you to Josh Tomalin as the Lighting Designer for Eliot Smith’s PITMAN 🎨⛏️

As part of the 2026 iteration of PITMAN, we’re expanding the work into new creative chapter — and, for the first time, PITMAN will be designed with lighting design, bringing a new dimension to the work as it continues to evolve.

Josh Tomalin is a respected lighting designer and photographer working in contemporary dance. His design credits include work with Joss Arnott Dance, James Wilton Dance, Lea Anderson, Company Chameleon, Joseph Toonga, Gerrard Martin, Jamaal Burkmar, Jaivant Patel, Vidya Patel, Sharon Watson and Wubjke Kuindersma.

We’re excited to welcome Josh into the PITMAN family and to see how his creative contribution helps shape this next chapter of the work. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

🎟️ Get your tickets now for PITMAN at Alnwick Playhouse on 11 November: www.eliotsmithdance.com/pitman



📸 Photo courtesy of Josh Tomalin.
I.D: Black-and-white portrait of Josh Tomalin standing beside a professional camera mounted on a tripod. He looks directly towards the camera, wearing a light shirt, with a quiet, thoughtful expression.

🎨 Get your paint brushes at the ready…We are delighted to announce the cast of Eliot Smith’s PITMAN for its 2026 iterati...
03/09/2026

🎨 Get your paint brushes at the ready…

We are delighted to announce the cast of Eliot Smith’s PITMAN for its 2026 iteration!

James Mawson, Olivia Kirk, Jasmine Trinity Daniels, Yamit Salazar, Florence May Jones, and Harry Wilson.

Prepare yourself for a highly physical, technical, emotional and joyful performance that brings to life ten paintings and illustrations of the Ashington Group, aka the Pitmen Painters.

🎟️ Get your tickets now at www.eliotsmithdance.com/pitman and these six incredible dancers will see you at Alnwick Playhouse on 11 November!

Eliot Smith’s PITMAN (2026) is an Eliot Smith Dance commission, created in association with Alnwick Playhouse and presented with the kind permission of The Ashington Group Trustees. The production is developed with the support of Woodhorn Museum | North East Museums and is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, with additional support from Dance City.

📸 I:D
A promotional graphic for Eliot Smith’s PITMAN – 2026 Iteration on a dark green background. At the top is the ESD 15th anniversary logo, followed by the title “Eliot Smith’s PITMAN” in bold yellow lettering. Six portrait photographs of the cast are arranged side-by-side across the centre of the image. At the bottom, large yellow lettering reads “2026 ITERATION.”

02/09/2026

WE’RE BACK! 🤎

The Eliot Smith Dance Autumn 2026 Season is here!

Founder & Creative Director Eliot Smith shares some of the highlights you won’t want to miss — from VISION IN MOTION celebrating our 15th Anniversary, to the 10th Anniversary of PITMAN, PITMAN: The Exhibition, community projects and the highly anticipated ELIOT SMITH: RETURN.

🎟️ Get your tickets and find out what’s coming up via the link in our bio or visit: www.eliotsmithdance.com/autumn

We can’t wait to welcome you this autumn!

As our summer season comes to an end, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us and been par...
14/08/2026

As our summer season comes to an end, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us and been part of the journey ✌️🩶

This summer has taken us from a creative residency at the Taylor Centre for Dance Education in New York, to the beginnings of Eliot Smith’s new solo work HUNTER, the revival of Interrupted Souls, and a masterclass led by Lorenzo Pagano. We also celebrated the release of IN MOTION by Elijah McDonnell, delivered workshops to more than 150 children across Northumberland and Newcastle, welcomed dancers to our Summer and Youth Intensive, and closing with contemporary dance workshops at The Lighthouse Project in Byker.

Now we’re looking forward to an exciting 2026 Autumn Season. But first, it’s time for a well-earned rest.

See you in September. 🍂

📸 Image description: Eliot Smith stands in front of a dressing-room mirror, experimenting with costume for his new solo work HUNTER. He wears a navy jacket, checked shirt and grey neck warmer, holding a hat while making a peace sign. Photo by Yamit Salazar.

ANNOUNCING: NICOLE VIVIEN WATSON | NEW WORK FOR ELIOT SMITH DANCEWe’re delighted to announce that Nicole Vivien Watson, ...
13/08/2026

ANNOUNCING: NICOLE VIVIEN WATSON | NEW WORK FOR ELIOT SMITH DANCE

We’re delighted to announce that Nicole Vivien Watson, Chief Executive and Founder of Surface Area Dance Theatre, will join Eliot Smith Dance as guest choreographer this autumn to create a brand-new solo for the Eliot Smith Dance repertoire.

The new work will premiere as part of Eliot Smith: Return at Alphabetti Theatre on 3 December 2026.

🪑 🪑 Created specifically on Eliot, performed with two chairs, this new solo work creates an intimate portrait of conflict, connection and self-reflection, exploring the different sides of one’s self and identity that can exist, collide and connect within one body.

Nicole brings over 15 years of experience working across the arts. She founded Surface Area Dance Theatre in 2007 and is its Chief Executive, leading the organisation’s creative development and work across diverse communities and disciplines.

Nicole is also a passionate advocate for BSL and D/deaf culture, with British Sign Language as her second language.

Nicole becomes the 13th choreographer to create work for the Eliot Smith Dance repertoire, continuing ESD’s commitment to collaboration and bringing new choreographic voices into the company.

👀 As rehearsals begin this autumn, we’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses from the studio, giving you an insight into how this new work develops.

🎟️ ELIOT SMITH: RETURN
📅 3 December 2026
📍 Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne

Find out more at:
www.eliotsmithdance.com/eliotsmithreturn⁠



📸 Image description: Portrait of Nicole Vivien Watson outdoors against a softly blurred green woodland background. She has long, wavy brown hair and wears a mauve embroidered blouse. She faces the camera with a calm expression.

🌘 ECLIPSEToday, as the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, we’re thinking back to Eclipse — Sir Robert Cohan’s ex...
12/08/2026

🌘 ECLIPSE

Today, as the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, we’re thinking back to Eclipse — Sir Robert Cohan’s extraordinary work, which holds its own sense of mystery, connection and transformation.

Originally created in 1961, Eclipse was premiered by Eliot Smith Dance at Dance City Theatre, performed by Amy Becke and Yamit Salazar, and remains a special part of the ESD repertoire.

We were honoured to bring this important work back to life in partnership with the Sir Robert Cohan Dance Legacy, with restaging by Anne Donnelly and support from Linda Gibbs.

A beautiful coincidence on a day when the sky itself reminds us of the power of an eclipse. 🌘

📸 Photographer Adam Davies
I.D: Two contemporary dancers perform Eclipse on a dark stage, reaching towards and holding each other in a dynamic pose. One dancer wears blue-grey and the other red, with their figures reflected on the glossy floor.

We are excited to welcome James Mawson (he/him) to Eliot Smith Dance! 🎉👏James joins the company as our Apprentice Dancer...
12/08/2026

We are excited to welcome James Mawson (he/him) to Eliot Smith Dance! 🎉👏

James joins the company as our Apprentice Dancer and will make his company debut in Eliot Smith’s PITMAN as part of our Autumn 2026 season.

Born and raised in County Durham, James is a recent graduate of Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. During his training, he performed and collaborated with a range of artists and companies, including Richard Alston and Clod Ensemble, and undertook professional development with leading international choreographers, including Alesandra Seutin through Vocab Dance x École des Sables.

James is passionate about creating work that connects people with place, particularly the landscapes and heritage of the North East, and we are delighted to welcome him to the company.

We can’t wait for audiences to experience his artistry, energy, and talent on stage.

Please join us in giving James a very warm welcome to the ESD family!

📸 Photographer: Omar Toussaint

Image description: A head-and-shoulders portrait of James Mawson against a soft neutral background. James has short, curly ginger hair and a neatly groomed moustache. He is wearing a fitted white short-sleeved top and small gold hoop earrings in both ears, looking directly at the camera with a gentle smile.

We are excited to welcome Florence May Jones (she/her) to Eliot Smith Dance! 🎉👏Florence will make her company debut in E...
12/08/2026

We are excited to welcome Florence May Jones (she/her) to Eliot Smith Dance! 🎉👏

Florence will make her company debut in Eliot Smith’s PITMAN as part of our Autumn 2026 season.

Florence trained at l’Académie de Danse Vanessa Feuillatte in Bordeaux and the Dance School of Scotland before graduating with First Class Honours in Professional Dance and Performance from the Central School of Ballet in London.

She completed the 2025/26 season with the Acosta Advanced Training Hub +18 and toured as a junior guest artist in Acosta Danza’s Nutcracker in Havana, choreographed by Carlos Acosta. Her performance credits include works by Dickson Mbi, Thick & Tight, Maleek Washington, Sir Frederick Ashton, and Kristen McNally. Most recently, Florence appeared in the short dance film Between the Gears, directed by Shi Yi, which premiered at BFI Southbank in July 2026.

We can’t wait for audiences to experience her artistry, energy, and talent on stage.

Please join us in giving Florence a very warm welcome to the ESD family! 💙

📸 Photographer: Amber Hunt

Image description: A smiling head-and-shoulders portrait of Florence May Jones against a soft white background. Florence is turned slightly away from the camera, looking back over her shoulder with a bright smile. She has blonde hair styled in a neat bun and is wearing a sleeveless dance top in muted green and purple tones, colourful drop earrings, and bold red lipstick.

We are excited to welcome Jasmine Daniels (she/her) to Eliot Smith Dance! 🎉👏Jasmine will make her company debut in Eliot...
12/08/2026

We are excited to welcome Jasmine Daniels (she/her) to Eliot Smith Dance! 🎉👏

Jasmine will make her company debut in Eliot Smith’s PITMAN as part of our Autumn 2026 season.

Based in Dorset, Jasmine graduated from Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, where she was awarded the Contemporary Dance Cup. She has performed works by Sir Matthew Bourne, Sir Richard Alston, and Kenneth Tindal with Encore Dance Company, and has also performed with Mark Bruce Company and Yorke Dance Project, dancing works by Bella Lewitzky and Christopher Bruce MBE.

We can’t wait for audiences to experience her artistry, energy, and talent on stage.

Please join us in giving Jasmine a very warm welcome to the ESD family!

📸 Photographer: Jonathan Wedge

Image description: A smiling head-and-shoulders portrait of Jasmine Daniels against a soft grey background. Jasmine has platinum blonde hair styled half up with the rest falling to her shoulders. She is wearing a fitted black zip-up top, small gold hoop earrings, and a delicate gold necklace, looking directly at the camera with a warm smile.

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