EDge, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary as the postgraduate performance company of London Contemporary Dance School, is entering a new era, with Jeanne Yasko apppointed as artistic director and a new programme of opportunities for dancers and choreographers.
Jeanne Yasko has been appointed Artistic Director of EDge, succeeding Lauren Potter who steps down this month after four years in the role. Originally from New York City, Jeanne was based in London from 1979-83 before continuing her successful career as a choreographer, dancer and teacher in Sweden and Denmark. From 1995-2005 she was Artistic Director of NorrDans, an acclaimed company based in the northern Swedish town of Härnösand. Since 2006 she has taught regularly as a guest at the Danish National School of Contemporary Dance and Dansens Hus, and she is currently artist-in-residence at the Black Diamond, the Royal Danish Library’s house of culture. Jeanne will oversee auditions in April 2010 for the new intake of EDge students before taking up her full-time role with the company from September 2010.
From September 2010, EDge will for the first time include dancer/choreographers in its ranks. Works created by established guest artists will provide the core of the company’s repertoire, complemented by works from the emerging choreographers of the company. In an exciting new collaborative venture, the programme for EDge students will also be much more closely integrated with other artist development opportunities offered by The Place as it launches the new “Work Place” scheme for the support and development for dance artists at key stages of their careers.
These developments build on London Contemporary Dance School’s tradition of pioneering postgraduate programmes to support the transition from training to professional practice and continue the development of artists. The postgraduate department continues to run an apprentice programme, in collaboration with leading dance companies, specialist programmes for choreographers and teachers, and the Advanced Dance Studies programme launched in 2009. EDge (and its previous incarnation 4D) has been giving outstanding young artists the best possible preparation for their professional careers for over 20 years, and previous directors include Janet Smith, Mary Evelyn and David Steele.