ARTIST
Rebecca Namgauds is a multidisciplinary artist based in London working with choreography, performance and visual art for live and the digital space. She’s motivated by feminist and ecofeminist themes, often working in direct contact with nature and the landscape itself.
She is interested in giving form to feeling, expanding ideas and expressions of the self and highlighting the value of the feminine. With a training in contemporary dance and Capoeira, movement is her primary medium, but uses film, photography, performance art and sound to get closer to and articulate her explorations. Working between the macro and micro she concerns herself with intimacy and authenticity.
Namgauds is currently a Time & Space commission artist at Sadlers Wells and through 2024 is developing a new dance theatre piece. This year she is an invited choreographer for Anjali Dance company, as well as working with Bristol based Paraorchestra & musician Liza Bec. Namgauds is a guest lecturer for The Place (London Contemporary Dance School) undergraduate course and Laban MA programme.
Like Honey was part of the British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2019 and her outdoor work Rodadoras, an outdoor show in which three women perform a jig of floor work in half a tonne of soil, is still being performed nationally and internationally since premiering in 2018. Becky's solo Exhibit F premiered at Dance Umbrella 2019, London's renowned annual festival of dance, and then toured further as part of Out Of The System Mixed Bill in early 2020.
Namgauds has collaborated with Hofesh Shechter Company and LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) for East Wall at The Tower of London, one of four choreographers in the site specific show which had 150 performers including professional and youth dancers and live musicians.
In 2021 she collaborated with multidisciplinary artistic duo Arbonauts to create a 'Silt', a site specific performance with a group of 25 cold water swimmers in the tidal pool at Shoeburyness for Estuary 2021. The same year Namgauds worked on 'Assemble' for Dance Umbrella, leading and collaborating with multidisciplinary artist tyroneisaacstewart, working with the students of dance and music at West Thames College for two site specific performances. Other commissions include 'Eve & The Corps De Banshee' for The Place 3rd year graduation show 2023, 'Mixtape for Louise Bourgeois', The Place 1st year end of year project 2023, 'On a Warm Spring Night' for Emergence post-grad company 2021, Ruby for the Cat programme 2018.
She has collaborated with Scarabeus Aerial Theatre company, working as choreographer and movement director and taking a lead role in the process for the R&D and creation of Emerging 2020-2022. In 2019, Namgauds assisted on the choreography for British artist Georgina Starr's film 'Quarantaine' and also movement directed for 'An Intermission', a film project led by Director Edwin Mingard, made for and by a group of young adults experiencing homelessness in Stoke -On- Trent.
Photo by Jess Elliss
PERFORMER
As a performer, Namgauds has had an exciting and eclectic experience. She was one of 11 cast members in the original creation of Marianne Elliott's 'Angels in America' at The National Theatre. Here, Becky was a movement and puppetry artist for the R&D, creation and then 100 performances of the 2 part Tony Kushner play, which totals 7.5 hours. Creating and performing alongside the likes of Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane, Denise Gough and Russel Tovey, the show received critical acclaim and 5 star reviews and is now watched online by a global audience.
Working long term as a dance collaborator for choreographer and director Holly Blakey, Namgauds continues to perform and collaborate with Blakey in different capacities, whether performing in sold out live shows at the Southbank's Royal Festival Hall, assisting on campaigns for Vivienne Westwood or fronting a music video.
Her passion for music, art, theatre and fashion and her versatility as a dancer have allowed her to exist as an artist within many scenes. Becky has appeared in music videos for the likes of Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Mura Masa and Klyne amongst others. Has worked with renowned choreographers Yoanne Bourgeois and Marion Motin. She has performed for brands such as Roksanda, Sportsbanger, Gucci and Dazed and been featured in campaigns for Vogue, Dior, Chopova Lowena, Lululemon and Adidas.
Photo by Daniele Fumo
TEACHER & FACILITATOR
Since 2020, Namgauds has been a guest lecturer at London Contemporary Dance School, teaching contemporary dance practice for both the postgraduate and undergraduate degree courses. She is privileged to be nurturing the dance artists of tomorrow and aims to provide them a challenging but supportive environment to learn in. She offers services as a mentor and creative support to artists seeking guidance and encouragement.
In 2023 she curated a week long intensive for 3rd year and postgraduate students at The Place where they received workshops from her collaborators for an upcoming dance film. They received daily morning class, workshops on composition, contemporary technique, audio-visual description, dramaturgy, musical collaborations and producing. More recently she lead a week long 'creative process' intensive workshop for the MA students at Laban.
With 15 years teaching experience, Namgauds delivers classes, workshops and intensive courses for professionals, students and non-professionals. Her BA in Dance, background in Capoeira and teaching qualification in Yoga have supported her development of a wholesome movement practice and well structured class which builds with intensity and can be fluid and flexible to suit participant needs. Whilst teaching a variety of techniques she also leads a Music in Practice' physical workshop in collaboration with composer Domenico Angarano publicly and for the 1st year BA students at The Place where Angarano is head of music.
Becky often teaches professional class in London as well as workshops and intensives nationally and internationally.
Teaching credits include; Punchdrunk, National Dance Company of Wales, Dam Van Huyn Company, Rambert School of Ballet and Dance, Laban, Salford University, Roehampton University, Wolverhampton University, Centre for Advanced Training Birmingham, Freefall Dance Company, The Place, Tripspace, Centre151, Rambert professional programme, Grosetto (Italy), Centre Civic Barceloneta (Spain), Candoco Youth Company and Threescore Dance Company for the over 55s.
Photo by Rocio Chacon