Ben Wright
Contemporary Dance Judge
Ben is one of the artistic co-directors for Candoco Dance Company, a repertoire ensemble for disabled and non- disabled dancers. He is also an independent director and choreographer working in contemporary dance, opera and theatre. He trained at The Ballet Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and worked primarily as a performer between 1991 and 2006.
Ben was the Associate Artistic Director and choreographer for Skånes Dansteater 2014–2018. His work there included four main-stage collaborations with Malmo Opera, one of which, The Feeling of Going, a fully orchestrated staging of Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi’s album GO, has recently been filmed for television and will have a digital release on the Arthaus Musik label in 2019. In 2008 Ben launched his own company bgroup and in 2017 premiered his latest work, Point Of Echoes, after receiving the first UK Rural Touring Dance Initiative commission. He has choreographed for many opera and theatre productions in the UK and internationally, including The Royal Opera House, National Theatre Wales, Washington National Opera, Donmar Warehouse, ENO, The Metropolitan Opera, Opera-Comique Paris, Donmar West End and the Young Vic.
Ben is also an experienced independent teacher who regularly mentors younger artists, and teaches nationally and internationally. He has taught throughout the vocational training sector in Britain and for many of the UK’s National Dance Agencies. As a choreographer he has created student and post grad work for Trinity Laban, The Place, Northern School of Contemporary Dance and London Studio Centre amongst others. Ben was a 2016 Clore Fellow for Cultural Leadership.
