Meet the collective
24HopeStreet Collective are 9 dance artists and 1 digital artist. Our practices span contemporary, commercial, digital, experimental and community dance. Our combined expertise includes theatre, music, arts management, performance production, higher education, research, evaluation and diverse community leadership.
We voluntarily run and manage our studios on 24 Hope Street providing space for dance and movement professionals and communities in Liverpool. We also run training and performance projects, workshops, classes and various other projects.
Rowena Gander
Dr. Rowena Gander is a Liverpool-based performance artist, choreographer, and educator recognised for her bold solo works that interrogate power, sexuality, and the objectification of women. Her critically acclaimed self-devised pieces Barely Visible and Woman | Women have toured nationally across the UK, using raw physicality to confront lesbian invisibility. She has performed and trained with world-renowned artist Marina Abramović and has contributed as both choreographer and performer to a range of established theatre companies and musical productions. In addition to her performance work, Rowena has published scholarly articles on her distinctive practice, particularly her use of objects in performance, and developed creative resources widely used by dancers around the world. These writings and tools continue to inform her evolving collaborations with artists across theatre, cabaret, and dance.
@rowenagander on all socials
Jennie Hale
Jennie Hale is a dance artist based in Liverpool, making and performing work with communities since graduating from London Contemporary Dance School in 2005. Jennie works as a Community Dance Artist delivering workshops and creating dance work with participants, encouraging cultural activity and creativity throughout our lives. Her work focuses on health and wellbeing for older adults, stemming from her role at Merseyside dance initiative for 15 years, including Dance for Dementia and working with English National Ballet on their Dance for Parkinson’s Programme. Alongside this Jennie is co-founder of taciturn, an all female dance company who have performed regionally and nationally with commissions from Liverpool Biennial, Bluecoat, Unity Theatre and MDI. Taciturn have developed a body of work, with a practise that is accessible, creating dance for theatre and site specific settings wanting all to be able to watch dance. We have an ethos of honesty, openness and entertainment with choreography that is reflective of this.
Noel Jones
Noel Jones, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in Creative Technology and artistic sound design, has made significant contributions across various sectors, including Higher Education, professional engagements, and community-based projects. As a New Media Artist, his work is characterised by collaborative and interdisciplinary projects, resulting in innovative art forms and exhibited works. Rooted in a background of Fine Art studies, Noel's journey has traversed over the creative landscapes, evolving into video and installation art. In the past 15 years, he's focused on collaborations with choreographers and dance artists, specialising in developing immersive production experiences. Most recently, he is a founding member of the 24 Hope Street artist collective, contributing his expertise and fostering creativity within the dance and theatre communities. Currently, Noel is engaged in exploring the creative applications of artificial intelligence in video and image creation, and he's also incorporating the use of games technologies as artistic tools. This ongoing exploration continues to inspire and innovate in the realms of Creative Technology and sound design.
https://www.i-d-e-a.co.uk @digitaldance
Joss La Porta
Joss La Porta, owner and creative director of the House Of La Porta @thehouseoflaporta , is a Liverpool based choreographer, teacher, dance and performance artist. Joss started his professional training when living in the south of France, before moving to Liverpool to continue this training at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Here he trained in all classical, commercial and theatre dance styles. Since graduating, Joss has worked professionally with contemporary companies including La Compagnie Myriam Naisy / L’Hélice in Toulouse, has credits including Pepsi Co., has worked and created with various music artists all over the country, has started his own dance company, and teaches, performs and creates all over the North West of England as well as in Spain and France. Joss performed with Zara Larsson in the 2023 Eurovision opening ceremony, and was ecstatic to be representing the talent of the North West. He has also worked heavily with Pride North West and is keen on developing how dance can continue to unite communities through these events. He now teaches regular open classes in Liverpool, hoping to expand the dance community and bring people together.
Onur Orkut
Onur Orkut is a theater artist, educator, and coach with over 20 years of experience in the performing arts industry. He has worked as an actor, director, musical theater director, choreographer, movement director, contemporary dancer, choral director, improvisationist, and new writing facilitator. Onur has taught at various institutions including LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts) and The RSAMD (Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama). He was also Head of Education at ICTheatre Manchester. Onur's credits include The Abduction From the Seraglio (Ankara State Opera), Hamlet, Cikisyokland Cumhuriyeti (Arts Institution Award – Oteki Tiyatro), Playback (Musical Theatre Coach – VeDigerSeyler), a TV series in Turkey, and many concerts, including some for international charities and diplomatic missions. He is currently a PhD student at Lancaster University and was the course Leader for PGCERT Learning and Teaching in HE in Performing Arts at Rose Bruford College. In addition to his work in theater, Onur is also a private audition, acting, and musical theater coach for professionals. @onurorkut @studi.00 on instagram and twitter// studioo.co.uk
Emma Lippit
Emma Lippit is a freelance dance artist (performer, teacher and choreographer). She teaches all levels, from beginner to competition, in a range of styles, from contemporary to commercial. Emma has taught across Europe over the past couple of years as well as setting up her own open class which now has its home at 24 Hope Street Studio. Emma has also been teaching in community outreach projects for over 5 years. The nature of these outreach programmes has have included workshops for people with SEN, teaching children who have limited opportunities and creating a safe environment for asylum seekers. Performance credits include Zara Larsson, BBC and Eurovision. She is also part of the multi award winning House of La Porta who perform at Vogue Balls and many other live events. Emma has been performing her own acts at cabarets this year and is excited to continue developing as a performer and artist. @emmalippittdance on Instagram
Mary Pearson
Mary Pearson is a dancer and performance maker from the US, creating work in Liverpool since 2006. Her multi- disciplinary practice is rooted in improvisation and collaboration. Mary’s projects ask complex and troubling social questions. Between 2012-18, she internationally toured three solo shows and led ‘FAILURE lab’ workshops. Her work has received support from The Bluecoat, Metal Liverpool, FACT, Independent Dance, Dance4, and Invisible Flock. Interdisciplinary collaborations with garment designer Alena Kudera, creative technologist Noel Jones, electroacoustic composer Dr Caterina McEvoy, visual artist Ruth Dillon, and broadcaster George Maund. Mary has organised events with artist-led initiatives Ponderosa Dance (near Berlin), Migrant Artists’ Mutual Aid, and Liverpool Improvisation Collective. Her practice fosters artistic exchange across borders and differences, in the transatlantic duet ‘How to Be Afraid?’ with mayfield brooks (NYC) and remote international collaboration ‘Witnessed In Translation’ whose revolutionary hybrid format enabled artists’ exchanges to be viewed simultaneously by live, local audiences and international viewers online. Mary practices Somatic Experiencing® a body-based approach to overcoming trauma, supporting both artists in creative processes and clients in private practice. @mpearsonater on Instagram, www.mpearsonater.com
Jen Rees
A graduate of Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Jenny has undertaken further training at The Limon School and Merce Cunningham Studios in New York. More recently she has achieved an MA with Distinction from Rambert School, where she developed her choreographic practice on the Research for Professional Practitioners course. Jenny has worked professionally as a performer both nationally and internationally, with projects taking her across Europe to countries such as Italy, The Netherlands and Estonia. She is a founder member of Liverpool based dance company, taciturn and has choreographed and performed with the company since 2006, including shows for The Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Dance Base and Resolutions at London Contemporary Dance School. Jenny currently works part time as a dance lecturer at LIPA Sixth Form College and has a wealth of teaching experience in FE, HE, and school settings, alongside teaching weekly professional and advanced level open classes. She has worked as a choreographer for both professionals and students as well as a freelance movement director for both theatre and film.
Vicci Riley
Vicci Riley, is a dance-maker, performer and movement facilitator working as an independent dance artist for 25 years. She is committed to improvisation as a practice for body knowledge, spontaneous expression and conscious performance. Vicci trained at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance, and In 2010 she gained an MA with distinction in dance theatre researching the embodied ways of knowing and practicing for performance improvisation. Vicci has been leading the Blueroom Moves programme for adults with learning disabilities at the Bluecoat in Liverpool for the last 2 years. She curated a triple bill sell out show last year with guest artists collaborations. Vicci is currently developing the second stage of an intergenerational dance project with Ready Generations and a project looking at the future of weaving through the India-UK collaboration scheme. Vicci is in her 2ndyear of training in the Feldenkrais Method® a re-education of movement awareness and functional integration part funded by Dancer’s Career Development and Dancers Professional Fund.
Pei Yee Tong
Pei Yee Tong is a Chinese Malaysian choreographer, dancer, teacher and company co-founder and co-director of Movema. Started almost 15 years ago, Movema celebrates diversity through dance, and connects people and communities to nurture a safer and more tolerant world. Involved mainly in dance associated with Chinese heritage, culture and places, Pei loves working with multidisciplinary collaborations of different art forms, including storytelling and spoken word. She recently organised and performed in an event at The Bluecoat celebrating East and South East Asian (ESEA) Heritage Month. Pei’s practice focuses on breathing, daily movement, appreciation of nature and self, with focus on inner energy ‘chi’. She is influenced by Qi Gong and Chinese Taoism fused with contemporary movement. Her personal journey explores community healing in a gentle and non prescriptive way.