The Jerwood DanceHouse on the Ipswich waterfront
In 2000 it became clear that DanceEast needed an identifiable base it could call its own, and so the vision for the Jerwood DanceHouse was born.
Ipswich has always been DanceEast’s home. Its location is ideal, served with good transportation links and undergoing major regeneration. Its short travel distance to London also makes the DanceHouse an accessible venue to artists based in the capital.
Supporting regionally based
dance artists, dance workers, teachers and students is at the heart of DanceEast’s work. The opening of the Jerwood DanceHouse coincided with the launch of the first
BA (Hons) for Dance in the Community at University Campus Suffolk. This joint initiative with the University will help the development of a critical mass for dance in the future.
The grand opening of the DanceHouse
The Jerwood DanceHouse officially opened its doors to the public for classes and performances in October 2009. Some of the world’s greatest dance talents joined in with the celebrations, including: Sylvie Guillem, the Ballet Boyz, Akram Khan and The Royal Ballet.
It’s DanceEast’s vision for the entire community to have ownership of this facility, and to feel that the Jerwood DanceHouse is theirs, whether for a coffee or a class.
‘I’m extremely proud of our beautiful new home. It has been a very long journey, but we have done it and it is all that I hoped it would be. We couldn’t have achieved this without our amazing team at DanceEast, John Lyall Architects and the many people behind the scenes who have helped build this dance house.’ Assis Carreiro, Artistic Director & Chief Executive, DanceEast
An architect’s vision
‘It’s quite remarkable that local children and top professional can share the same dance spaces, designed to an international standard. As a dance fan and as a local, I look forward to seeing the programme blossom and the building becoming a much-loved feature in Ipswich.’ John Lyall, Architect
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