Botis Seva | Far From The Norm | Sing Child Sing

Botis Seva

Botis Seva is a seminal choreographic voice rooted in Hip Hop dance theatre yet propelled by a free-form, multidisciplinary approach. His work is grounded in lived experience, drawing on personal stories and the worlds around him, while borrowing techniques from film, text, visual art and other movement languages to continually reimagine creativity and the stage.

Originally driven by a passion for music, Botis spent his early years at his local youth club making beats and MC’ing. At 15 he encountered dance at secondary school and quickly decided to pursue choreography outside mainstream educational routes. At 19, he founded Far From The Norm in Dagenham with friends who shared his desire to experiment with Hip Hop as an artistic language.

During his early choreographic development, mentorship and support from Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells helped him refine his craft and build a distinct movement vocabulary. His work soon gained momentum across stage, outdoor and dance film platforms. Far From The Norm has since evolved into a collective of artists dedicated to pushing beyond the perceived boundaries and rules of dance. The company’s acclaimed stage productions, including BLKDOG and Until We Sleep, have resonated globally and introduced new audiences to dance theatre.

Botis has received numerous awards, including the Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund, the Marion North Mentoring Award (2015), Copenhagen International Choreography Competition (2016), Choreography 30 Hannover (2016), and the Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production for BLKDOG (2019).

He has also been recognised by the Black British Theatre Awards and National Dance Awards (2022), received the CHANEL Next Prize (2022) and the Carmen Mateu Best Choreographer Award (2023), and became a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist in 2024.

His film work includes Inside the Blind Iris with director Douglas Bernadt (2023), Santo with Freddie Leydon and Christie’s (2022), BBC Arts x Space CAN’T KILL US ALL (2020) and Channel 4 Random Acts REACH (2018). These works have earned accolades such as Vimeo Best of the Year (2023), Kinsale Sharks (2023) and San Francisco Dance Film Festival (2018), with nominations including Cannes Lion (2023) and Young British Arrows (2023).

Botis’ external stage and screen commissions include collaborations with Scottish Dance Theatre, Rupert Goold, National Youth Dance Company, Wayne McGregor and Robin Friend, Battersea Arts Centre/Suri Krishnamma, NDT2 and Gothenburgoperan Danskompani.

Far From The Norm

Far From The Norm is a pioneering Black British–led Hip Hop dance theatre company creating artistically daring, socially resonant work.

Established in 2009 in a youth club in Dagenham (East London), Far From The Norm was founded by Artistic Director Botis Seva at just 19 years old.

From the beginning, the company has been a collective of artists renowned for experimenting with Hip Hop dance and driven by a desire to move, think and create differently from what was considered the norm: hence their name.

Far From The Norm has grown into a collective celebrated for blending Hip Hop and Contemporary practice with striking visual storytelling. Their work deconstructs street dance vocabularies, challenges perceptions of Hip Hop and amplifies marginalised voices, offering audiences visceral journeys through personal and societal reckonings.

As proud outliers within the dance landscape, they continue to push the artform forward, shaping the evolution of Hip Hop dance theatre in the UK and beyond. Their portfolio spans live performances, outdoor shows, film and immersive experiences, as well as youth work and artist development, each rooted in an outsider ethos that seeks to create space for those who feel unseen.

Far From The Norm tours nationally and internationally, building strong global partnerships that support and inspire the next generation of Hip Hop dance theatre artists. With extensive experience leading workshops across multiple countries and continents, and delivering robust artist development programmes, they remain committed to nurturing talent and widening access to Hip Hop dance theatre worldwide.

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