Founded in 2006 by choreographer and performer Harriet Macauley and sound design artist Richard Leonard, Pair Dance is a UK based contemporary dance company in Hertfordshire conceived through a need for a collaboration based organisation to connect with places, people, cities and communities regionally, nationally and internationally.
Pair Dance works in partnership with several local and regional organisations including Community Action Hertsmere, Hertsmere Borough Council and Hertsmere Leisure.
The mission is to create opportunities for Artists and Young People to play, explore and investigate an endless capacity for development through movement and sound.
Pair Dance aim is to demonstrate that talent has no borders, no race, no age, and no limits!
Harriet's choreographic works are created with original sound scores written, arranged and produced by Richard. Her unique movement style and choreographic works imbued power and exuberant energy with a delicacy and technical virtuosity which is contained, yet explosive. Her interest lies heavily in the relationship between movement and sound with performers working on the brink of their limits both mentally and physically.
The company aims to create opportunities for aspiring, professional artists and young people through the Creative Learning stream offering opportunities for leadership, engagement and appreciation.
Harriet Macauley
Artistic Director
No boundaries exist for Harriet Macauley of Pair Dance. Since having a successful career as a professional contemporary dancer working with both Richard Alston Dance Company and Rambert Dance Company she has moved on to establishing Pair Dance. A descendant of dual heritage - Black and European, Harriet Macauley was raised in the UK. She moved to Hertfordshire in 2006 where she founded Pair Dance with long standing partner Richard Leonard. Motivated by the opportunity for mutual exchange Pair Dance has performed nationally and internationally to include Europe, Canada, USA, Turkey, and Scotland. Working in partnership with Community Action Hertsmere she continues her commitment to performance and community engagement encouraging community cohesion in the local and wider area of Hertsmere through creative learning projects supported by Arts Council England, Awards for all, UnLtd Award, The Cooperative Group and Hertsmere Borough Council.
Along side her output of performance works, Pair Dance has engaged in professional performances and community projects at Sadler's Wells, The Lillian Baylis, The Place, Robin Howard Theatre and a further number of regional, national and international venues.
Harriet Macauley gained a BTec national diploma in Theatre and Performing Arts at Waltham Forest College (1997 - 1999) and during this period was taught by Jane Hackett (Former principal of the English National Ballet School). After gaining a national diploma, Harriet moved on to specialise in dance at Lewisham College in South East, London (1999 - 2000) on the one year certificate programme. Upon completion of a one year intensive study in Jazz, ballet and contemporary dance Harriet accepted a full scholarship award on a BA Honours Degree at London Contemporary Dance School (2000-2003).
It was during her first year at LCDS that Harriet auditioned and was selected as part of the 2001 National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) led by Kenneth Tharp and John Chesworth; Harriet begun to focus on performance working with choreographers and artists, Wayne McGregor, Glen Wilkinson, Laila Diallo, Kevin Turner and Kenneth Tharp.
It was during the period of her first year at LCDS that Harriet had a keen interest in international exchange. She was awarded a scholarship to study at Purchase Conservatory of Dance, New York. She was taught by founder members of the Martha Graham Company and Limon Dance Company including Kazuko Hirabayashi, Larry Clark, Neil Greenberg, Stephanie Tooman Kevin Wynne and Risa Steinberg.
Upon her return Harriet was chosen to attend Pact Zollverein residence in Essen, Germany taking part in improvisation, choreographic techniques and workshops with dancers from P.A.R.T.S.
Since graduating in 2004 with a BA Honours (First Class) and a Post Graduate Degree (Distinction) Harriet has danced with Freddie Apouku Addaie, Martin Lawrence, Richard Alston Dance Company, Rambert Dance Company with choreographers Rafael Bonachela, and Mark Baldwin. She has taught for Trinity Laban (Community and Education Department); Dance Captures & Creative Partnership, London Studio Centre; Feedback 33 forum (Sheron Wray) and worked with Rambert Animator, Lincoln Alert on 'Constant Speed' Rambert Dance Company Repertory teaching regionally and nationally.
Harriet was selected as an Olympic Torch Bearer (2004) which was presented by Ken Livingston (Mayor for London), awarded a scholarship at Jacobs Pillow Choreographic Laboratory (2009) The Bonnie Bird Award (2007) and Lisa Ullman traveling scholarship (2009) Winner of the 15th Masdanza International Choreography Competition - Canary Island Spain (2010), AUSTRIA with Arts Universe - awarded a scholarship to attend an international dance conference with IUGTE at he Retzhof Castle Hotel (2011).
