biography
“I believe dance is in all of us. My job is to encourage it to come out and see what we might like to use it for – and that might be anything from fun, expression and enjoyment, to building a serious dance career; from a way to learn better at school to mending our relationships with ourselves and each other. Always, I seek to value the Artist in the Person and the Person in the Artist. That should be the FOOT IN HAND experience: if you are new to dance, you leave us feeling as respected and celebrated as an expert; if you work with us professionally, you receive the same care and consideration as most vulnerable person in the room”
Louise Katerega, Creative Director, FOOT IN HAND

LOUISE is one of the most popular and versatile contributors to the UK dance scene. Based in Leicester, East Midlands since 1998, she enjoys a varied career as a performer, choreographer, educator and mentor to people of all ages with differing amounts of dance experience. She trained at London Contemporary Dance School and Coventry University (Performing Arts). She also holds a first class degree in Film and Literature from the University of Warwick and has trained as a life coach. Louise was nominated for Leicester Chamber of Commerce “Woman of the Year” 2008.

PERFORMANCE

Louise toured the UK as a member of Britan’s first National Youth Dance Company from 1985 – 86 and has since performed nationally and internationally choreographers Jamie Watton (Edwards & Watton), Adam Benjamin (co-founder CandoCo),Sheron Wray (Jazzxchange) and Bawren Tavaziva (Union Dance Company, Tavaziva Dance). In 2004 and 2005 she completed two tours of rural England with State of Emergency Dance Company in works created on her by Donald Edwards (co-founder Phoenix Dance Company, RJC) and Maria Ryan (Phoenix Dance Company).

Louise’s solo performance work is now focussed on collaborations with experienced artists from other forms, such as soul diva poet and playwright Carol Leeming.

CHOREOGRAPHY

Since 1996 Louise’s choreography has appeared on stages – and once on the lawn of a stately home! - in many places around Britain and also at the international Dance Umbrella Festival in South Africa. “Between The Stones and The Stars” about her mixed British African heritage toured nationally in 2007 as part of State of Emergency’s “Mission Re-Position Tour”.

FOOT IN HAND

Louise formed Foot In Hand purely as a vehicle for her own choreography in 2003 and during a two year residency at Derby Dance Centre (now Déda) made two full length works, “Words Afoot” 2003 and “Pockets On Fire” 2004/5, with singer-songwriter annA rydeR. This led to demand for her work as a performer and further choreographic commissions. In 2006, she made history when her work, “A State of Becoming”, reached the semi finals of the dance equivalent of the Booker or Turner Prize, The Place Prize – a first for a piece with a disabled and non-disabled cast. In 2007, Louise returned her focus to Foot In Hand as an organisation, expanding its scope beyond making new work to include the strategic projects she found herself in demand for in education, community and professional development.

DANCE AND DISABLED PEOPLE

Louise is especially acknowledged for her development work in the field of dance and disability, which, over the past decade, has taken her as far North as Scotland and as far South as Johannesburg. She has provided bespoke training in dance for and with disabled people for dance companies and organisations across the UK including Dance4, DanceXchange, Union Dance and Diversions Dance Company.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY

The daughter and granddaughter of primary school teachers, Louise has a fifteen year track record of successful and increasingly innovative work with younger children, their teachers and local authorities. She qualified as a Sport England TOP Dance trainer and has led on numerous Creative Partnerships projects in the Midlands region, including as Creative Agent. Over recent years, Louise has found herself in demand nationally as a leader of cross-generational community dance projects. Louise was a trustee of the Foundation for Community Dance from 2002 - 2009.

SPEAKING,WRITING AND ADVISING

Regularly in demand as a spokesperson and advisor, Louise has worked in this capacity for Birmingham Royal Ballet and on a one-to-one basis numerous emerging UK dance artists. She writes articles, on invitation, for dance publications and contributed a chapter to Diane Amans’ “A Introduction to Community Dance” (Macmillan). She is frequently invited to speak at networking events about the health benefits of dance, dance in education and her career in general.

“Louise Katerega…artistry, humour, technical acumen and choreographic invention”
Adrienne Sichel, The Star Johannesburg