Award-winning choreography and performance

Performer, Choreographer, Movement Director, Lecturer, Facilitator.
Seeking the extraordinary in all things ordinary and delivering original
performance across the UK and beyond...

  

info@karlashacklock.com

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			New solo show Big news!! I'm making a new solo show!! My first one in ten years. I shared a work in progress of 'Niplash' at a couple of events in November last year, including the 'Reclaim Festival' and I will be continuing to develop the show over the coming year. I have assembled an incredible team of collaborators, Exeter Northcott are on board as partners, and I am thrilled to have been invited to be part of Complicite's 'Mudlarks International Residency' in March. Niplash is part memoir and part critical analysis, and explores the cultural and societal complexities/pressures/insane mixed messaging around feeding a child by any means. Never have I made a show which has attracted such an outpouring of people wanting/needing to share their experiences. So I'm collecting them all up and trying to honour them in the making of this new work. If you would like to share something, please get in touch. Click here. Movement Direction Over the past seven years I've predominantly worked as a Movement Director and Choreographer for other companies and productions - this has allowed me to be on tour less and spend time with my young family. I'm currently working as Movement Director and Ensemble Director for Pinocchio, directed by Emma Williams, which will have a four week run at Taunton Brewhouse in December. Click here to view I'm also back working on Midnight Mole, now in it's third year, which will run at Theatre Royal Bath, Courtyard Theatre Hereford and Cast Theatre in Doncaster - there's a lovely little review in The Guardian. Click here to view. This year I'm not only working as Movement Director for the show, but will be performing in it too! Click here for some pics.

			Freelance Dance Movement Over the past two years I have been part of the steering group for the Freelance Dance Movement, which officially launched at Chisenhale Dance Space and Wainsgate Dances earlier this year. We are a community aiming to craft practical solutions for the issues that freelance dance workers face. We invite you to join this Movement to advocate, campaign, and work to safeguard the dignity and wellbeing of freelance dance artists. Click here for more information. As part of my work with the Freelance Dance Movement I created a short video capturing a typical day for a freelance dancer - it's an honest, raw and sadly common account of some of the injustices, madness and lack of voice/visibility encountered by so many of us. Make yourself a cup of tea and find 8 mins to watch it, then spend a minute sharing it please, and then another few minutes joining the movement.

			COMPLICITE: In October last year I was invited as a performer and collaborator to do a week of R&D with Complicite, whilst in residence at Hawkwood Centre for Future Thinking. It was an absolutely dreamy week of being completely immersed in a creative process in incredible surroundings. In March this year, I will be returning to Hawkwood to spend a week working on Niplash as part of Complicite's 'Mudlarks International Residency'. GATHER UP BURSARY: I am thrilled to have been awarded Gather UP's 2024 Micro Bursary, which will go towards supporting the further development of my new solo work Niplash in 2025. INTERVAL: Earlier this year I joined this beautiful artist led collective. We are a group of artists whose work spans live art, contemporary theatre, dance, visual art, cabaret, writing, community work, audio and more. We support each other, share, critique and push new ideas and research. We are interested in what a collective can be and in finding new ways in which to support each other’s development. We offer an encouraging and focused space to experiment and go forward with the supportive clout of a collective behind you. We share knowledge and resources including an office and rehearsal space in Bristol. Click here for more information. GOING SOLO TOGETHER: Last year I was part of this incredible project where a group of a dozen artists came together over six residencies to explore their own practice, but in a shared creative space. The wonderful Cai Tomos held the room for us as we took a year to travel along together in making our own solo, which we all shared in November 2024. LECTURING/WORKSHOPS: I've been doing a spot of guest lecturing and Movement Direction again this year at Bristol School of Acting. My regular annual lecturing gigs also normally include Laban, Bath Spa University and Central School of Speech and Drama, but I've delivered workshops, lectures and masterclasses at conferences and academic institutions across Europe - so get in touch if you'd like to book me in. PERFORMANCE: After taking a few years off to birth three gorgeous kids, I am now finally getting back into performing! I have been involved in a few short projects with the kids in tow, such as an R&D with Complicite, a three week run of Midnight Mole, an R&D with the National Theatre of Wales and a Zoom performance of 'Meditations on Motherhood' with Hands Full Ensemble. Click here for 'Mothers Who Make'. I am now much more available to immerse in performance once again. I've got a few things in the pipeline for 2025/2026, but am always happy to be contacted about new projects and collaborations.

Updated: 12-02-2025