Christopher Tendai in NPAFE’s words…

Christopher Tendai

…Our bet is that the UK’s CTC Dance Company is unlike any other performing arts organization that you have seen. It is led by award-winning choreographer Christopher Tendai, himself an acclaimed performer on London West End stages including a lead role in Hamilton. A performing arts imagineer of exciting creative originality, Tendai and his CTC Dance Company have opened the door for audiences to learn and love new ways that dance can powerfully portray today’s complex subjects of society, tolerance and acceptance.

… Tendai’s hallmarks are compellingly innovative ways of mixing dance with theatre production. He has developed his own language of movement, leading with intent first and then allowing movement to follow, with no fear at all of using different dance styles like contemporary, jazz, afro beats and physical theatre that enraptures audiences.

CTC Dance Company’s Offie Nominated Wonderland In Alice Production Shot (2023)

…Equally impressive in this post-pandemic world of ours, Tendai and his CTC team have developed enviable skills in live streaming dance. With his April 2023 “Wonderland in Alice” at London’s Peckham Theatre, a smash success, Tendai explored contentious issues like gender and the binary, using the emotive language of dance to convey empathy. Audiences loved it. So did the critics. (Audience Reaction Video Link )

CTC Dance Company’s Award Winning Identity Production Shot (2019)

…This should not come as a surprise. Tendai successfully constructs dance episodes anchored in storytelling, about topics that by most accounts are controversial: LGBTQ+, mental health, self-identity, trans issues and more. His goal? Creating a safe performance space for expressing ideas too often the target of hostility or worse.

…It is likewise no surprise that Tendai believes strongly in providing a dialogue among diverse communities. He and his CTC Dance Company pay close attention to the diversity of their dancers; it is a formula they believe will help make the world fairer and create performance opportunities for dancers who might otherwise have trouble landing gigs for reasons of persistent discrimination within the industry of dance.

CTC Dance Company’s Award Winning Identity Production Shot (2019

… The very talented Luke Cartwright, himself a brilliant performing artist with strong creative power and great determination, squarely focused on how to marry his personal values of fairness and tolerance with his passion for dance and choreography. Luke has been part of CTC since 2019 in both performative and creative roles whilst facilitating numerous company outreach workshops around the UK. Cartwright is passionate about creating space in which everyone’s voice can be heard, to create a truly authentic collaborative pieces of work.

Lisa Millar in action

…Tendai and Cartwright are not alone in teaming to make the world a better place through the art of dance. CTC’s Lisa Millar (she/they) is hugely dedicated to Youth and Outreach work working with people of all ages from low income backgrounds, those leaving the care system and young people with disabilities or who are Neuro-diverse. Further training includes. UNDERSTANDING ADHD: CURRENT RESEARCH AND PRACTISE – King’s College, INTRODUCTION TO TRANS AWARENESS- Gendered Intelligence and regular safeguarding training with organisations including NSPCC. Their work with young people extends to educational institutions including some of the UK’s leading vocational colleges such as Trinity, Arts Ed, Urdang and Royal Academy of Music.

Hamilton Workshop Photo with Phoenix Theatre Arts Academy (2019)

…With a strong desire and built-in generosity to share his passion, know-how and experience, Tendai and CTC also offer affordable workshops all around the UK to support young people and up-and-coming artists. They couple this with a strong view of how Tendai imagines the future of dance, developing his art towards immersive shows and theatrical settings.

…The result of this one-of-a-kind mix? Expressive emotional original choreography that offers eye-popping new sensations for the viewer and brings high praise from critics.

…You will see why in these videos.

…Credits include: The Royal Albert Hall, Melton Theatre, Cromer Pier, Turbine Theatre, Peckham Theatre, Paul McCartney Auditorium, ICCU Cricket World Cup (2019), and Mansfield Playhouse.