Experience ESD on stage
2026 AUTUMN SEASON
Image: Eliot Smith in HUNTER. Photographer Yamit Salazar.
Overview
To conclude its year-long 15th Anniversary celebrations, Eliot Smith Dance (ESD) returns this autumn with a season of performances, exhibitions and community projects across the North East.
The season begins with VISION in MOTION, ESD's 15th Anniversary Celebration, at The Common Room, Newcastle on 24 September, where the company will also launch its 10-Year Vision. ESD then returns to Alnwick Playhouse with the 10th Anniversary of PITMAN, inspired by ten paintings by The Ashington Group, also known as the Pitmen Painters. Alongside performances on 11 & 12 November 2026, PITMAN: The Exhibition will tour venues across Northumberland and Newcastle from mid-October, showcasing photographs by John Lyons inspired by the production and the artwork that shaped it.
Alongside the season, ESD will deliver workshops in primary schools across Northumberland, create a new community dance work with adults from South East Northumberland and surrounding coastal communities, and collaborate with students from Converge at Northumbria University.
The season concludes on 3 December 2026 with Eliot Smith: Return at Alphabetti Theatre, where founder Eliot Smith returns to the stage for the first time since retiring from performing in 2021. Featuring Interrupted Souls by Lorenzo Pagano, the premiere of Smith's new solo HUNTER, and a new solo by Nicole Vivien Watson, the evening celebrates the past, present and future of the company while thanking everyone who has supported Eliot Smith Dance over the last 15 years.
Book now and celebrate this special anniversary season with us!
Background
Eliot Smith Dance (ESD), founded in 2011 and operating from Dance City in Newcastle upon Tyne, is a vibrant contemporary dance company rooted in the North East of England. Established by acclaimed choreographer Eliot Smith, ESD is known for its inclusive, accessible approach — bringing high quality performances to underserved communities through innovative works and outreach programs, including award‑winning wellness dance workshops for all ages. Internationally celebrated, ESD has performed in New York, Rome, Paris, and beyond, and has earned recognition for its environmental advocacy, including the inaugural Green Dance Award at the One Dance UK Awards in 2022.
Acknowledgement
Eliot Smith Dance (ESD) gratefully acknowledges the support of Friends of ESD, supporters of ESD's Crowdfunder campaign, Surface Area Dance Theatre, and anonymous donors in making the 2026 Autumn Season possible.
PITMAN is an Eliot Smith Dance commission, created in association with Alnwick Playhouse and presented with the kind permission of The Ashington Group Trustees. The production has been developed with the support of Woodhorn Museum | North East Museums and is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, with additional support from Dance City.