Continuing its 15th anniversary year, Eliot Smith Dance (ESD) celebrates summer 2026 with a season of international residency, performance, training, and new digital insights.

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The season begins with an international residency in New York (22 April – 3 May) at the Taylor Centre for Dance Education, home of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, where Eliot Smith will begin developing HUNTER, a new work inspired by the early industrial era of Wallsend (North Tyneside), particularly its maritime and shipbuilding history. The research also draws on Paul Taylor’s early creative life, creating a dialogue between North East heritage and the legacy of one of America’s most influential choreographers. The music for HUNTER will be composed by ESD’s award-winning Composer in Residence, Adam Johnson. The residency continues ESD’s long-standing relationship with the Taylor organisation, supported by The Abderrahim Crickmay Charitable Settlement and the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation.

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Back in the UK, the company will release a new documentary, In Motion: Eliot Smith and the Story of ESD, premiering 24 June on ESD Online. Filmed by award-winning filmmaker Elijah McDonnell, the film offers Smith’s first on-camera reflection on fifteen years of building a contemporary dance company rooted in the North East of England. Filmed at Woodhorn Museum, the documentary explores the company’s journey, its connection to regional culture, and the future ahead.

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The summer also welcomes guest choreographer Lorenzo Pagano, an internationally recognised dancer and guest principal artist of the Martha Graham Dance Company, who returns to Newcastle to restage Interrupted Souls, originally commissioned by ESD in 2016. As part of the project, Pagano will lead a Graham Technique Masterclass at Dance City (3 July) for professional dancers and dancers in training, followed by a special open rehearsal of the work.

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From 29–31 July, ESD will host its 2026 Summer Intensive at Newcastle Dance Centre, offering professional dancers and those in training the opportunity to work closely with the company. Alongside this, ESD continues its commitment to community engagement through youth workshops across Northumberland throughout the summer.

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Together, these events reflect ESD’s ongoing dedication to artistic research, professional training, regional engagement, and international collaboration.

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We look forward to welcoming you this summer. Book now to join us.

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