National Dance Company Wales appoints artistic director

National Dance Company Wales (NDCWales) has appointed BAKANI PICK-UP as its new artistic director and DAVID WATSON as its interim executive director. 

The two will also be joint chief executives, with Pick-Up joining the company in September and Watson starting in April.

Pick-Up is a Zimbabwean-born choreographer, researcher and programmer who founded Bakani Pick-Up company in 2018. They are also currently an associate trustee at Yorkshire Dance and a trustee at Chisenhale Dance Space.

Watson is the chair of both Storyhouse, a mixed-use cultural building in Chester, and Back to Ours, a creative arts organisation in Hull. He is a former professional dancer and choreographer who has previously held roles at National Museums Liverpool, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Hull UK City of Culture 2017.

Pick-Up said they were “immensely excited” to join the company, adding: “I am thrilled to bring [my] eclectic background to the company as we look to build and lead by example on the many possibilities for the future of contemporary dance across Wales.”

“I want to connect with the many diverse communities across Wales,” they added. “I believe dance is for everyone and the work we will do as a company in the years to come will echo this belief.”

NDC Wales’s chair ALISON THORNE commented: “We are delighted that Bakani is joining us to lead the company into new opportunities artistically and with audiences and communities. They bring a wealth of dance experience and an innovative mindset. We will all enjoy working together creating a world that is enriched by dance.”

NDCWales will begin recruiting a full-time executive director later this year.