Developing your Creative Practice: Charlotte Luke

Charlotte Luke is a freelance dance practitioner, based in the South West. She tells us why it was the right time for her to apply to Developing your Creative Practice and what she thought about while making her successful application.

Since graduating in 2015, Charlotte has focused on finding her way as an individual practitioner.

She has worked with many companies and produced well-received commissions and performances, including The Hall for Cornwall, SpinDrift dance, Freefall Dance, Apex Aerial Dance, Carrick Dance, Lila Dance and The Minack Theatre. So far, her dance practice has focused on teaching, aerial work, and company administration.

When the DYCP was launched, Charlotte realised this could be the perfect opportunity to refocus her career as a performance artist and choreographer.

To achieve this, she is taking part in workshops, intensive courses, shadowing opportunities and research designed to develop these areas of her practice.

Image of Charlotte Luke — Photo © Maitane Ussia

“Before I applied for the DYCP grant, I felt lost as an artist. It has been incredible to throw myself into a variety of training and creative opportunities. They have given me the chance to investigate what it is I want to pursue within my own practice.”

DYCP has offered Charlotte the opportunity to expand her technical abilities. She is finding her creative voice and making new connections. It’s creating new career opportunities and partnerships for her as well as helping her reach new audiences. Audiences that she can bring back to the South West dance community.

“I have travelled to New York, Portugal, Brighton and London. I’ve worked with Mark Morris Dance Group, Ohad Naharin, Chisato Ohno, members of Batsheva Dance Company, TRIBE// with Victoria Fox-Markiewicz, Kate Lawrence Vertical Dance and Gravity and Levity’s Lindsey Butcher.”

Each activity is helping her build on an area of her experience that she would like to develop. These development opportunities are a chance to take risks, but ones that Charlotte feels confident are still realistic to achieve.

The benefits are already starting to show. She has begun work on a new duet work and commissioned a new solo show choreographed by Grace Sellwood of Freefall Dance Company.

Charlotte Luke, Dance practitioner jumper in the air in a tucked position — The Big Wall Lisbon - Vertical Dance Intensive. Photo © Maitane Ussia

Believing that she was ready take on larger projects and work with a wider scope meant this was the right time to undertake this development opportunity. She feels ready to create work as a diverse and fearless dance artist, with a more established choreographic voice.

“I didn’t realise how much this project would challenge me. At times, it has been difficult. I have been working and travelling alone and at times felt guilt due to the unrealistic notion that every second of this should work perfectly.

But this project has injected the joy back into my work and set my mind alight with ideas, reflections and creative endeavours. I am hugely excited about life after this project both personally and professionally.”

Top Tip

“Go with the flow. Use your project timeline as a structure but don’t be confined by it. I have learnt so much from unexpected opportunities that have presented themselves as part of this project.”