RESOLUTION 2025 - The UK’s biggest festival of new choreography returns to The Place

Resolution is the biggest annual showcase for new choreography in the UK, offering emerging artists a platform to present their work on an established London stage. A key event in the contemporary dance calendar for 35 consecutive year, Resolution returns to The Place for this anniversary edition with 20 nights of the newest ideas in dance, from 10 January to 15 February 2024.

Resolution, first staged in 1990, was invented by the late John Ashford, a key figure in contemporary dance in the UK and beyond, who was Director of The Place’s theatre from 1986-2009 and died in December of last year. Deliberately created as an open platform for the rawest, most untested talent, Resolution responds to the wealth of potent young choreographers burgeoning in the UK dance scene. A fast-paced, diverse showcase, stuffed with new work and names, Resolution introduces sixty emergent dance makers over a 5-week season, and has over the years brought many talents to light, among them Sir Wayne McGregor, Mark Baldwin, Hofesh Shechter, Botis Seva, Kate Prince (Zoonation) and Ivan Blackstock.

Resolution has been central in shaping The Place’s reputation as the place to discover new things first, and we are proud to continue this tradition.

Speaking of the festival, Eddie Nixon, Artistic Director of The Place says: “Resolution is a fundamental part of what The Place is here for – to give opportunities to dancemakers; to try new ideas and support them to develop their creative voice and careers.”

As well as being an opportunity for artists to showcase their work, Resolution is a professional development opportunity. In the lead up to the performances, Resolution artists follow a bespoke programme led by industry professionals, consisting of workshops on the technical aspects of theatre, marketing, managing and producing skills, and take part in cross-discipline networking event to meet potential artistic collaborators. Resolution is a supportive step on the long journey of developing their career, their audience and their art.

Resolution Review is another important facet of the festival and continues in the vein of professional development that is so intrinsic to the entire festival. Another brainchild of John Ashford, who himself started out as a theatre critic, this training programme for emerging writers, selected though an equally open application process, offers the next generation of critics the opportunity to hone their skills writing about dance, working alongside established dance writers as mentors.

Resolution marks an opportunity for artists from all over the world to push creative boundaries, to experiment and to perform outstanding new work for audiences who expect to be surprised, inspired and delighted.