Louise Katerega

LOUISE KATEREGA describes herself as a woman of Ugandan and English heritage and has been a versatile contributor to the UK dance scene for over two decades.

She is especially acknowledged for her national and international development work in dance by, for and with disabled people. Based in Leicester, she has enjoyed a broad portfolio career as a performer, teacher, choreographer and - now with parenthood is in progress - increasingly, a consultant, strategic thinker, dramaturg and creative producer.

In 2006 her company of cross-generational, culturally diverse, disabled and non-disabled professional dancers, Foot In Hand, made history at Bloomberg’s Place Prize semi-finals with one of the first works featuring dancers with impairments. In 2012, she co-choreographed the inclusive dance aspect of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Sailing Events in Weymouth and was commissioned to create new works for the Olympic and Paralympic torch celebrations in Leicester.

Most recently, she has advised and supported around the legacy of Critical Mass, the inclusive aspect of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

In 2018, Louise was named one of 6 Associate Artists and Companies of People Dancing, the UK’s flagship organisation for community and participatory dance. This partnership manifested in a first phase, ‘Voice & Presence’, activities designed to acknowledge amplify and celebrate the contribution of women of the African Diaspora to participatory dance. Louise’s work expanded in October 2020 to embrace all aspects of the company and all Global Majority heritage artists of any gender identity as Associate Producer for Change. In April 2023 she was promoted to professional development lead at the organisation, a role that continues to encompass this change agenda.

Louise trained at London Contemporary Dance School and Coventry University (Performing Arts). She holds a first-class degree in Film and Literature from the University of Warwick and trained as a life coach.  She is board adviser to Turned On Its Head Early Years Dance Theatre, a board member of ArtReach a multi- and outdoor arts company, NeSSIE, a children’s mental health charity and Phoenix Dance Theatre. She is also trustee of ASSITEJ UK, one branch of a larger international network around arts for young audiences. Past board experience includes Birmingham Royal Ballet (Education Committee), Spark Arts Children's Festival, Foundation for Community Dance and the National Inclusive Dance Network.