Choreographer, Movement Director, Dancer
Born in London, Rhys Dennis is from a Jamaican and Barbadian heritage. He began dancing at a young age initially training in Hip-Hop and then going on to study at conservatoire's Northern School of Contemporary Dance, later graduating with a BA(Hons) from London Contemporary Dance School (The Place). He has worked with high profile music artists, toured internationally with a range of contemporary dance companies, taught workshops throughout the UK and overseas and choreographed for a number of contexts, including his own company.
After graduating, Rhys co-founded dance company FUBUNATION in 2017 alongside Waddah Sinada, with a mission to create visibility for people of colour in contemporary dance and create work centred around the Black identity, championing Black excellence within the industry both on and off stage. Rhys has created 8 dance works with the company, his earliest work ‘Ruins’, in collaboration with Waddah, won the partner award for the Rotterdam International Duet Choreography competition in 2019. The company was selected for Aerowaves top 20 artists in 2021, which saw Ruins perform at San Vincenti festival (Croatia), Euro-scene Leipzig (Germany) , Operaestate festival Veneto (Italy), Springback ringside (Slovenia and London). The company received lottery grant funding for their new ensemble work ‘Black Is..’ and the work previewed at Wild Card (Sadlers Wells) in 2022 and will return for a UK tour in 2024.
Rhys has been engaged as a choreographer by a range of brands and companies including NOWNESS, V&A Museum, WeTransfer, Outernet Global, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Conny Janssen Dance Company (Rotterdam), Greater London Authority (174 Dancers), Velorose Gallery, Whitechapel Gallery, The Place, Laban and the Grammy Award Winning music band Clean Bandit. He often works collaboratively.
As a dancer Rhys has been featured in the works of Beyoncé (Black is King), Playboi Carti (Wireless Festival), FKA Twigs (Don’t judge me), Usher x Remy Marten, Birkenstock x Universal Works, Nanushka, Brave New World (HBO). Rhys has toured extensively and worked with prominent UK choreographers HUMANHOOD (Torus, Birmingham), James Cousins (Epilogues UK tour), Seke Chimutengwende (It begins in darkness UK tour 2022, and upcoming 2023-24 tour) and Leila McMillan (Curl of Hair, Film).
As a cultural facilitator and dance researcher Rhys produced and directed the London dance festival Dance with the Nation in 2021 and has recently been awarded the Lisa Ulmand Scholarship fund to continue his research on the African diaspora and indigenous communities in Brazil. Rhys will be working at the Festival Internacional de Dança de Araraquara and will receive mentorship from festival curator Dr. Gilsamara Moura and indigenous leader Aliton Krenak in 2023.
Rhys has taught workshops and classes for a variety of people and contexts including Conny Janssen Dance Company (Rotterdam), Heather Walrond Dance Company, London Contemporary Dance School, Laban, Irie! Dance Theatre, UNICAMP (Sao Paulo), Federal University of Bahia (Salvador), Casa SoMovimento (Salvador), 4fürTANZ Platform (Germany), Dancebace (Scotland), Southbank centre (SXWKS), Dance4/ FABRIC (Pro class), Trip Space, Centre 151, Advantages of Age (Over 60's), Dance East (Kickstart cohort).