1988 – Siobhan Davies Dance founded

Born Susan Davies in London in 1950, Siobhan Davies was studying art when she joined what would become London Contemporary Dance Theatre in 1967. Davies created her first piece for the company in 1972 and became resident choreographer in 1983. Running concurrently with her work at London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Davies was also dancing independently with Richard Alston’s company and produced a small number of performances as Siobhan Davies and Dancers, founded in 1981. In 1982, Davies, Alston and Ian Spink established Second Stride.

In 1987, Davies left Britain and immersed herself in the modern dance schools in the United States of America. It was on her return in 1988 that she established Siobhan Davies Dance, and she was also appointed associate choreographer at Rambert Dance Company, a position she held until 1992. Davies launched her own dance company with a programme of her own choreography, including White Man Sleeps, which was specially commissioned to celebrate Dance Umbrella’s tenth anniversary. By 2000, Davies created dances that did not inhabit the traditional proscenium arch theatre, instead making works that existed in alternative spaces. The Siobhan Davies Studios in south London opened in 2006 to provide a base for the company’s output that would encourage interdisciplinary dialogue. Siobhan Davies disbanded her company in 2007 but still produces pieces today, the aim being to connect artists and audiences through collaborative activities.