Der britische Choreograph Royston Maldoom, Mitbegründer der Community Dance Bewegung, initiiert und leitet seit über 30 Jahren weltweit Tanzprojekte für jedermann, unabhängig von Talent und Erfahrung, Alter, Hautfarbe, ethnischer Zugehörigkeit oder sozialer Herkunft. Für sein soziales Engagement und seine künstlerische Arbeit hat er zahlreiche Preise erhalten, u.a. wurde ihm 2006 von Queen Elizabeth II der „Order of the British Empire“ verliehen.

"Welcome to my webpage where for those of you who are often asking, you can keep up to date on current and future projects. For the past five years I have been working non-stop, so many projects, lectures and workshops. For me it has been most rewarding to see how community dance is now becoming part of the German dance vocabulary and the discussions at all levels that are taking place. I have been privileged to be part of so many exciting developments and to witness many others that have been initiated by independent German artists. In particular I have enjoyed watching my colleagues from Germany and the UK contributing to the ongoing dance developments of “Resi-Dance” in Detmold and Paderborn, “Tanz die Toleranz” in Vienna and “Making a Move” with Grone Netzwerk in Hamburg. More and more young choreographers and dancers are getting involved, some who have assisted me on projects are now reaching out on their own, working in their own way - Josef Eder (Munich) directing and choreographing youth projects in Viersen, Innsbruck, Bucharest and Dresden - Mohan Thomas (Essen) and his company “Tanzmoto” working with the kids from Marl and throughout Nordrhein-Westfalen. Exciting examples of youth dance companies such as Volker Eisenach´s “Faster-Than- Light-Dance-Company” (Berlin) or the amazing “lis:sanga dance company” (Berlin) directed and choreographed by Lenah Strohmaier.

A big thanks to my UK colleagues, Tamara McLorg, Janice Parker and Mags Byrne for taking the projects forward that I have initiated and for their help, advice and guidance I have relied on so often.

2010 is my year to ease up and relax. A chance to revisit old places and old friends. Beginning last December with three weeks chilling out in Lima, Peru, one of my favorite cities where I met up with the Ballet San Marcos, a company I have been associated with since 1974. I also had a chance to see the children from the suburbs, part of the “Danza de la Esperanza” (Dance of Hope) I initiated with my friend Vera Stastny, director of the San Marcos company, three years ago. I watched them working on a new performance by my colleague Tamara McLorg.

At the end of January I will visit Venezuela at the invitation of José Antonio Abreu, founder of “El Sistema”, and the conductor Gustavo Dudamel of the “Simón Bolívar Venezuelan Youth Orchestra” to discuss a collaboration with the music theatre Vienna and Caritas Vienna. February gives me a chance to revisit Scotland and an old colleague, dance artist and choreographer Frank McConnel and give a few days mentoring young choreographers on one of his projects in Inverness. There will be new adventures for sure as the year progresses, not least the publication of two new books, my autobiography and a smaller methods book, details of which can be found on the website. They will be available from the 15th of March onwards.
I will be out of circulation but my colleague Susanna Herrmann will continue to update the website, prepare upcoming projects for 2011, 12, and 13 and deal with other enquiries for post 2010.

A big thank you to all of you who have supported me and shown such an interest in my work and good luck and strength to all the German colleagues who are working for the cause of 'Dance for Everyone'."

Till 2011
Royston

Berlin / January 2010