Jen Malarkey

I am a cis-female choreographer/director from South London making cross art form performance, creating new work with both trained and untrained performers from a range of communities.

My mission is to investigate how new writing and dance can co-exist at the heart of new work and through this to innovate the role of participation in contemporary dance based performance.

My work is formally and tonally challenging, I embrace difficult subjects and I disrupt preconceived notions of what dance theatre can be and who dance theatre can be for. I work with producers, Fuel (www.fueltheatre.com) who are well placed to support the experimentation and social politics at the heart of my work.

Three years ago I made a work called I Heart Catherine Pistachio. It attracted the attention of the sector and was called a ‘cult show’ by Lyn Gardner.

I really enjoyed the complexity (Of I Heart Catherine Pistachio) - never quite finding my narrative feet or locating a physical style. This made it bizarre and rich. Eddie Nixon, Artistic Director, The Place

Louise Blackwell (co-founder of Fuel) saw it and invited me to work with Fuel on two new projects, ‘The Kids Are Alright’ and ‘Deaf Choir.’ Louise, said this about my work:

Jen Malarkey is a rare dance artist; she is willing to take creative risks, to make work about challenging subjects and to connect with as wide a group of people as possible. She works cross artform – she’s interested in chorographic led work that has text and spoken language at the heart of the storytelling. The two forms (physical and spoken) have equity in her work and align to create an often explosive practice. When I saw her show I knew that I wanted to support the artistic development of this fresh new voice in performance. I’m excited by what impact she will have on the creative landscape of the UK in the coming years.

I run a company called Encounter where, with writer, Lee Mattinson, I make shows about (extra) ordinary events, ideas and people.

We create work with dance and new writing, working in collaboration with artists, venues, non arts organisations and community groups from all over the UK.

Our mission is to
1. Experiment with how people and performers can collaborate at the heart of new work
2. Find bold and brand new ways to construct narrative and physical worlds
3. Explore what it is to survive in the modern world

In 2019 we led artist development with The Place and The Royal Court on the meeting points between the worlds of choreographers and writers.

Our current project, The Kids are Alright is being supported by the Wellcome Trust, Arts Council England and Peggy Ramsey Foundation, produced by Fuel and commissioned by The Place, London.

Beyond Encounter, I work as a movement director, teach movement for training actors in Drama Schools across London and am widely experienced in inclusive approaches to dance/drama for children and adults with physical disabilities, sensory and learning needs.

Credits

DIRECTOR, CHOIR, ARC, Stockton, 2 nights, 2014
DIRECTOR, CHOIR, Northern Stage, 2 nights, 2014
DIRECTOR, CHOIR, Traverse, 2 nights, 2014
CHOREOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR, I Heart Catherine Pistachio, Soho Theatre, 2015
CHOREOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR, I Heart Catherine Pistachio, The Yard, 2016
CHOREOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR, The Kids Are Alright, The Place, London, 2019
CHOREOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR, The Kids Are Alright, Albany, Deptford, 2019

Training

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, MA Movement Directing - Distinction
Dartington College of Arts, BA Devised Theatre - 2:1
The BRIT School, BTech National Diploma in Performing Arts - Distinction