Choreographed by Lewis Cooke
Lewis Cooke tries to not recreate but reinvent each performance as its a lifelong passion that he feels can be harnessed to make an impact. At a young age, Lewis began finding his voice in choreography and started to view/create performances as a way to touch/impact an audience. The realm of Lewis's work tends to relate to mental health as he is fascinated on how even in this era we still have so many connotations around feeling, expression and masculinity.
A Time When All Lights Must Be Hidden
Choreographed by Lewis Cooke
Description; This work is a physically intense and mentally exhausting 18 minute exploration of Schizophrenia. ‘A Time When All Lights Must Be Hidden’ challenges the audience’s connection with the performer, by investigating what it is like to have a mental illness and the emotions experienced whilst in a vulnerable state. ‘Positive, Negative and Cognitive’ are three symptoms of the condition that are explored in the work.
Venues; Laban Theatre, Lewisham College, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Robin Howard Theatre (Resolution 2018)
Press review by Teresa Guerreiro; "For sheer impact the evening belonged to Lewis Cooke. in his solo work A Time When All The Lights Must Be Hidden he captured the anguish of a man who senses things nobody else can perceive. ‘I have seen… I have seen…’ he cried as he reached out to touch things so real to him: an insect perhaps, or a waterfall… It’s a piece of hyper-physical theatre; and as a strong and expressive dancer Cooke did it full justice. Pretty it isn’t, but it’s accomplished, powerful, and haunting."
Programme Notes; Imagine seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling things that don’t exist. Having such a strong belief about someone who's been made up in your head and not knowing which personality is the real you.
Innercide
Co-choreographed by Lewis Cooke & Lloyd Lovell
Description; This co choreographed duet wants to question how we truly feel and how we "should" be feeling. It's an extremely physical duet which features the ridiculously talented live musician that is Tommy Khosla. Innercide is a structured improvisation lasting around 25-35 minutes. We plan to develop this further and hope one day can be a full length work exploiting our emotions in an honest and playful way.
Premiere; Robin Howard Theatre (Resolution 2019).
Press Review; "Lewis Cooke and Lloyd Lovell are an engaging pair, two mates having fun (or three, to include Khosla), with a work that played with emotion and memories" by Graham Watts
"The musician... bringing the movement alive with an eclectic mix of electronic beats, a live sitar and even some Beyonce riffs. The effect is of three friends improvising in their lounge" by Stella Rousham
Programme Notes; What’s the harm in truly feeling? In not knowing.
This duet wants to investigate the multiple states or energies we, as beings, hold within us. To share that which is human, to question the human front people may have with feeling. It wants us to play, to have fun. It wants to open us to the vastness of emotion and enjoy the finer things in life, like Lotus Biscoff Spread. We invite you to re-birth your inner side.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have a project in mind that you would like Lewis to collaborate or choreograph on.